NBA Insider Reveals Real Reason Why Timberwolves Traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 3:44 PM ET

On October 2, 2024, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the NBA with a blockbuster trade.

The Knicks traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.

Money played a big role in this trade. Minnesota had to part ways with Towns or Rudy Gobert to lower its payroll. The front office chose Towns since Gobert has won the Defensive Player of the Year Award four times.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, though, saving money wasn't the only reason why the Timberwolves traded Towns and acquired Randle.

"Sources stress, though, that the Wolves viewed Randle's ability to barrel into the paint off the bounce, spray passes to the opposite corner and find weakside cutters off his drives as a more optimal supplementary fit next to superstar Anthony Edwards than Towns," Fischer wrote.

Randle appeared in 69 games this season. The three-time All-Star averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 48.5% from the field, 34.4% from beyond the arc and 80.6% from the free-throw line.

In the 2025 playoffs, Randle averaged 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 15 games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Randle has a player option worth $31 million to return to the Timberwolves next season. The former Knicks star can pick up his player option or decline it and enter unrestricted free agency.

“I will say that I love it here, and this is the most meaningful basketball that I’ve played in my career,” Randle said during his exit interview with local reporters.

"And from how the organization has made me feel, from just my teammates and playing with Ant as our leader, I love it. There’s a lot to be excited about."

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

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