Ranking realistic trade destinations for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle…
1. Washington Wizards
With Randle’s struggles in Minnesota continuing, so do the trade rumors. Going all in this season, the Wolves have instead taken steps backwards. After reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, the Karl-Anthony Towns trade has been as lopsided of a trade as we’ve seen in a long time.
If the Wolves do entertain offers for the 30-year-old forward, the Washington Wizards should be on top of the list of teams. With players on the roster like Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, and Malcolm Brogdon, the Wizards are clearly the worst team in the NBA.
As the worst team in the league, they’re rebuilding for the future. Essentially, that makes many if not all players on the roster expendable. A player like Kuzma thrown into a proposed trade for Randle would be enough to excite Minnesota. They’re in desperate need of scoring on the wing alongside star Anthony Edwards — Kuzma would be a great option for him to kick it out to at the three-point line.
Washington doesn’t have a point guard option that would excite Minnesota in a deal (Brogdon’s contract is too big). Instead, the Wizards adding center Jonas Valančiūnas into a proposed deal would help sweeten the deal. He would be a great option to backup Rudy Gobert.
There is no other team in the league that will listen to more trade offers before the trade deadline than Washington. They’ve got a lot of talent that just can’t seem to play well together. If they brought in Randle, he would once again be a star of a team.
As the best player on the Wizards, his stats would all return to form and the offense would play through him. Many of his struggles adjusting to Minnesota’s style of play is primarily playing off-ball. On the Wizards, the ball would be in his hands a lot more. His confidence would be restored, and he would be happy again.
People forget that Randle is still a very talented player. He just hasn’t been a good fit on the Wolves. In the right system, he is one of the best power forwards in the league. This is a win-win trade for both teams. The Wizards are the best destination for Randle should he be shopped on the trade market.
