Julius Randle makes his feelings known about blockbuster trade to Timberwolves - "Initially it's always gonna be a shock"
Last week, the NBA world was rocked by a trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. The trade caught many fans off guard, and as it turns out, Julius Randle was equally stunned by the news.
On Thursday, Randle spoke with media members in Minnesota for the first time, where he opened up on the trade. After spending five years with the team, which included some of the most formative years of his career, the trade was a blindside for the 2021 NBA Most Improved Player.
Despite the initial shock, however, Randle explained to media members that he's ready to hit the ground running and help the Timberwolves pursue a championship following their best finish since the 2004 season.
"It was a lot of emotion. You spend a certain amount of time in a place, New York, going there five years ago, and having a goal in mind to accomplish a lot of great things and, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears put into that organization uniform.
"Initially, it's always going to be a shock but for me afterwards, I woke up the next morning, and I was just really, really excited. It was a breath of fresh air. I'm excited to bring everything that I learned here over the past five years and, help these guys out. ... I want to help win a championship. So that's the only thing that matters."
Of course, Julius Randle is heading into the final guaranteed year of his four-year contract. After the upcoming 2024-25 season, the three-time All-Star will be faced with a player option next summer that could either see him opt into the final year of his deal, or choose to hit free agency.
"I do want to be here" - Julius Randle addresses the elephant in the room regarding his contract
As we've seen in the past, teams trading for a player on an expiring deal don't always wind up re-signing the player the following summer. Despite that, there have also been plenty of examples of teams trading for a player on an expiring deal and then re-signing them the following summer, like Kyrie Irving in Dallas.
The calculated risk is one that could either pay dividends for a franchise, or result in frustration among the fanbase. In the case of Julius Randle and the Minnesota Timberwolves, it sounds as though the frontcourt standout and his family are excited about the move to Minnesota.
While speaking with media members at his introductory press conference this morning, Randle explained that players want to be somewhere where they feel wanted.
As he enters the final guaranteed year of his contract, Randle feels wanted in Minnesota, and wants to remain there.
"You want to be somewhere where you're wanted. I feel wanted here. ... Ultimately, yeah, I do want to be here."
Part of the reason Julius Randle is so excited about playing in Minnesota is the fact that he will have a chance to play under coach Chris Finch once more.
The player-coach duo spent time together in New Orleans briefly, with Randle calling his time playing for Finch the easiest the game has ever felt.
With the team looking to make another deep playoff run in pursuit of their first championship in franchise history, it will be interesting to see how things play out for the Timberwolves this season.