Is Julius Randle expected to re-sign with Timberwolves?

Is Julius Randle expected to re-sign with Timberwolves?

The Minnesota Timberwolves entered with the summer with a couple of in-house decisions to make after getting bounced in the Western Conference Finals by the soon-to-be NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder!

A pair of Wolves players–Naz Reid and Julius Randle–had player options. Both players were expected to opt out, and Minnesota inked Reid to a brand-new five-year, $125 million extension on Friday.

Could Minnesota also re-up with Randle, whom they acquired from the New York Knicks ahead of last season in a three-team blockbuster? According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Minnesota is planning on bringing Randle back, though it could come at the expense of another free agent.

“There is a growing belief that Julius Randle will be next in striking a long-term agreement to sign with the Timberwolves as well,” Fischer wrote Saturday. “Those highly anticipated returns of Reid and Randle, however, have increasingly painted Alexander-Walker as the odd free agent out in Minnesota.”

Randle, 30, averaged 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists last season, including 48.5 percent from the floor, 34.4 percent from 3-point range and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line. He has until Sunday at 5 p.m. EST to either exercise or opt out of his $30.9 million player option, which he hasn’t formally done yet.

Would Randle opt out and take a pay cut, so Minnesota could re-sign Alexander-Walker?

According to Yossi Gozlan’s cap sheets, the Timberwolves’ luxury tax bill is at roughly $25 million. However, they are still $2.1 million away from the second apron with Randle’s $31 million on the books and their roster, as currently constructed, wouldn’t be worth digging deep into the second apron if Alexander-Walker’s making anywhere from, say, $10-15 million per year.

Potentially allocating at least $75 million per year to Reid, Randle and Rudy Gobert for the next several years carries risk. If you lose Randle, then Minnesota may be forced to fast-track Joan Beringer‘s development. But if you keep him, that’s a healthy amount of cap allocated to your frontcourt, and I think those resources could be used for players who fit better around Anthony Edwards. There’s a trade-off.

What would you be willing to give Randle? Let us know in the comments!

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