Julius Randle Cracks Knicks Joke Ahead Of Timberwolves Debut

Old habits will apparently die hard for former New York Knicks star Julius Randle.

Anyone still not accepting the reality of the new Knicks is set to get a bit of a jolt, as Randle is set to don a new uniform come Wednesday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves face the Chicago Bulls in an exhibition game (8 p.m. ET, Bally Sports North). That game will host not only Randle’s first unofficial Minnesota minutes but also his first time on an NBA court since enduring a shoulder injury that proved to be season-ending back in January.

Asked about a potential minutes restriction, Randle joked that he comes from a land devoid of such limitations.

“You know where I’m coming from,” Randle said in a video from SNY. “I’m ready for whatever … whatever (head coach Chris) Finch needs from me, I’ll give it to him.”

Randle, of course, spent the past four seasons playing for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who has come to expect a lot out of his primary men. Despite missing the final 36 games of last season, Randle still ranks 13th in total minutes among all NBA players since Thibodeau took over the Knicks in 2020-21. When Randle went down, Thibodeau heavily relied upon the efforts of Josh Hart, even pressing the Villanova alum into full 48-minute efforts in his place.

Randle’s maiden voyage with Minnesota comes shortly after he returned to Madison Square Garden for the Timberwolves’ preseason visit. Karl-Anthony Towns, the primary yield of the trade that ended Randle’s Knicks career, proved to be well worth the price, putting up a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double in a 115-110 win for the hosting New Yorkers.

Sunday’s return offered Knicks fans a proper opportunity to say goodbye to Randle and fellow export Donte DiVincenzo, who were honored with a grateful tribute video shown on MSG’s “GardenVision” before and during the game. Randle admitted that he was only able to see the clip when his son and Knicks fan favorite Kyden showed him when he got home, but nonetheless labeled the gesture “cool” in another video from SNY.

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