Kristian Winfield: Ex-Knick Julius Randle is the Timberwolves’ problem now

MINNEAPOLIS — Naz Reid saw it. Anthony Edwards saw it too. So did the thousands of fans who packed Target Center, their eyes locked on Julius Randle when Karl-Anthony Towns returned to Minnesota on Thursday.

Randle stood in the paint, swarmed by three Knicks defenders. The open man was there – actually two of them. Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker both stood unchallenged behind the 3-point line, arms poised for the pass.

But as had been the case so often during his time in New York, the ball seemed stuck to Randle’s hands.

Reid pointed to McDaniels. Edwards gestured emphatically, then flapped his arms in frustration. Wolves fans, sensing the missed opportunity before it even unfolded, joined in with a phrase Knicks fans had shouted countless times before.

“Pass the ball!”

Randle eventually moved the ball — but three seconds too late. In the NBA, a split second can decide a possession, a quarter or even a game.

By the time Randle hit McDaniels, Mikal Bridges had already rotated to help. McDaniels swung the ball to Alexander-Walker, but the window was also slammed.

What could have been an open corner 3 five seconds earlier turned into a completely different challenge. Alexander-Walker had no choice but to attack Precious Achiuwa’s close-out, drive into the paint and launch a fading 2 over two defenders – a much tougher shot.

The basket was good, but the moment highlighted a bigger problem. The possession wasn’t just a clumsy sequence; it was a snapshot of why the Knicks needed to move on from Randle — and why the Timberwolves may soon have to consider the same.

Randle’s struggles with ball movement and defensive disunity when his offense isn’t flowing were problems in New York and they continue in Minnesota. Ball stoppers rarely align with the principles of winning basketball, and Randle’s tendencies are as entrenched as ever.

That single possession encapsulated why the Knicks are the clear winners of the Towns-for-Randle (and Donte DiVincenzo) blockbuster. It’s also an obvious reason why the Timberwolves are in eighth place in the Western Conference after finishing second and reaching the conference finals last season.

“We don’t have an identity,” Edwards said after the game, his frustration palpable. “We know I shoot a lot of shots. We know Ju will shoot a lot of shots. That’s all we know. We don’t really know anything else. It’s not on the coaches at all. It’s on us.”

Pressed on how to fix the offense, Edwards held back. “They won’t like what I say, so I’ll just keep it to myself.”

If moving on from Randle is the unspoken solution, it’s not one that comes easily. The former All-Star is owed $33 million this season and has a $30.9 million player option for the 2025-2026 campaign. With limited projected cap space across the league next summer — and Randle’s trade value steadily declining — there’s a good chance he’ll pick up the option, keeping him in Minnesota for at least one more season.

Meanwhile, Towns is thriving in New York, transforming the Knicks’ offensive identity in ways Randle never could.

Insert back slap emoji here.

Randle is the Timberwolves’ problem now. Once a fixture responsible for dragging the Knicks back to relevance, he is now the starring extrovert in a trade that is a resounding franchise-defining win for New York’s front office.

The same issues that plagued Randle at Madison Square Garden have followed him to the Target Center, much to the chagrin of his new fan base.

Meanwhile, Knicks fans can finally breathe easy. The days of Randle’s ball-stopping tendencies stifling the flow of the offense and limiting his teammates are firmly in the rearview mirror.

Talking trash

Bridges loves to taunt his opponents every chance he gets – not out of malice, but because it fuels his fire. Known as one of the most likable players in the NBA, Bridges uses competitive banter to energize himself, and that energy rubs off on his teammates.

“Me? (A garbage man?) No, no, not at all,” Bridges said with a laugh. “I love to compete. But it’s always love. I feel it’s always love. I just love this kind of game. Everyone’s juicy, everyone’s locked in, so it’s fun.”

Cameron Payne, one of Bridges’ closest friends on the team, said Bridges’ fiery moves on the court give the bench players extra motivation to stay engaged.

“Honestly, I try to bring my energy, but sometimes when you get on the field, you see your man show up, you’re like, ‘Okay, now I’ve got to make sure I show up. He’s locked in, make sure I’m locked in,” Payne said. “So it’s kind of like that for me. Have fun out there. I don’t necessarily think he’s a trash guy because everyone in the league likes him and he likes everyone. So I don’t think it’s trash talk – it’s just competing out there.”

Bridges is the Knicks’ iron man

Bridges is not only the Knicks’ leading scorer since Dec. 1; he also leads the entire NBA in total minutes played and miles traveled on the court during that span.

Payne has one theory: Chipotle. Bridges is famously loyal to the Mexican food chain, a habit Payne believes may be his secret weapon.

“Man, shouts Chipotle. I guess I don’t eat enough Chipotle,” Payne said with a laugh. “That man stays out there and runs all day. He absolutely loves (Chipotle). It’s crazy. I’ve been with him since Phoenix and I’ve been trying to figure out what he does to stay healthy. Man , he sits and does the same things that I do. I don’t know, he’s blessed. He’s definitely gifted in that area.”

Bridges, who has never missed a game in his professional career, is currently averaging 38.3 minutes per game. match in the league. The grinder doesn’t seem to bother him though.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said Thursday morning. “I think I was leading a few years ago. I don’t know what it was – minutes or miles or whatever – but yeah, I’m fine.”

No Hart vs. Wolves

The Knicks downgraded Josh Hart to questionable for personal reasons ahead of Thursday’s matchup, with head coach Tom Thibodeau later ruling him out during his pregame press conference.

Hart’s availability for Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans remains uncertain.