Julius Randle Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Randle, Young, Robinson, Sixers, D’Antoni

February 13th, 2022 at 9:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks star Julius Randle is rejuvenated and encouraged despite his team coming off a rough road trip, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. New York went 1-4 on the trip, defeating the Warriors and losing to the Lakers, Jazz, Nuggets and Blazers.

“Honestly encouraged in a sense of this was a tough trip,” Randle said. “We played some really good teams on this trip. We were in the game and really gave ourselves a shot to win four of the five games.

“It’s encouraging in that sense. But it’s also very disappointing that we were 1-4, easily could have gone 4-1. It’s tough. It’s tough. But for me it sucks, got a long plane ride back home.”

The Knicks are now 25-32 and rank 12th in the Eastern Conference. The team will return to New York for a four-game homestand on Monday, playing the Thunder, Nets, Heat and Sixers.

There’s more out of the Atlantic:

New Raptors forward Thaddeus Young shouldn’t struggle fitting in with the team, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes. Toronto acquired Young in a deal with San Antonio last week, adding another lengthy and versatile defender to its frontcourt. The team is 8-2 in its last 10 games.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson exited the club’s game on Saturday with a sprained ankle, Marc Berman relays in a separate article for the New York Post. Robinson finished with two points and three blocks in the contest, playing just 14 minutes. Backup center Nerlens Noel is day-to-day with a knee injury, so veteran Taj Gibson and two-way center Jericho Sims could see more playing time this week.
Sixers officials rejected the theory of president Daryl Morey eyeing Mike D’Antoni as a future replacement for coach Doc Rivers, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice tweets. D’Antoni coached the Rockets when Morey served as general manager from 2016-20. Rivers has guided the Sixers to a 34-22 record despite not having Ben Simmons this season.

Knicks Rumors: Reddish, Fournier, Burks, Randle

February 9th, 2022 at 10:48pm CST by Rory Maher

Despite trading a protected first-round pick for Cam Reddish last month, the Knicks haven’t shut down inquiries about their new young wing, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays. Reddish was brought up in trade discussions with at least one other team, although it’s not clear who initiated the conversation.

As Begley notes, at 24-31 and having lost 10 of their last 12 games, nothing should be considered off the table for the Knicks, so they’re likely just seeing how other teams value Reddish.

Because he was just traded, Reddish can’t be aggregated with another player in a larger deal for salary-matching purposes — he could still be dealt in a multi-player trade, but New York wouldn’t be able to add his salary to another player’s within that trade in order to acquire a higher-salaried player.

Begley believes the Knicks are unlikely to flip Reddish at the deadline unless they receive a “significant player” on a similar contract.

Here’s more from New York:

In a separate article for SNY, Begley writes that the Knicks have had trade discussions involving Evan Fournier. The Knicks and Pelicans had dialogue about Fournier with New Orleans receiving draft compensation, but the talks fell apart. The Pelicans have since traded for CJ McCollum, so they’re likely no longer interested in Fournier.
The Knicks called the Trail Blazers about McCollum prior to him being traded, but were unable to provide the cap relief Portland was after, Begley surmises.
Begley notes that Alec Burks continues to be involved in trade calls. It’s unclear which teams might be interested in his services.
For his part, Fournier hopes the Knicks stand pat at the deadline, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I really do believe we have the right pieces. We have talent, we have toughness, we have everything. And we’re not that far from playing better and getting wins. It’s just about finding a way to play and sticking with that and building confidence and all that,” Fournier said after the Knicks were blown out by the Nuggets Tuesday.
Several teams, including the Kings, have been interested in Julius Randle, but after the Domantas Sabonis trade, Randle would be redundant in Sacramento, writes Begley.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Trade Deadline, Quickley, Randle

February 8th, 2022 at 8:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is uncertain of his long-term future in New York, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Robinson will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Robinson said of his future with the Knicks. “It’s still in the season. You’re not worried about the offseason or the break.”

