Any hypothetical trade involving Julius Randle, who has a player option for 2025/26, is difficult because no team seems to value him more than the Knicks do, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes in part two of his mailbag. He has a fair contract worth $28.9MM this season, but any team who trades for him would have to extend him and wouldn’t want to give up a package that would seem suitable for New York.
As Katz relays, there’s no indication New York even wants to trade Randle, who averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season.
Katz compares the situation to what is currently happening with Brandon Ingram and the Pelicans. Because New Orleans values Ingram too much to give him for nothing, it makes it difficult to trade him to other teams who don’t want to sacrifice many assets if they have to pay him big money. Still, as Katz writes, making such an attempt to move Randle doesn’t make sense at this juncture for one of New York’s most important pieces.
We have more from the Knicks:
- Randle might man the center position more often this season, Katz writes in the same piece. He’s in prime position to take the role Isaiah Hartenstein filled last year in terms of taking dump-offs from Jalen Brunson and using his ball-handling skills in the middle.
- New York has always been strict about handing out minutes to rookies, making sure that said minutes are earned and not given. While Tyler Kolek could impress early, Katz doesn’t see the Knicks’ 34th overall pick playing much right away, especially since the team signed Cameron Payne to fill the third point guard spot on the roster.
- As we’ve written in recent days, Omer Yurtseven has an agreement in principle to join Greek club Panathinaikos. He originally worked out for the Knicks in early, who extended him a contract offer, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). However, Begley writes that the offer from New York wasn’t something he would seriously consider, which seems to indicate that the deal may have been a non-guaranteed offer to join the team in training camp.
- Mikal Bridges‘ impact on the Knicks is being overlooked before the season starts, argues The Sporting News’s Scott Davis. In Bridges, the Knicks are getting one of the best defensive wings in the league who doesn’t have to be the No. 1 option for the franchise. He’ll be able to lead reserve units, for sure, but he’ll also be able to catch and shoot while being a strong backside cut option.
Ok, the New York Knicks now have a boatload of talent and Coach Thibodeau is touted as the favorite to win the NBA’s Coach of the Year. Is New York overrated? We’ll soon see. Certainly the pressure is on.
If anything we are underrated. Bridges changes everything. He’s arguably best 2way player in NBA. This is a strong deep team. They have a good group. That is about winning. A coach who is all about playing the right way. Knicks are for real.
You can argue all you want but Embiid, Shai and Giannis are better two way players than Bridges all day, I’d also take a long look at Tatum and Holiday.
Or Brown, White and Porzingis (if he was ever healthy)
Giannis I’ll give you that. He’s not a closer. Needs a PG for that. You will see Bridges in Thibs system rise. He still is getting better imo.
You can glaze Giannis all you want, he has no jump shot, no free throws either, he can’t close games. Shai ain’t better then Tatum or Brown or Jrue etc, they been doing it for years. Embiid? The same crybaby that underperform when they need him most? Lol
best two way player in the nba? huh?
I don’t think they are overrated. They were the 2 seed last year, and improved in the off-season. I see the Celtics as the favorite but the Knicks are right on their heels. I like the Sixers and Bucks right there with the Knicks, but the Knicks have ability to get back to ECF, to push the Celtics to the limit and to potentially play for and maybe even win the title. Thibs will have to balance these stars for it all to work, but the potential is there. Overrated? Not even close
Randle is not a Center. Never will be one. Don’t get this fascination with making him one. Every talking head wants to make him one. Not our coach. So catch up please.
So Yurtseven wanted a guarantee. Well you make the team, a contender. And show off in NY. And you will be taken care off. Just ask IHart. Rather go to Greece for $$. We got Sphere money lol. Don’t want your simple ares. You don’t know ball. If you don’t get what winning in NY means. It’s been awhile.
Is Draymond Green a center?
You need to ask ???? He’s 6’ 6”
I agree, but he may need to slot there more than desired for Thibs to balance the minutes and not get any egos bruised along the way. You guys will be fun to watch (again) this year….good luck…except when you play us lol
Like Kolek a lot . He’ll be on the team by 2nd half. Just go to G-league and tear it up. Guy I’m most interested in Hukporti.
Came here to say that. Won’t be long before he jumps ahead of Payne.
Yeah I agree.
Anybody can jump in front of Payne lol
Katz is an idiot… his takes are always terrible, listen to nothing that man says
Katz must have nothing going on. When a guy is more valuable to his team than other teams, he doesn’t get traded, period. Nothing “difficult” about it.
