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Assume it is mid season, the Wolves decide Randle and Gobert are not a good fit. The preference is that one of the two is under 25 and on a good contract. PJ Dozier can also move in this deal. Due to 2nd apron concerns multiple teams must be in play as the Wolves cannot aggregate players. My understanding is that trading NAW to team A and Randle to team B is still possible. Is that understanding correct?

Randle for Tobias Harris and Basketball Paul. Add in Wolves 2nd rounders as needed. No you don't get a young talented big locked into a favorable contract, but that feels largely unrealistic in your scenario.

Randle for Collins/Kessler. You can sell yourself on Kessler being young and on a good contract. Jazz dump Collins' final year using a guy they shopped hard. Add 2nds as needed.

Randle for Vuc/Jalen Smith. Add 2nds as needed.

I've loved everything I have seen with Finch unlocking Randle.

Aggregate means Minnesota can't take in salary more than the largest players salary going out is equal to.

They could send out both Randle and NAW but for each receiving part(s) of the trade, each need to be < Randle Salary and < NAW salary.

For example, Minnesota can trade Randle for player(s) less than his salary, and trade NAW for player(s) less than his salary.

weird ask considering Randle's strong start to the season

Texas Chuck wrote:Randle for Tobias Harris and Basketball Paul. Add in Wolves 2nd rounders as needed. No you don't get a young talented big locked into a favorable contract, but that feels largely unrealistic in your scenario.

Randle for Collins/Kessler. You can sell yourself on Kessler being young and on a good contract. Jazz dump Collins' final year using a guy they shopped hard. Add 2nds as needed.

Randle for Vuc/Jalen Smith. Add 2nds as needed.

It is at this point Minnesota realizes that trading a Top 50 player low-end starters and bench players where any deal involving Randle falls flat.

Moving Randle makes no sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their competitiveness this year nor does it make sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their future flexibility.

If Randle is getting traded for a massive talent drop-off [all 3 of those proposed trades], I can't see how Minnesota considers the deal.

To answer OP question, let's assume Randle somehow starts to hate Finch and stops believing in him, the team sucks and instead of looking inward decides to punt on any long playoff run in the midst of ANT's prime and says to themselves "Losing out on talent is good long-term", the opposite of every move they have made since 2021:

Utah - Like Minnesota, we can make-up anything--as wild as it is. Utah goes on a massive run after looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA to start. Lauri is in the MVP candidacy, and all they need is to acquire a Randle-like player and they are a title contender.

Minnesota Receives: John Collins, Kyle Filipowski, 2025 and 2027 1st Returned
Utah Receives: Julius Randle

I don't really get the idea of moving Randle for lesser pieces. I have a pretty high level of confidence that Finch can make Randle/Gobert work since he figured out KAT/Gobert (which was considered a much worse pairing at the time of the Rudy trade). With the extremely limited available cap space next offseason, I'd take my chances on re-signing Randle to a relatively team friendly deal.

Godaddycurse wrote:weird ask considering Randle's strong start to the season

1 great game. 1 terrible game. Not a strong start that instills confidence imo.

Godaddycurse wrote:weird ask considering Randle's strong start to the season

The degree of difficulty on his shooting is too high. Same for the rest of the team in both games. There are clear issues on offense, defense, and especially rebounding, with Randle as starting PF. Naz can fill the role and we can seek a more balanced PF/C rotation.

Texas Chuck wrote:Randle for Tobias Harris and Basketball Paul. Add in Wolves 2nd rounders as needed. No you don't get a young talented big locked into a favorable contract, but that feels largely unrealistic in your scenario.

Randle for Collins/Kessler. You can sell yourself on Kessler being young and on a good contract. Jazz dump Collins' final year using a guy they shopped hard. Add 2nds as needed.

Randle for Vuc/Jalen Smith. Add 2nds as needed.

First thought that came to mind.

Colbinii wrote:Utah - Like Minnesota, we can make-up anything--as wild as it is. Utah goes on a massive run after looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA to start. Lauri is in the MVP candidacy, and all they need is to acquire a Randle-like player and they are a title contender.

Minnesota Receives: John Collins, Kyle Filipowski, 2025 and 2027 1st Returned
Utah Receives: Julius Randle

I'd prefer giving up Flip to giving up Kessler (and the Wolves might prefer the Flip's potential from range), but I wouldn't pay two FRPs on top for the privilege of taking on Randle. I'd do one if I was convinced that Randle wouldn't pick up his PO for 25-26. If Minnesota declines, that's fine too.

SkyHook wrote:

Colbinii wrote:Utah - Like Minnesota, we can make-up anything--as wild as it is. Utah goes on a massive run after looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA to start. Lauri is in the MVP candidacy, and all they need is to acquire a Randle-like player and they are a title contender.

Minnesota Receives: John Collins, Kyle Filipowski, 2025 and 2027 1st Returned
Utah Receives: Julius Randle

I'd prefer giving up Flip to giving up Kessler (and the Wolves might prefer the Flip's potential from range), but I wouldn't pay two FRPs on top for the privilege of taking on Randle. I'd do one if I was convinced that Randle wouldn't pick up his PO for 25-26. If Minnesota declines, that's fine too.

I agree . Think Randle definitely picking up his option. Makes two picks way to much even with Collins going out.

Godaddycurse wrote:weird ask considering Randle's strong start to the season

Julius Randle doesn’t play well, he just sometimes hasn’t been exposed yet…

…some folks just don’t like Juju’s game, even when he’s playing well

winforlose wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:weird ask considering Randle's strong start to the season

The degree of difficulty on his shooting is too high. Same for the rest of the team in both games. There are clear issues on offense, defense, and especially rebounding, with Randle as starting PF. Naz can fill the role and we can seek a more balanced PF/C rotation.