Berman notes that the Pistons, Pelicans and Mavericks have all previously been mentioned as being potential suitors for the 23-year-old defensive stalwart during the 2022 offseason.

“He’s very gifted,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I think he’s learned a lot over the last couple of years. I think he knows his opponents a lot better and [he is] a lot stronger than he was three years ago, when he came into the league.”

There’s more out of the City That Never Sleeps:

The struggling Knicks have plenty of roster decisions to make ahead of this Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Fred Katz of The Athletic considers which New York players are the best bets to be traded, identifying veteran guards Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Alec Burks as this week’s most likely trade candidates. Katz pegs New York native Walker, in the first season of a two-year, $18MM contract he signed in free agency with the Knicks last summer, as the most probable candidate to be shipped out.
Young Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley has seen his scoring take a dive during his second season, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Entering tonight’s game, Quickley, who has slid behind Walker and Quentin Grimes in the club’s guard rotation, has connected on just 28.6% from the floor and 28.8% from long range across his last 13 games. “I think when he gets a couple easy shots, then I think he can get into rhythm,” coach Tom Thibodeau said optimistically. “We believe in him. We believe in his shot. He’s got a great shot. Just take the right ones, take the open ones, and if you’re guarded well — you’re seeing more blitzes. You’re getting a lot of attention. Just get off the ball. Don’t fight the pressure.”
The Knicks have gotten off to an 0-2 start to their current road trip as they continue to search for a cure to what ails them ahead of the encroaching trade deadline. The team has also lost eight of its last ten games overall. Embattled power forward Julius Randle appeared to chalk up the club’s issues on the jaunt to chemistry problems, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details. “I just feel like sometimes we have to be more aware of what’s going on and execute on both ends of the floor,” he said. “We gotta be more aware. A couple possessions in a row that aren’t good possessions, we just gotta be more aware and tighten things up on both ends.” Following an All-NBA 2020/21 season, Randle production and value as a primary scoring threat have fallen off during a mediocre ’21/22 campaign.

Knicks Rumors: McCollum, Robinson, Reddish, Randle

February 7th, 2022 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Two rival teams say the Knicks are emerging as a legitimate suitor for Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, Marc Stein reports in his latest article for Substack. Up until this point, the Pelicans had been the team most frequently linked to McCollum, but Stein suggests New York is a real possibility for the Blazers veteran.

It’s an intriguing idea, and one that appears more viable after seeing the deal Portland made with the Clippers on Friday. The Blazers were seemingly motivated to move off Norman Powell‘s long-term money in that trade, so it’s not out of the question that the team could take a similar approach with McCollum, who is owed $33.3MM next season and $35.8MM in 2023/24.

Many of the Knicks’ top trade candidates, including Alec Burks, Kemba Walker, and Nerlens Noel, are only owed guaranteed money through ’22/23, and New York has a ton of extra draft picks – including Dallas’ top-10 protected 2023 first-rounder – that could grease the wheels of a potential deal.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the Pistons are among the teams that have shown interest in Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. However, Begley says it’s unclear whether Detroit will try to trade for Robinson this week or if the team would only consider him in free agency. Robinson, who is extension-eligible, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
As Cam Reddish continues to spend most of his time on the bench for the Knicks, one NBA source who has been in contact with the team’s brass tells Marc Berman of The New York Post that head coach Tom Thibodeau wasn’t exactly pushing the front office to trade for Reddish last month. “From my understanding, Thibs didn’t want him and they did it anyway,” that source told Berman. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report previously reported that Thibodeau “wasn’t necessarily gung-ho” about the acquisition of Reddish.
In a separate story for The New York Post, Berman cites a rival GM who says Julius Randle doesn’t have a whole lot of trade value at this point. “I think you could look at last season as more an anomaly,” one Western Conference personnel director told Berman. “This season is more akin to his first six seasons.”

Atlantic Notes: Randle, VanVleet, Williams, Barrett

February 6th, 2022 at 7:08pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks star Julius Randle is skeptical of any trade rumors involving him ahead of Thursday’s deadline, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.

