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Julius Randle Predicted to Make $31 Million Decision Ahead of NBA Free Agency

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 3:11 PM ET

Around the NBA, the feeling is that, with the Kevin Durant drama having passed, with the team officially (finally) in the hands of new owners and with coach Chris Finch not going anywhere, the Timberwolves are in line for a conventional offseason.

That doesn't mean it will be uneventful, though. The Wolves have Naz Reid possibly entering free agency, on a player option, and have Nickeil Alexander-Walker hitting free agency, too. Both players have earned a raise, and while Minnesota will likely shell out to keep Ried, keeping NAW might be asking too much.

That's because the other issue the team is facing centers on power forward Julius Randle, whose fit in Minnesota was awkward in the early going but who found his footing with the team down the stretch and into the postseason (conference finals performance notwithstanding).

Randle's scoring dipped after the All-Star break, from 18.9 points to 18.2, but his efficiency spiked--he shot 47.0% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point arc before the break, but 52.3% and 39.8% after. He averaged 5.2 assists in the second half, up from 4.5 in the first.

The Wolves want to keep him around. But he has a player option worth $30.9 million in 2025-26, and he could opt out in search of a bigger deal elsewhere on the market. The problem is, the market has almost no money available for big-ticket spending. Randle could opt out to sign a new deal with the Wolves, but the consensus around the league is that opting in is his best move.

Writes Spotrac contract guru Keith Smith: "No pun intended, but Randle has options here. If he opts out, it’s likely to sign a new long-term deal with Minnesota. No one else can reasonably offer him $30 million this offseason. If Randle opts in, he could sign a long-term extension with Minnesota, similar to Rudy Gobert a couple of years ago. He could also be a part of a trade package for a star.

"Expect Randle to opt in, which gives him a few more options than opting out would."

Randle must make his decision official by June 29, which is Sunday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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