The Minnesota Timberwolves are off another long playoff run led by Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert.
The Timberwolves experienced a major change early last season when they dealt with the town of Karl Anthony for Julius Randle, which was considered a shocking move.
However, the trade paid off as Minnesota returned to the Western Conference finals after Minnesota acquired the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
The Timberwolves didn’t reach the ultimate goal of reaching the NBA Finals, but Randle showed he could be a crucial long-term production on the team.
It took the Timberwolves to settle down. They had a slightly rocky season, but they really found their footing in the playoffs.
Randle had some big time performances in the playoffs, adding another offensive element next to Edwards.
He also spent a lot of time at Gobert. Because that frontcourt helped the Timberwolves do another run.
Goat spoke to the young man and three podcasts about being around Randle.
“Julius is a very unique man. He is one of the hardest working workers I have ever been to, and when I don’t know him, I think he can have such quiet, anti-social energy.
“But when you get to know him, you realize that he is a really funny guy and that he is a great father. I have a lot of respect for him, he is just a great guy and he is a competitor.
“He wants to win, he wants to be great, and he’s doing what he can to get better at this stage of his career.”
The Timberwolves have been away from consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances, losing five games.
It’s an impressive achievement, but it shows that the Timberwolves still have a long way to go to win the championship.
The Timberwolves made no dramatic changes this offseason, but lost a significant piece at Nickaire Alexander Walker.
If they leave the gate and don’t improve this season, the Timberwolves could head for big trade.