Julius Randle To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Adductor Strain

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced that Julius Randle will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks.

Randle exited the Timberwolves’ Jan. 30 game against the Utah Jazz after sustaining a potential groin injury, and an MRI later confirmed he has a right adductor strain.

The Wolves will re-evaluate him in two weeks, which means he is expected to miss at least the next six games, with the possibility of more.

Due to his injury, Randle has already missed two games for the Timberwolves, both of which ended in losses to the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings.

In his first season with the Wolves, he has started in all 48 games, putting up averages of 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, along with shooting 47.0% from the field and 32.1% from three.

Randle spent five seasons with the New York Knicks before being traded in the offseason as part of the deal that brought Karl Anthony-Towns to New York.

In exchange for Towns, the Wolves acquired Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a first-round pick.

Randle thrived with the Knicks, averaging 22.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists across 330 games. He was selected for three All-Star games and earned spots on the All-NBA Second and Third Teams.

While Randle is sidelined, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels will see most of the action in the frontcourt, while Anthony Edwards will be expected to carry an even bigger scoring load.

Reid, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has stepped into the starting lineup in his absence.

The upcoming NBA All-Star break, beginning late next week, gives Randle a week off to heal, and the Timberwolves are hopeful that he’ll be ready to return for the Feb. 21 road game against the Houston Rockets, followed by back-to-back games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lead the Western Conference.