MINNEAPOLIS — Naz Reid saw it. Anthony Edwards saw it too. The same was true for the thousands of fans at Target Center whose eyes were on Julius Randle as Karl-Anthony Towns made his highly anticipated return to Minnesota on Thursday.

Randle stood on the court, surrounded by three Knicks defenders. The open man was there – two in fact. Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker both stood unchallenged behind the 3-point line, arms ready to pass.

But as was often the case during his time in New York, the ball seemed to be sticking to Randle’s hands.

Reid pointed at McDaniels. Edwards gestured emphatically, then waved his arms in frustration. Wolves fans, sensing the missed opportunity before it even unfolded, unanimously joined in a phrase that Knicks fans had shouted countless times before.

“Pass the ball!”

Randle finally moved the ball — but three seconds too late. In the NBA, a split second can make the difference between a possession, a quarter, or even a game.

By the time Randle hit McDaniels, Mikal Bridges had already rushed to help. McDaniels swung the ball to Alexander-Walker, but the window was also slammed shut.

What could have been an open corner five seconds earlier became a completely different challenge. Alexander-Walker had no choice but to attack Precious Achiuwa’s close-out, drive into the box and throw a weak two-pointer over two defenders – a far harder shot.

The basket was good, but the moment highlighted a larger problem. The possession wasn’t just a clunky sequence; It was a snapshot of why the Knicks needed to move on from Randle — and why the Timberwolves may have to think about it soon.

Randle’s difficulties with ball movement and retreating defensively when his offense doesn’t get going were a problem in New York, and they continue in Minnesota. Ball stoppers rarely agree with the principles of winning basketball, and Randle’s tendencies are as ingrained as ever.

That single possession highlighted why the Knicks are the clear winners of the blockbuster Towns-for-Randle (and Donte DiVincenzo) substitution. This is also a glaring reason why the Timberwolves sit in eighth place in the Western Conference after finishing second last season and reaching the conference finals.

“We have no identity,” Edwards said after the game, his frustration palpable. “We know I’m going to take a lot of shots. We know Ju is going to take a lot of shots. That’s all we know. We don’t really know anything else. It’s not the buses at all. It’s up to us.”

Pressed on how to fix the offense, Edwards demurred. “They won’t like what I say, so I’ll just keep it to myself.”

If leaving Randle behind is the unspoken solution, it’s not an easy solution. The former All-Star is due $33 million this season and has a $30.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season. With limited caps available across the league next summer – and Randle’s trade value steadily declining – there’s a strong chance he picks up the option and keeps him in Minnesota for at least one more season.

Meanwhile, Towns is thriving in New York and changing the Knicks’ offensive identity in ways Randle never could.

Insert shrug emoji here.

Randle is now the Timberwolves’ problem. Once a fixture responsible for bringing the Knicks back to prominence, he is now the key departing player in a deal that represents a stunning, franchise-defining victory for the New York front office.

The same problems that plagued Randle at Madison Square Garden followed him to Target Center, much to the chagrin of his new fan base.

Meanwhile, Knicks fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Long gone are the days when Randle’s ball-stopping tendencies stifled the offensive flow and limited his teammates.

I’m talking about trash

Bridges loves to taunt his opponents at every opportunity – not out of malice, but because it fuels his fire. Known as one of the NBA’s most likeable players, Bridges uses competitive banter to energize himself, and that energy is contagious to his teammates.

“Me? (A trash talker?) No, no, not at all,” Bridges said with a grin. “I love competing. But it’s always love. I feel like it’s always love. I just love games like that, everyone’s packed, everyone’s locked in, so it’s fun.”

Cameron Payne, one of Bridges’ closest friends on the team, said Bridges’ fiery on-court gestures give the substitutes extra motivation to stay committed.

“Honestly, I try to bring my energy, but sometimes when you’re on the court and you see the guy show up, you think, ‘Okay, now I’ve got to make sure I show up.’ “He’s locked up, I have to make sure I’m locked up,” Payne said. “So for me it kind of is. Have fun out there. I don’t necessarily think he’s a trash talker because everyone in the league likes him and he likes everyone. So I don’t think it’s trash talk – it’s just about competing out there.”

Bridges is the Knicks’ iron man

Not only has Bridges been the Knicks’ leading scorer since December 1st; He also leads the entire NBA in total minutes played and miles traveled on the court during that period.

Payne has a theory: Chipotle. Bridges is notoriously loyal to the Mexican food chain, a habit that Payne believes could be his secret weapon.

“Man, greetings, Chipotle. I guess I don’t eat enough Chipotle,” Payne said with a laugh. “That man stays out there and runs all day. He’s great at (Chipotle). It’s crazy. I’ve been with him since Phoenix and am trying to figure out what he’s doing to stay healthy. Man, he sits around and does the same thing I do. I don’t know, man – he’s blessed. He’s definitely talented in this area.”

Bridges, who has never missed a game in his professional career, is currently averaging a league-high 38.3 minutes per game. However, the hustle and bustle doesn’t seem to bother him.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said Thursday morning. “I think I was leading a few years ago. I don’t know what it was – minutes or miles or whatever – but yeah, I’m fine.”

No Hart vs. Wolves

The Knicks downgraded Josh Hart to questionable before Thursday’s game for personal reasons, but head coach Tom Thibodeau later ruled him out during his pregame press conference.

Hart’s availability for Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans remains uncertain.