“That sounds like gossip,” Randle said when asked about those rumors, as relayed by Joshua Richards of The Knicks Wall (Twitter link).

New York has struggled this season, owning a 24-29 record through 53 games. The team is just 2-8 in its last 10 games. For his part, Randle has averaged 18.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 35.3 minutes per game — those marks are all down from last season.

“I trust (the front office), trust Jim (Dolan), everybody,” Randle said. “I feel like they’ll do what’s best for the team. I’ll ride with it whatever way they go.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic tonight:

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has committed to participate in the three-point contest over All-Star Weekend, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). VanVleet has connected on 39% of his three-pointers this season. The 27-year-old will also compete in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.
The Celtics have discovered their third star in Robert Williams, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports opines. Teammate Jayson Tatum also praised Williams, mentioning he believes the 24-year-old has All-Star potential. “I feel like I talk about Rob every day,” he said. “Maybe All-Star aside, I think Rob has the potential to win Defensive Player of the Year one year, one of these days. I think that’s in his future coming up.”
Knicks guard RJ Barrett received support from a high-profile opponent on Saturday: Lakers superstar LeBron James. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, James has long been impressed with Barrett, who finished with 38 points when the teams played. “I’ve been knowing RJ for quite a while now,” James said. “I was in Toronto during the summertime, I think he was a high school junior, and there was a call to my agent, Rich [Paul] that there was a kid in Toronto that was possibly next [one]. And it was offseason. I was in Toronto, just having a good time in Toronto. But I was going to the gym to get some work in and they called Rich and asked, ‘Can he join?’ And I was like, absolutely. So, I’ve been knowing him quite a while. I followed him throughout those last few years of high school and obviously off to Duke and now as a Knick.”

Knicks Notes: Randle, Fox, Perry, Arcidiacono

February 1st, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has admitted to associates that he hasn’t been able to get Julius Randle to exhibit the same selflessness he had last season, an NBA source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. Randle’s downturn has been a major reason why the team has fallen into the race for the play-in tournament after finishing fourth in the East a year ago.

Many observers believe the $117MM extension that Randle signed during the offseason has changed his approach to the game, as he now feels that he has to take on a greater part of the scoring load to justify the contract. Berman also cites incidents where Randle has looked disinterested — he didn’t join a team huddle in a game last week and he has walked away from teammates who have been knocked to the ground rather than helping them up.

The Knicks are willing to consider everything heading into the deadline, sources tell Berman, even a deal involving Randle, who emerged as a team leader last season while capturing Most Improved Player honors. Berman suggests that Randle’s regression, along with his battles with fans and media, may convince team president Leon Rose that he’s no longer suited for a leadership role.

There’s more from New York:

The Kings‘ De’Aaron Fox may be a natural target for the Knicks, who have been searching for a point guard for years, Berman adds in the same piece. New York general manager Scott Perry drafted Fox when he worked in Sacramento, but Berman says it’s no longer clear how much influence Perry has in the organization. He doesn’t accompany the team on the road, and the only executive currently making road trips is William Wesley, who Berman said has surpassed Perry in the team’s power structure.
Derrick Rose needs to be active at the trade deadline to have any hope of turning this season around, argues Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. Vaccaro considers RJ Barrett, Rose, and Quentin Grimes to be the team’s untouchable players, along with Cam Reddish, only because the Knicks just gave up a first-round pick to acquire him. Everyone else, Vaccaro adds, should be available in the right deal.
Ryan Arcidiacono‘s 10-day contract expired over the weekend, Berman tweets. The Knicks will keep the roster spot open for now, which could be an advantage heading into the deadline. Arcidiacono didn’t see any game action during his time with the team.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Harden, Nets, Randle

January 29th, 2022 at 9:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

Could the Sixers deal Ben Simmons before the trade deadline and still acquire James Harden in a sign-and-trade with the Nets this offseason? Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com raises that possibility.

