As the Julius Randle trade to the Brooklyn Nets became official on July 10, Randle now enters Brooklyn at an interesting spot in his career going into his 13th season in the NBA.
The night before the NBA Draft on June 22, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Julius Randle to the Nets in a multiple team deal involving the Timberwolves, Bulls, and Hornets. The Wolves sent Randle and the No.28 pick (Joshua Jefferson) to Brooklyn as part of a salary dump so the team could re-sign Ayo Dosunmo to a five-year $112 million contract and make other blockbuster trades like trading Naz Reid for Hornets star guard Lamelo Ball.
After two seasons in Minnesota, Randle finds himself back in New York but now playing across the bridge in Brooklyn. Randle played for the New York Knicks from 2019-2024 as he was apart of the start in turning around the Knicks. After a rocky start in Randle and the Knicks first season, the team hired Tom Thibodeau as their head coach.
Together, Randle and Thibodeau led the Knicks to the playoffs in the 2020-2021 season for the first time since 2013. Randle had a career year averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game where he was a first time All-Star, made All-NBA Second Team, and was the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Randle led the Knicks to a top four seed in the Eastern Conference before a disappointing playoff exit against the Atlanta Hawks in five games and a decrease in his production.
In five seasons with the Knicks, Randle’s career averages were 22.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists in the regular season. As Randle had great regular seasons with the team, his production went down in the playoffs. Randle’s career averages in the post season with the Knicks were 17.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on bad shooting splits. Randle only played in two postseasons (2021 & 2023) as he missed the 2024 playoffs due to dislocating his shoulder in the regular season. That offseason, the Knicks traded Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a first round pick to the Wolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.
In Randle’s first season with Minnesota, he averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, Randle had a great playoff run playing his role and averaging 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. The 6th seeded Wolves upset the Los Angles Lakers who were the 3rd seed in five games and Luka Dončić’s first Laker’s playoff series. In the Semi-finals, the Wolves beat the Golden State Warriors in five games before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference finals resulting in five games.
In Randle’s second season with Minnesota, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the regular season. In the playoffs, Randle’s production dropped again to 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. In the first round, the Wolves beat the Denver Nuggets in six games as Randle performed well, averaging 19.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists. In round two, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Wolves in six games as Randle struggled mightily. While the Wolves were sent home in round two, the Knicks made it all the way to the NBA Finals and won its first championship since 1973. The team ended a 53-year title drought and showed the world they won the trade with Minnesota two seasons removed from the trade.
In the last three years, Randle enters his third different team. The 31-year-old is now looking to turn the page once again as he has one more guaranteed year remaining on his contract with the second year having a player option. In this upcoming season with the Nets, Randle will be making $33 million. In his second year, Randle can opt in to secure his $33 million contract or opt out to become an unrestricted free agent.
In the final phase of his prime, Julius Randle is looking to get paid at least one more max deal with the Nets or a team that might have interest. As the team which he played his best basketball with, the Knicks, won a title this year and being moved by the Wolves as part of a salary dump, Randle has all the motivation in the world for a bounce back season. He joins one of the youngest teams in the league in Brooklyn and one of the top veterans on the roster. In his first media availability at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Randle talked about his role as a veteran presence coming in.
“I really just want to be able to be a vet that you can come and talk to,” Randle said.” I feel like from a leadership standpoint, I can help a lot more just being through it and having that experience.”
If Randle is fully brought in with the Nets plans and system with performing at a high level in the regular season that he’s been accustomed to, there’s no question everything will fall into Randle’s lap. As Randle was a part of the start of the Knicks’ turn around, he looks to do the same in Brooklyn where they have had three consecutive losing seasons. The road certainly won’t be easy with the whole Eastern Conference improving this offseason.
If Randle doesn’t have a great year from a performance and leadership level, the looks of one more long term max deal might be out of reach for him. In the upcoming 2026-2027 NBA Season, Randle will have the opportunity to turn the page going into his first season with the Nets.