Putting in Naz for Randle isn't fixing much of that, certainly not the rebounding. The answer to that is McDaniels and conley playing better.

The degree of difficulty on shots tends to be higher for the on ball creators. But they are also the ones creating easier shots for others. Naz doesn't do that yet. I love the guy but he isn't the cure-all for what may be the problems (2 games in and still working in 2 new rotation players) and sending out Randle for backups isn't a great solution either.

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Can the TWolves afford to dilute their talent further after the KAT trade and still expect to compete at the highest level? I'm not a Randle guy by any means, but there's at least some level of scoring prowess there. I have my doubts, but they must of felt confident in his ability when they made that deal.

If Randle seems like he's not working there... Does he have any actual trade value? I think most questioned this prior to the KAT trade. Did the one team that valued him make a trade for him? I can't imagine the market would be vast.

In asking for backups, presumably Naz Reid would be stepping into the starting role and being asked to carry a decent sized scoring burden. What's the ceiling on a team with Naz Reid as the #2 option? Personally, I'm not sure it's much different than a team with Randle as that, but that swings me back to them presumably holding a different opinion when they swung the deal.

Would T-Wolves do Randle for Gafford/Washington?

I'm biased & it's early days still, but watching Julius & Ant's chemistry out there together, I think Minnesota's got a great bigman rotation already and Reid is perfect for that 3rd big role he's currently in...not sure his defense or on-ball creation demand starting him, but as a big minute bench guy his shooting can slide into tons of different lineups next to either Rudy or Juju.

I just really like how adaptable having Ant + 2 of Rudy / Randle / Reid + 2 of DDV / McD / NAW / Conley...and maybe Dillingham or Minott...makes them.

I wonder if some team like the Jazz might say, we have Lauri, what if we can add Ingram and Randle and go for it?

I wouldn't do it, but maybe some GM out there might think it's good enough?

Maybe a team with PG already in place? Say Detroit decides Cade/BI/Randle is good enough to lose to Boston in the ECF and decides that might be good enough for the franchise. (not sure they have salary or desire, but just for an idea of what I'm thinking)

I really doubt Wolves are willing to trade Randle this season. West is extremely competitive and Wolves definitely need Randle scoring.

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:Randle for Tobias Harris and Basketball Paul. Add in Wolves 2nd rounders as needed. No you don't get a young talented big locked into a favorable contract, but that feels largely unrealistic in your scenario.

Randle for Collins/Kessler. You can sell yourself on Kessler being young and on a good contract. Jazz dump Collins' final year using a guy they shopped hard. Add 2nds as needed.

Randle for Vuc/Jalen Smith. Add 2nds as needed.

It is at this point Minnesota realizes that trading a Top 50 player low-end starters and bench players where any deal involving Randle falls flat.

Moving Randle makes no sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their competitiveness this year nor does it make sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their future flexibility.

If Randle is getting traded for a massive talent drop-off [all 3 of those proposed trades], I can't see how Minnesota considers the deal.

To answer OP question, let's assume Randle somehow starts to hate Finch and stops believing in him, the team sucks and instead of looking inward decides to punt on any long playoff run in the midst of ANT's prime and says to themselves "Losing out on talent is good long-term", the opposite of every move they have made since 2021:

Utah - Like Minnesota, we can make-up anything--as wild as it is. Utah goes on a massive run after looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA to start. Lauri is in the MVP candidacy, and all they need is to acquire a Randle-like player and they are a title contender.

Minnesota Receives: John Collins, Kyle Filipowski, 2025 and 2027 1st Returned
Utah Receives: Julius Randle

This was not my scenario. I was just trying to help the OP with the few kinda fits I could find. I don't love any of them.

But I also think its a big waste of time to suggest Minny could get that kind of return for an expiring Randle. You may hate the OP and that's fine. But I know you don't believe that's a realistic counter even if Utah has the kind of surprising start they had 2 years ago.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:Randle for Tobias Harris and Basketball Paul. Add in Wolves 2nd rounders as needed. No you don't get a young talented big locked into a favorable contract, but that feels largely unrealistic in your scenario.

Randle for Collins/Kessler. You can sell yourself on Kessler being young and on a good contract. Jazz dump Collins' final year using a guy they shopped hard. Add 2nds as needed.

Randle for Vuc/Jalen Smith. Add 2nds as needed.

It is at this point Minnesota realizes that trading a Top 50 player low-end starters and bench players where any deal involving Randle falls flat.

Moving Randle makes no sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their competitiveness this year nor does it make sense for Minnesota in terms of maximizing their future flexibility.

If Randle is getting traded for a massive talent drop-off [all 3 of those proposed trades], I can't see how Minnesota considers the deal.

To answer OP question, let's assume Randle somehow starts to hate Finch and stops believing in him, the team sucks and instead of looking inward decides to punt on any long playoff run in the midst of ANT's prime and says to themselves "Losing out on talent is good long-term", the opposite of every move they have made since 2021:

Utah - Like Minnesota, we can make-up anything--as wild as it is. Utah goes on a massive run after looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA to start. Lauri is in the MVP candidacy, and all they need is to acquire a Randle-like player and they are a title contender.

Minnesota Receives: John Collins, Kyle Filipowski, 2025 and 2027 1st Returned
Utah Receives: Julius Randle

This was not my scenario. I was just trying to help the OP with the few kinda fits I could find. I don't love any of them.

But I also think its a big waste of time to suggest Minny could get that kind of return for an expiring Randle. You may hate the OP and that's fine. But I know you don't believe that's a realistic counter even if Utah has the kind of surprising start they had 2 years ago.

The important part of this deal is Minnesota needs to be getting better and there is no reasoning to convince someone trading Randle for anyone you mentioned makes Minnesota a better team.