Julius Randle gives the Wolves exactly what they need to become champions

Although we are only fifteen games into the season, Julius Randle is in the midst of a career year. He is averaging 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists on 52.4/37/83.3 shooting splits. Whether it’s shot making, spot-up shooting, playmaking or ball defense, Randle is doing it all for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.

Minnesota has made it to back-to-back conference finals. However, the Wolves are of course trying to make their first appearance in the NBA Finals and ultimately win their first championship. Randle’s play is exactly what the Wolves need to get over the hump and make a championship leap.

Julius Randle is the perfect co-star next to Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards never had a reliable shot creator next to him until Randle arrived from New York. Needless to say, this helped Ant a lot. Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards is a perfect example of how Randle benefits Edwards and the Wolves. Despite Ant shooting 6-20 from the field, Minnesota won by 11, following a 32-point shooting night 11-19 from Randle.

Yes, this is against the lowly wizards. Either way, at the point in games where Edwards is struggling or getting too much pressure from the defense, Randle can step up and provide No. 1 option-level production. If both Edwards and Randle are present, the Wolves are a true matchup nightmare. Seriously, how do you monitor that?

Having an elite co-star in Randle will undoubtedly benefit Edwards and the Wolves in their biggest moments.

Impressively, Randle ranks in the 91st percentile for points per isolation possession, and at times he has led the league in this statistic. 52.7 percent of Randle’s field goals are unassisted. Additionally, his usage rate of 29.3 ranks in the 95th percentile for his ranking per Cleaning the Glass.

Big Ju has always been an elite bruiser and quality finisher. This season, however, he has reached a new level, shooting a career-high 74.4 percent. Likewise, Randle is shooting 60.5 percent on 5.7 drives per game. Randle’s 37 percent from beyond the arc is the second-highest mark of his career. His versatility in scoring is truly remarkable, and it opens everything up for the Wolves.

Randle’s overall impact

However, as mentioned earlier, Randle doesn’t score alone. Randle’s 6.1 assists lead the Wolves, with Mike Conley’s 3.7 assists behind him. Edwards and Randle have both taken on more ball-handling duties. But Randle has been the team’s best playmaker, both as an attacking hub and as a drive-and-kick passer.

With a new starting lineup, the Wolves are operating with a point guard by committee approach, and Randle is a key part of that. Having Randle alleviate some of Edwards’ playing duties is also extremely beneficial for the 24-year-old star.

Randle’s defense wasn’t perfect, especially when he was asked to play out of position as a center. Nevertheless, his defense on the ball was excellent, holding opponents to 43.4 percent shooting. He remains a lockdown-on-ball defender, which will benefit the Wolves in the playoffs, just as he did last year.

Ultimately, Randle’s multi-faceted impact certainly boosts the Wolves’ title chances. It will be a tough task in a grueling Western Conference, but Randle gives the Timberwolves a real chance to make the finals.