NBA Trade Rumors: Three teams were in conversations to trade for Julius Randle before he was eventually moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Just before the start of NBA Training Camp, the New York Knicks made another big move to help solidify their frontcourt. Late Friday night, the Knicks traded Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a future first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. A huge trade that is likely to send shockwaves across the league, this is a significant move that will alter the seasons and outlook for both the Knicks and Wolves.
However, interestingly enough, the Knicks were speaking to multiple teams about a potential trade before they settled into the deal with the Timberwolves.
According to a recent report, the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks were in trade talks with the Knicks for Randle before he was ultimately traded in the blockbuster deal to the Timberwolves. How serious those talks were is unknown but this is an intriguing list of teams that were at least somewhat interested in a move for Randle.
The Julius Randle 'what if' game
The Heat, I assume is understandable. I'm not sure I'd agree with the fit but it would make sense for Miami to look for more offensive firepower heading into the start of the season. The Pistons are also a team you can understand. Detroit is in an awkward spot with their young core and adding a seasoned veteran to the roster is not that terrible of an idea. But I do suppose trading for Randle doesn't make a ton of sense after signing Tobias Harris in free agency.
The Hawks are the truly interesting one for me. If Atlanta was interested in Randle, I do wonder if it had more to do as a possible salary dump or if the Hawks wanted to make a move to potentially compete for a playoff spot in the East this season. Either way, perhaps it's another sign that this team is not completely ready to pivot toward a rebuilding of the roster.
In the end, Randle ended up being the centerpiece of the blockbuster trade for KAT. But it is fun to think about the other possibilities that nearly happened.