Julius Randle scores 14 in Nets home debut

Randle will have these inefficient games while stuffing the stat sheet in other areas including the turnovers. It’s part of the deal when you have Randle. His role isn’t going anywhere and his next opportunity to bounce back will be on Sunday against the Pacers.

Randle fouled out late in overtime on Tuesday, but he posted a solid stat line before leaving. That said, he shot 0-of-5 from three and turned the ball over five times. Randle’s had the ball in his hands a lot in Brooklyn’s first four games, which has raised his fantasy ceiling. However, his four turnovers per game are an issue in nine-cat formats.

Randle shot poorly on Sunday, but he posted solid rebounding and assist numbers. Technically speaking, Egor Dëmin is the Nets’ starting point guard. However, Randle has facilitated a lot in the team’s first three games, which is good news for fantasy managers who roster him.

After dropping 33 points in the season opener, Randle wasn’t able to match that mark in this one, though he was still a strong source of buckets. Clearly, he’s going to get a ton of usage this season, which is why he was selected in the sixth round of fantasy drafts this season. Randle can’t be relied on for defensive stats, and the shooting efficiency won’t always be at the level it was in this game, but he should be a consistent producer of points, rebounds and assists.

If Randle’s Nets debut was any indication, the 31-year-old forward might be in line for one of the best statistical seasons of his career. No one else on the Nets scored in double figures besides Randle and Porter Jr., but the two of them combined for 59 points with Randle providing 33 of those. He played 37 minutes and was two rebounds and three assists away from a triple-double. While Randle might not turn the Nets into a winning team, he could turn a lot of fantasy teams into winners if this production keeps up.

Entering his 13th year in the NBA, the Nets will be Randle’s fifth team. Playing alongside Michael Porter Jr. for the first time, Randle helped lead the Nets to a 124-90 victory over the Hornets. He had 13 points, three assists and two threes in 18 minutes. Randle is coming off the board in the fifth round of fantasy drafts.

After two seasons in Minnesota, Randle is headed back to the Big Apple, albeit a different borough. While he did struggle during the Timberwolves’ second-round series against San Antonio, the veteran forward had a productive 2025-26 regular season. In 79 games, Randle averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 80.2 percent from the foul line. With the Nets in the midst of a rebuild, it’s fair to wonder if they won’t look to move Randle to another team. He can provide reliable top-75 fantasy value, especially in points leagues. Staying in Brooklyn could raise Randle’s ceiling, as was the case with Michael Porter Jr. Still, fantasy managers would also have to worry about the possibility of his minutes decreasing late in the season. As part of the trade, Minnesota will receive the rights to the 33rd overall pick in this week’s draft. Randle’s exit means Naz Reid will start consistently, raising his fantasy ceiling, and it also gives the Timberwolves the financial flexibility needed to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu.

After averaging 14.8 points on 36.6 percent shooting in the first five games, Randle saved his worst for last in Game 6. The veteran forward shot 1-of-6 from inside the arc and offered little production to compensate for the poor shooting. Randle is going into the final guaranteed year of his deal, with a player option for 2027-28, and these playoffs won’t do him any favors. During the regular season, Randle provided top-75 fantasy value, and he’s capable of doing the same next season.

While he finished with a respectable point total, most of Randle’s work was done after the outcome was no longer in doubt. Shooting 4-of-4 from the field, the Timberwolves forward scored nine points in the fourth quarter. The first three quarters are a concern, especially with Randle offering limited production since scoring 21 points in Game 1. With the Timberwolves’ season on the line in Friday’s Game 6, they’ll need more consistent energy and production from Randle.

McDaniels shot 3-of-8 from beyond the arc in Game 3, but he had a brutal night from two. The Timberwolves’ forward made two of his 14 two-point attempts in one of the worst performances of his postseason career. McDaniels did record a complete stat line, but with Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) out and Julius Randle (12 points, six rebounds and one steal) also struggling, the Timberwolves don’t have much margin for error against the Spurs.