Julius Randle finally opened for the New York Knicks, who traded him for the Minnesota Timberwolves last year.
One of the biggest examples of a favorable deal for both sides in the NBA was when the New York Knicks traded Julius Randle to land Karl Anthony Towns before the start of last season.
Fans on both sides questioned trade at the time, but it seemed to work as the Knicks and Timberwolves reached conference finals in the East and West respectively.
Timberwolves clearly liked what the new star saw as they signed Randle a $100 million contract extension.
And of course, Julius Randle would not have re-signed the Minnesota Timberwolves if he hadn’t enjoyed playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But how did he feel when the New York Knicks first traded him?
Julius Randle was recently a guest on Dr. Daniel Amun’s podcast. When discussing his trade from the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Randle gave some insights.
He is pleased with how things turned out, but Randle is initially disappointed. He gave the Knicks a lot and was a key part of the NBA’s reemergence as a competitive team.
“It was amazing. It was very unexpected. The deal happened and you really… I switched teams in my career, but I never traded.
“I remember (my wife) being very excited for me. For me? When it happened, I was really down.
“I’m the type of person who wants to see everything. It was like taking it from me, and it made me feel bad. But at the same time, I was ready for a new start. I didn’t know how to adjust it.”
Leaving the Knicks in New York may have been emotionally devastating for Julius Randle, but it’s hard to argue that it didn’t work.
Randle was far behind in the Knicks’ pecking order when Jalen Branson, Josh Hart and Og Anunoby took him in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
In the Timberwolves, Randle formed a connection with Anthony Edwards, and the superstar treated Randle with a lot of respect and encouragement.
Over time, Randle is about to build a competitor around Edwards, which could become a key fixture for the Timberwolves.