In any event, Randle’s role with this team has never been more essential. Barrett and IQ, as well as our most valuable draft picks, were traded away without us obtaining a true 1-2 offensive option. That only makes sense if the FO thinks they have enough of a 1-2 set of offensive options in Brunson and Randle. This season will show if they were correct. If not, they may try to reset the thing, but that’s unlikely before next off season.
Randle is vital for the Knicks. I’d like him to move the ball on quicker more from time to time when on the perimeter, but I’m sure Thibs will be all over it. I laugh at Stephen A constantly ragging on Julius for going left. So, stop it. Seems to work OK. He’s a good decision maker in the post when the double comes too.
The Fred Katz slander will not be tolerated around these parts!
With OG, Mitch, Bridges next to him. Randle can have a big yr. His issues have always been trying to do too much. Teams could double him in past. Now with Brunson and players who don’t really need the ball to be impactful. He can take his man more. And will get better looks. Has to adjust to team and trust them to make plays. All 5 Knicks can ball. Just have to put it together as a team. Randle is a two time all star as a Knick. I think he’s going to have a big year. Time to get that NY respect he’s always wanted.
The Knicks do look like number 2 in the East.
Randle isn’t a Center, but using him situationally in small-ball lineups or as a rebounding and high-post passing 5 with Sims or Precious doing the atypical catch-and-cut can be a weapon Thibs can use when he feels it’s needed. I don’t expect it to become a mainstay of the Knicks gameplan, though. Randle’s better as what he already is, and Precious can handle most of the ways you’d typically use Randle at the 5 anyway.
The Knicks look like the clear #2 in the East, with the melee starting behind them. Healthy Philly is up there, but that’s not going to be a full-season thing. Celtics still have the clear edge, but it’s not as much of one as the abject dominance of last year.
Achiuwa can play small ball C. But Thibs defense is built around rim protection. That takes a real C. Just cause Warriors had some success with small ball. Doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Most if their rings were won with 7’ . At least two or three of them. Look at Dallas. Their success is cause they drafted a footer. Cavs success is built of two 7’.
Small ball is not winning chips. Only gets press cause it helps the offense. Two many don’t understand this is a 2way sport.
I agree, it’s why I started this with “Randle isn’t a Center”. Situational small-ball can work, the Celtics and Cavs have both used it to great effect over the past few years. Hell, even the Lakers using LeBron has a Center for pick-and-roll finishes has been done in spurts. But it’s not a be-all, end-all technique. Even the Dynasty Warriors had Zaza and Bogut, plus Bjelica in their 2022 title run as a big they could post for more height at the rim. It’s never been a thing teams could just throw around willy-nilly, the Warriors were just the best at using it.
I don’t see the Knicks using Randle that way much, if at all, but if they do, it’s going to be interesting, at least.
Thing about it. He doesn’t like playing C. So that’s why I say Achiuwa next to him. Most don’t realize Warriors always had real bigs. For situational play and D. Only the Wiggins chip is a real small ball team.
Yeah, agreed. I wouldn’t play him as the lone big on the court, ever. He’s a decent defender, but rim protection isn’t his forte. You’d want at least one other guy who can at least do that to a degree next to him. Achiuwa or Sims next to him as a 4 would be the idea, with them playing Center defensively and Julius doing it offensively.
I don’t see it happening often, but who knows. Could be fun to see it once or twice as an experiment, or in games where the Knicks lead big late.
While I do think that the Knicks are trending up, there are still things that I would be worrying about if I were a Knicks fan. Mitchell Robinson’s injury history and the lack of a proven center depth behind him would be one but Thibs tendency to run his starters into the ground would be main worry, imo.
Anunoby’s recent injury history is worse than Robinson’s. Randle is coming off of a season ending should injury. Brunson suffered a broken wrist in his last playoff game. Hart suffered with an abdominal strain during the Pacers series and for anyone that has ever dealt with one of those they tend to linger.
What makes this current Knicks so good and entertaining to watch, their lay it all on the line effort night in and night out, could ultimately be what holds them back in the end if/when the injuries start setting in like we saw during their most recent playoffs run. Hopefully they don’t hold NY back, playoffs time in the East are much more fun when there are games at MSG.
Top 2 in the east for sure. Make Embiid cry again.