After suffering from a season-ending injury, Julius Randle would finally be on the court as he plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA preseason match against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
Julius Randle, playing for the New York Knicks last season, had a shoulder injury that kept him out for the remainder of the games. Last June, he was booted out by the Knicks through a trade that landed him at Minnesota.
The former Kentucky Wildcats continues to undergo rehabilitation in his new team as he prepares for the actual games on October 22. However, per NBA insider Chris Haynes, Randle is ready to play for the Timberwolves in its next warm-up match against the Bulls.
The addition of Julius Randle to the Timberwolves is a benefit for the team. A power forward specializing in offense, Randle could be used to make formidable dynamics with new teammates like Anthony Edwards.
Last season, Randle played and started all 46 games for the Knicks, averaging 24.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 9.2 rebounds. He aims to show these same stats as he now plays for his new team.
Julius Randle pays a visit to the Knicks
Julius Randle’s Minnesota Timberwolves recently played against the New York Knicks during the NBA preseason. During a particular segment of the match at the Madison Square Arena, the Knicks formally parted ways with Randle through a video tribute to his games with his former team.
Randle’s shoulder injury, which had disappointedly kept him out of the last season, was one of the critical factors in his unexpected exit from the Knicks. Nevertheless, New York’s fans still supported their former big man by applauding him after the video tribute ended.
Last June, Julius Randle and Knicks’ teammate Donte DiVincenzo were traded to the Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Julius Randle’s run at Knicks saluted by Tom Thibodeau
Julius Randle became the New York Knicks’ vital player on the court for five seasons. However, the team let him go with Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In a post-game interview, Tom Thibodeau, former head coach of Randle and DiVincenzo, spoke highly of his former players. Notably, Thibodeau recognized the former’s growing talent.
“When you look at his [Randle’s] game, and every year he’s gotten better. He’s very versatile, and probably the thing that gets overlooked is the play-making… Whatever role you ask him to play, that’s what he’s gonna do, and I think winning is very important to him,” Thibodeau said
Julius Randle entered the Knicks in 2019, where he achieved his three All-Stars and brought the team into three playoff appearances. He was also a significant contributor in getting the team into second place at the end of the regular season until his injury last January.
