Timberwolves Coach Chris Finch Comes to Defense of Nets' Julius Randle

Julius Randle drew a lot of criticism for the Timberwolves' underwhelming playoff performances.

Mar 7, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch greets forward Julius Randle (30) as he goes to the bench during the first half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Julius Randle has returned to New York after a two-year hiatus, joining the team across the bridge.

The former New York Knicks standout will now be representing the Brooklyn Nets after coming over from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a multi-team trade.

Randle had big shoes to fill in Minny after he and Donte DiVincenzo were swapped for Karl-Anthony Towns.

With Mike Conley aging, he struggled to adequately hold it down as Minnesota's starting point guard, prompting Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to insert DiVincenzo as the lead floor general.

In hindsight, Finch recognizes how that impacted Randle's effectiveness out on the floor.

"I just didn’t realize the limiting factor of some of the other things that happened," Finch said in part 4 of The Chris Finch Interview with Britt Robson. "Whether it be the (physical) toll it took on Anthony at times, the (mental) toll it took on Mike at times, the pressure it put on Julius (Randle) to have to do even more. I think we took Julius’ last 35 games from two seasons ago for granted and we didn’t create enough easy stuff for him because we relied on him to try and create for everybody. That’s not fair and that’s all on me."

Randle's playmaking skills are incredible asset for a modern big man to have, as the game today prioritizes heavy ball movement, 3-point shooting and a faster overall pace.

However, Randle was sometimes tasked as operating as the point guard because of the limited production the Timberwolves were receiving at that spot, which can make it harder for him to focus on his other areas of strength, such as bulldozing downhill and bullying defenders inside for easy buckets at the rim.

Randle is also good for a few 3-pointers a game if his hand is hot enough, but he operates best when he is actively getting downhill and making plays for himself and his teammates.

Randle drew a lot of criticism for the Timberwolves' underwhelming playoff performances in the last two seasons, as opposing defenses tended to force him to dribble into traffic, which caused a lot of Minnesota turnovers.

The Nets aren't expected to make much noise despite insistence from Randle and Michael Porter Jr.'s side, but with fewer expectations, maybe Randle could get back to playing the brand of basketball he's most comfortable with and help Brooklyn rattle off a few more wins than expected.