Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle came to the Nets earlier this offseason as the Minnesota Timberwolves were looking to shed salary as they sought to go in a different direction as a franchise. As a result, Brooklyn now has another player in Randle that can be a veteran presence while producing on the floor and head coach Jordi Fernandez explained what the conversations have been like early on.
"He's going to be a leader, that's for sure. We're bringing a three-time All-Star, a guy who's been in the playoffs multiple times," Fernandez said of Randle while on ESPN's broadcast of the Las Vegas Summer League. Fernandez is heading into his third season as Brooklyn's head coach and not only does he have forward Michael Porter Jr. in the fold, but
he now has Randle to depend on as well.
"He's [Randle] won a lot of playoff series, he's got the experience. But, going back to what Sean and his group do is bring around the right character. He wants to lead," Fernandez continued. "He wants to do it the right way. He's very happy to be with us and and help us grow. His leadership, not just with his voice, but also by example, is going to be very important."
Randle, 31, is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 31.5% from behind the three-point line in 79 games played for the Timberwolves. What could be good news for the Nets is that Randle's performance last season was a bounceback for him compared to how he played during the 2024-25 campaign.
At the moment, it seems that Randle and Porter will be in the starting lineup likely to be surrounded by Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, and Day'Ron Sharpe, at least to begin next season. Porter had the kind of season where many believed that he could have made his first All-Star appearance and if Randle is able to continue playing well, he may be able to continue being an All-Star while having a hand in leading one of the youngest teams in the league.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Jordi Fernandez explains early conversations with Julius Randle
