When Julius Randle landed in Minneapolis for the first time as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, he departed from a fast-paced, cramped, and famous city where Frank Sinatra once claimed that if he can make it there, he’ll make it anywhere.
Randle spent five seasons with the New York Knicks, the longest tenure of his 11-year career. He made a name for himself in the NBA’s largest market, winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award in 2021 and becoming a three-time All-Star.
Some players fizzle under Madison Square Garden’s bright lights, but not Randle. He thrived on the MSG hardwood as the Knicks’ No. 1 star. But off the court, New York wasn’t where Randle — who grew up in Texas — felt most at home.
He feels the most at home in a place with space. A place that can be found in the suburbs of Minneapolis that offers a much slower and more laid-back lifestyle than New York.
“I just knew it was cold, but it’s beautiful here,” Randle said during his intro press conference in October. “I’m from Texas. I’m used to having space and land and all those different types of things, being outdoors, activities. You get all of that here.”
But on the court, Randle has the tools to embody a true, fast-paced New Yorker. There is nothing laid-back about his physically imposing playstyle. As he gears up for his second season in the Twin Cities, the Wolves will need Randle to keep tapping into that New York State of Mind.
“I really never knew much about [Minnesota],” Randle explained during his exit interview. “But I was very surprised. It’s really my speed … I’ve definitely found a comfort level, got used to the cold, and the blizzards in March. But it was cool, man. I enjoyed it.”
When Randle got here, he was getting acclimated to Minnesota’s cold, snowy days. He was also trying to get up to speed on the court. Randle’s point-forward skills intrigued the Wolves from the get-go. However, it wasn’t until after he returned from a groin injury on March 2 that Randle truly became the version of himself that would unlock Minnesota’s offense and earn him a three-year, $100 million extension.
The time Randle spent on the bench with his injury gave him time to observe his team’s offense from afar and realize how he could better contribute. He also watched Terrence Shannon Jr. become a wrecking ball in transition and how much it helped Minnesota’s offense.
Randle knew he had to take a quicker approach when he returned, leading the team-wide offense the same way a New Yorker would commute to work — expeditiously.
“The pace and the ball movement,” Randle responded when a reporter asked him in March about what he learned while sitting out. “Being able to screen, set good screens, and how that opens up things. And just like playing faster.”
The Wolves were a different team when Randle returned from his injury. Over the final 21 games of the season, they had a 17-4 record while Randle averaged 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 52.3% from the floor and 39.8% from deep. He flirted with a triple-double roughly six times and remained locked in defensively.
Randle led Minnesota’s offense to rank second-best over the span. He was also a driving force in the Wolves’ dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games apiece. Randle’s proclaimed emphasis on pace and ball movement was certainly a reason why — he was producing quality offense early in the shot clock. However, the Wolves were never a fast-paced team last season.
Minnesota’s pace stats, broken up by four chunks:
- Before Randle’s injury (48 games): 97.6 (26th league-wide)
- During Randle’s injury (13 games): 99.7 (20th)
- After Randle’s injury (21 games): 97.6 (21st)
- In the playoffs (15 games): 96.1 (8th out of 16 teams)
“We don’t play the fastest,” Chris Finch said during his exit interview. “Even as much as we try to, physically we don’t, or the guys that are fast are a little reluctant to do so.”
Typically, the fastest-paced teams in the NBA are those with young legs. Sometimes, rebuilding teams lacking isolation scorers will simply run fast to generate their offense. The Timberwolves don’t need to lead the league next year in pace. They most definitely won’t. However, they need to secure a spot in the top ten and maintain it for the entire season.
With Rob Dillingham, Jaylen Clark, and Shannon all threatening to be in the rotation in some capacity this season, they will naturally ignite a faster pace. However, including one, two, or all three of them in the rotation will not be enough for his team to reach the pace of play that he has longed for.
As it stands, the Timberwolves will also enter the season with a hole at point guard. Mike Conley, who showed signs of regression last year, will likely start another season as Minnesota’s starting floor general. Still, the Wolves won’t be able to play him regular starter-level minutes, and they have yet to show signs of being able to play productively.
Donte DiVincenzo is at his best when playing off-ball, and Dillingham is still young.
Playing with a consistently faster tempo will help mask that hole, allowing the Wolves to generate quality looks before the defense has a chance to set up. Playing faster will also limit how often teams can load up on Anthony Edwards with two or more defenders.
The Wolves should aim to have a mindset similar to that of a Wall Street stockbroker — move at the speed of light to catch those around them off guard.
Randle, the fourth-oldest player on the team, must lead the charge.
He will assume a good chunk of Minnesota’s point guard reps this season. When he does, Randle must play with an even faster tempo than he did to close last year. That doesn’t mean rushing up the court every time he gathers a rebound like Shannon, but Randle does have to do it more frequently than he did in the first half of last season. Randle must also consistently prioritize generating good looks for himself or others early in the shot clock. Doing so will transform Minnesota’s offense to its highest possible level.
That will materialize in how many hit-ahead passes Randle completes, and the speed at which he sets up Minnesota’s offense in the half-court.
The Timberwolves have the tools to be a fast team. Now they must have the mindset and build the proper habits to turn a fast-paced game into their advantage, rather than their glaring disadvantage, which it frequently was last season.
Randle — a kid from the open plains of Texas — feels much more at home in laidback Minnesota than he did in New York. But on the court, he must continue to lead his teammates in a playstyle that looks nothing like the vibe found in a Minneapolis suburb.