Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) shoots at the basket as Boston Celtics forwards Xavier Tillman (26) and Jayson Tatum (0) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP

The Knicks shocked everyone by pulling off a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo at the start of October, and that has transformed both teams. Towns was coming off an up-and-down playoff performance and there was plenty of debate about how good he really was,

Anthony Edwards dominated the struggling Knicks, who were again outplayed in the fourth quarter, again barraged by 3-pointers and again lost handily, 116-99, Friday night to the Timberwolves.

Friday’s game was a far cry from Dec. 19, when the Knicks dominated the Timberwolves in Minnesota, 133-107. That night, Edwards scored just 17 points on 16 shots, deferring to Randle, who was still acclimating to his new team after the trade.

After Edwards shot the 3 with time winding down, Julius Randle could be seen on ESPN's cameras making his way towards the locker room. A review had held up the final inbounds play, but Randle was already on his way out of the tunnel, and he's been the subject of criticism for his early exit and body language during crunch time in Wednesday's game.

Julius Randle speaks about the Knicks trade to the Timberwolves and reflects on his time in New York and his new journey in Minnesota.

Anthony Edwards sensed that his new co-star was concerned about stepping on toes. It was just a training camp scrimmage, but Julius Randle looked more like a hesitant rookie than a veteran with a ...

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch wanted Edwards to catch the ball in the backcourt, giving him more of a running start toward the rim after he had taken 18 free throws in a rugged afternoon in FedExForum. But that was far too easy for the Grizzlies to cut off, which has been the problem for the Wolves this season.

For Julius Randle, the return to New York was "amazing." He was touched by the fans' reception but just as importantly helped secure a 116-99 road win for Minnesota. Teammate Anthony Edwards just concentrated on being "aggressive" and it showed with a 36-point,

If the Minnesota Timberwolves decide to trade Julius Randle, the Charlotte Hornets would be a great destination.

When it comes to inside information about the Minnesota Timberwolves, there's no one more reliable than longtime beat reporter Jon Krawczynski — and he doesn't think a Julius Randle trade is on the minds of Minnesota's decision-makers.