Randle played a secondary role in the Timberwolves’ 116-99 win, taking a backseat in the spotlight as Anthony Edwards dazzled with 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Exactly a year prior to his long-awaited MSG return, the highest mark of Julius Randle’s tenure was taking shape.

The Minnesota Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks based in part because they craved flexibility.

When Julius Randle signed with the Knicks in the summer of 2019, he joined a team that had just suffered its sixth consecutive losing season. The Knicks were fresh off of a 17-win campaign that matched the worst season in franchise history.

The 21-19 Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to get on the same page at times after making a monstrous offseason trade that brought in Julius Randle

The Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) is questionable for Friday's game against the Timberwolves, who will be without starter Donte DiVincenzo (toe).

Randle believed in the Knicks and their potential when almost no one else in the NBA did. When Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and almost every other free agent took a hard pass on the Knicks, Randle risked coming to a franchise that had just finished a 17-65 season and had gone six straight years without making the playoffs.

Anthony Towns for their matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, marking the second consecutive game the star big man sat out after suffering a bone chip and sprain in his shooting thumb earlier in the week.

Randle played a secondary role in the Timberwolves’ 116-99 win, taking a backseat in the spotlight as Anthony Edwards dazzled with 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Will Minnesota try to trade Randle before the Feb. 6 deadline? If they do, will the decision backfire. If they don't, will they regret it?