Three Potential Trade Suitors for Timberwolves Star Julius Randle

Julius Randle is a three-time All-Star who put up solid numbers during the regular season, but his playoff struggles have made it clear that the Minnesota Timberwolves need a change this summer.

The 31-year-old averaged 22.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game for a Timberwolves team that finished 49-33 and reached the Western Conference Semifinals as the sixth seed.

But when the stage got bigger, Randle's production went the other way.

In the second-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the former All-NBA forward averaged just 12.8 points on 34.2 percent shooting from the field and the Timberwolves were bounced in six games.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, many rival scouts have pointed to Randle being packaged with Donte DiVincenzo and the 28th pick for an established All-Star-level talent to pair with Anthony Edwards.

With DiVincenzo also recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in the playoffs, a shakeup feels inevitable this summer.

Here are three teams that make sense.

The Spurs went 62-20 and made it all the way to the NBA Finals this season, but De'Aaron Fox was inconsistent in the postseason and averaged just 15.6 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting.

San Antonio has young guards like Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle waiting for bigger roles, and swapping Fox for the Randle package would let them develop those guys while still putting a proven scorer next to Victor Wembanyama.

For Minnesota, Fox and his 18.6 points and 6.2 assists per game during the regular season would give Edwards the ball-handling guard the roster has been missing.

The Nets finished 20-62 and have made it known they are open to moving veterans this summer.

Michael Porter Jr. is one of the most talked-about names on the trade market after putting up career-high numbers in his first year in Brooklyn, averaging 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game before being shut down with a hamstring injury.

His shooting and size at 6-foot-10 would make him an ideal running mate for Edwards, and Randle could help the Nets raise their floor with new anti-tanking rules going into effect next season.

Sacramento went 22-60 this season and three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis played just 19 games before undergoing season-ending knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Even in limited action, Sabonis averaged 15.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, but the Kings are in need of a fresh start.

Getting Randle and DiVincenzo's expiring contract along with a first-round pick could help Sacramento begin to retool around younger pieces.

For the Wolves, Sabonis offers a different dynamic as a playmaking big who thrives in pick-and-roll situations alongside a lead guard like Edwards.

With the NBA Draft less than a week away, the Timberwolves seem set on making a move.

Whether it ends up being Fox, Porter, Sabonis, or somebody else entirely, Minnesota's mission this summer is simple.

They need to find a better co-star for Anthony Edwards, and Randle is their biggest trade chip to make it happen.