Julius Randle open to contract extension with Wolves: ‘I do want to be here’

Julius Randle hopes to be with the Timberwolves beyond the 2024-25 season.

Randle, whom the Timberwolves acquired along with Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop in the trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, said at his introductory press conference on Thursday that he hopes to sign a contract extension with the team. Randle is currently in the third year of a four-year, $117 million contract he signed with the Knicks, but has a player option for the 2025-26 season he’d likely decline as he could get more on the open market.

Randle made it clear on Thursday he’s open to signing with the Timberwolves long term.

“Just being around here and being around the environment, (president of basketball operations) Tim (Connelly), (coach Chris) Finch, all those guys, like that stuff is important,” Randle said. “They made me feel more than at home being here.

“Just super comfortable, the energy is up like just being in the building, the energy is up. The guys seem like everybody gets along, so at the end of the day, to the core of who I am, I’m a basketball player, and that’s what I love to do, at the end of the day. So for me, being here is super important. … Ultimately, yeah, I do want to be here.”

It will be interesting to see how the Timberwolves approach a potential extension with Randle. On the one hand, the trade of Towns could be viewed as a cost-cutting move. If Randle’s salary comes off the books after this season, the Wolves will have some flexibility to dish out long-term extensions for young, core pieces like Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

On the other hand, Randle, 29, is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who’s established himself as an NBA star. Across his 10-year career, Randle has career averages of 19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Randle has averaged at least 20 points and nine rebounds in each of the last four seasons with the Knicks. A player of his caliber and talent level is certainly not easy to part with, and particularly if the Timberwolves aren’t getting a haul in return.

It’s worth noting that Randle had heaping praise for Finch, who was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans when Randle played there in 2018-19. Randle also noting the importance of the environment and winning at this stage of his career shouldn’t be taken lightly. Mike Conley signed a two-year, $20 million contract extension last season, less than he could’ve gotten on the open market, which is something Connelly said the franchise is encouraged by at media day.

Whether the Timberwolves will offer Randle the max, or if he’d be willing to take a discount to play for a contender will remain to be seen. Those decisions will eventually sort themselves out and come into focus. What is clear is the now, and Randle is excited to be in Minneapolis and joins the Timberwolves with a singular goal in mind — winning a championship.