Facing a pivotal decision ahead of NBA free agency, Julius Randle holds a $30,935,520 player option for the 2025-26 season. With that deadline now passed, it’s widely expected he’ll decline, opening the door to explore new opportunities or potentially rejoin the Minnesota Timberwolves in a revamped role.
Minnesota has already made a power play by locking up Naz Reid with a rich five‑year, $125 million extension, dramatically tightening the team’s cap situation and signaling a clear intent to retain its frontcourt core. Yet Randle remains one of this summer’s most fascinating free agents.
Fresh off a resurgence in the playoffs, averaging 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on elite efficiency, he’s strategically positioned to leverage his All‑Star resume into a high-value deal.
Now, do the Timberwolves maintain their core and pay to play? Does Randle pivot to a contender with clear title aspirations?
Or could a bold offer from a club like the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, or even a hometown return change the calculus? We break down the 7 best landing spots, mapping out where Randle could land next in a new deal.
Update: Julius Randle has signed a 3-year, $100 million contract to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn enters free agency as the league’s largest spender, projected to have well over $30 million in cap space, plenty left even after re-signing draft picks and Cam Thomas. Adding Randle gives them a power forward who can score inside and out, handling 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game on 48.5 % FG as a Timberwolf.
The fit is seamless: Randle would offer reliable mid-range shooting and pick-and-pop threat traits prized in Brooklyn’s pace-and-space offense. Unlike some cap-squeezed contenders, the Nets have the luxury of simply writing the check, and no draft picks or salary outgoing are required.
Imagine Randle taking the elbow and hitting pull-up jumpers next to Bridges and Thomas, Brooklyn could offer him a starring role and still chase other free agents. Their young core lacks veteran scoring punch; Randle brings playoff-tested polish. Plus, the Nets’ front office has hinted at aggressive star pursuit all summer, and Randle fits that ambition perfectly.
Chicago Bulls
After years of rotation filler, Chicago finally has Coby White emerging as a proven lead guard. Pairing him with a seasoned PF who averages near 18.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 4.7 APG would provide the offensive anchor they’ve been missing.
Randle’s ability to create his own mid-post shot, stretch defenders with his 34.4% three-point clip, and initiate the offense aligns perfectly with Chicago’s need for a real go-to scorer. The pitch is simple: join a rising Bulls team with upside, play alongside Coby White and possibly Josh Giddey, and bring championship aspirations back to Chicago.
Randle could slot into power forward, letting the offense flow through him late in games. This is a tone-setting move, Coby + Randle gives Chicago a special 1-2 punch and a clear building block to attract other talent.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets boast a young scoring leader in LaMelo Ball (25.2 PPG, 7.4 APG), but they’ve lacked a reliable frontline partner. Randle offers exactly that after a season with 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and a triple-double in the West semis.
He’d be a secondary scorer and veteran presence beside LaMelo, smoothing the transition from draft lottery to playoff push. Charlotte could frame it as “the sidekick move”: while LaMelo commands headlines, Randle would quietly fill the stat sheet, expect consistent scoring inside/out, plus enough playmaking to complement their combo-guard dynamic.
No other team offers the fresh and clean narrative: Hornets, growth team, young star meets proven star. That storyline alone could draw free agents hungry for visibility and impact.
Utah Jazz
Utah has reportedly shopped John Collins, who just picked up a $26.5 million option, making him prime trade bait. A swap sending Collins + 2 second-rounders for Randle would bolster the Jazz with a multiyear All-Star power forward and give the Wolves much-needed frontcourt depth. It’s a classic “give-up-now to rebuild later” pivot.
From Utah’s vantage, Randle’s statistical ceiling, 18.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 34 % 3PT, stacks up better than Collins while offering more flexibility on a new deal. For Minnesota, shedding Randle in exchange for Collins plus picks frees cap space and transitions them toward a younger core with more upside. A clean, low-drama trade that satisfies both strategies.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers could move Jerami Grant, along with a couple of picks, to land Julius Randle, creating a frontcourt with Randle and rookie center Donovan Clingan. After extending Grant in 2023, Portland now sits with financial flexibility but lacks a go-to PF.
Swapping Grant + 1 FRP + 1 SRP for Randle would offer more scoring punch and rim stretch in a lineup featuring Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. Narratively, this is Portland’s youth-meets-veteran scenario: draft a high-upside rookie, add a sharpshooter, and balance with a steady veteran presence in Randle.
Grant’s exit would make room for Randle’s 34 % perimeter threats and efficient 48.5 % FG, giving the Blazers a dynamic frontcourt and clearer identity as they rebuild around fresh talent.
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles enters the offseason at a crossroads, struggling to find offensive continuity in the frontcourt. A sign-and-trade involving Derrick Jones Jr., Bogdan Bogdanovic, and a first-rounder for Randle could be the jolt they need.
The Clippers would essentially be swapping wing shooting for hybrid scoring versatility. Randle’s 21.7 PPG in the playoffs (2025 semis) highlights his ability to close games alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Here, the allure is immediate impact: Randle isn’t just another veteran; he’s a closer. He’d emerge as the third option offensively, providing pick-and-roll savvy and midrange consistency.
The Clippers win by spacing without sacrificing scoring. The price is steep, but Derrick’s athleticism, Bogdanovic’s shooting, and a first, but the return is worth it: a playoff-tested force who can win big moments.
Minnesota Timberwolves
There’s always the baseline scenario: Randle opts in and re-signs with the Wolves, maintaining continuity with Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid now locked in through contracts and extensions. That quartet offers balance: inside-out scoring, rim protection, and veteran leadership against the West’s elite.
Randle already delivered in the postseason, with a career-high 31 points in a Game 4 win against the Warriors, and the Wolves are inching toward contention. Staying means embracing unfinished business: they’ve got cap space, chemistry, and the ability to add another role player in a limited market.
Which means Randle’s greatest reward could be stability, and maybe a shot at proving Minnesota can win in the spotlight they’ve long chased.
