Timberwolves agree to three-year deal with productive forward

The new contract will replace Randle’s player option for 2025-26 and will be worth $100M over three years, according to Charania, who reports that it will include a third-year player option for 2027-28.

After being sent from the Knicks to the Timberwolves in the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster right at the start of training camp last fall, Randle took some time to adjust to the change of scenery and didn’t score or shoot as much during his first year as a Timberwolf as he had gotten accustomed to during his years in New York.

However, the 30-year-old ultimately had another productive season as a scorer, rebounder and play-maker in Minnesota, putting up averages of 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in 69 outings, with a shooting line of .485/.344/.806. The Timberwolves were 44-25 during the regular season in games he played and 5-8 in the ones he missed.

Randle’s deal is the second major contract agreement the Timberwolves have reached with a member of their frontcourt between the end of the draft and the official start of free agency. Minnesota also struck a five-year, $125M deal with Naz Reid.

The two contracts will push the Wolves’ team salary to the brink of the second tax apron for 2025-26, and I expect the club will be reluctant to surpass that threshold again after operating as a second-apron team in 2024-25. Barring cost-cutting moves elsewhere on the roster, that likely means free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker will end up elsewhere.

Depending on the exact terms of Randle’s new contract, it’s possible it could be completed as a veteran extension in June rather than as a free agent deal in July. If that’s the case, he would remain trade-eligible this offseason. If not, he’ll be ineligible to be dealt until Dec. 15.