He speculates that dealing Simmons for the best available package now might actually make the Sixers more enticing to Harden in free agency.

Making the team better around Joel Embiid than it is right now with Simmons inactive could lead to an extended playoff run, and they’d still have some assets to offer the Nets. Brooklyn would likely accept the best sign-and-trade package it could get from Philadelphia for Harden if the veteran guard insists on joining the Sixers, Neubeck writes.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Harden will return to action on Saturday at Golden State, Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post writes. Harden missed Wednesday’s game against Denver due to left hamstring tightness but was able to practice on Friday. The Nets will reportedly not listen to trade offers for Harden.
The Nets have been forced to play without two or all three of their perennial All-Stars on a frequent basis lately. They have lost three straight but coach Steve Nash hopes the heavier reliance on their role players will pay off in the long run, as he told Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “The goal is to continue to move this thing forward,” Nash said. “Win or lose, are we learning more about ourselves, more about each other and refining our details? If we do, when we get bodies back we’ll be in a better place for it. We’ll have learned something about ourselves, and we’ll be able to say that this time was not wasted.”
Julius Randle doesn’t regret signing a four-year, $117MM extension with the Knicks despite his rough season, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. “I wouldn’t change it,” he said. “I still want to be a part of it. I still want to see this thing through. I still want to be a part of trying to bring a championship to the Knicks.” Randle has reached the 20-point mark just once in the last five games.

Eastern Notes: Turner, Warren, McGruder, Randle, Barrett, Raptors

January 27th, 2022 at 8:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers center Myles Turner, a prime trade candidate, is displaying significant progress from his foot injury. Turner, who is sidelined with a stress reaction in his left foot, had a scan which showed sufficient healing. He’ll ramp up his activity level, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Turner has been out since January 14.

Pacers forward T.J. Warren had another scan on his left foot this week and will begin to play 1-on-1 for the first time since surgery over a year ago, Agness adds in another tweet. Warren appeared in just four games last season before he was sidelined.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Pistons swingman Rodney McGruder returned to Detroit after a trade with Denver fell through due to the Pistons’ medical concerns regarding Bol Bol. What could have been an awkward situation has instead led to more playing time for McGruder, Rod Beard of The Detroit News notes. “He came back here in the right frame of mind and attitude, and the basketball gods have been good to him because he has handled it properly,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.
Could the Knicks soon be RJ Barrett‘s team? Newsday’s Steve Popper raises that possibility due to Julius Randle‘s struggles. Randle has not only played poorly, he’s feuded with fans, shunned the media and generally not acted like a leader after signing to a four-year, $117MM extension. Barrett is averaging 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 3.4 APG this month and the Knicks might ultimately decide to ride with youth.
What will the Raptors do before the trade deadline? The Athletic’s Eric Koreen and John Hollinger discuss potential moves, with Hollinger concluding that Toronto will hold onto its top players while seeking bench help and an upgrade at center.

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Dolan, Randle, Robinson

January 24th, 2022 at 7:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks acquired young forward Cam Reddish from Atlanta this month but there’s no guarantee he’ll be part of the rotation, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

Reddish only played five-plus first-half minutes on Sunday. He might be tough to fit into the current rotation unless injuries crop up.

“The one thing is just trying to establish a routine,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said. “When we were playing well, we pretty much had a nine-man rotation. But when I have opportunities to get him in, I want to get him in. … He’s working really well in practice. You never know in this league, you can have an injury and the next thing you’re in there.”

We have more on the Knicks:

Team owner James Dolan will be paid a minimum of $26.5MM annually to remain in his roles as the head of MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment, having recently signed a new contract, according to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. Dolan, who also owns the New York Rangers, will remain the executive chairman of MSG Sports, the company which houses all of Madison Square Garden’s sports teams and holdings, and the executive chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment, which owns the arena and MSG’s live entertainment business. His compensation is based on a combination of base salaries and equity grants, with the possibility to earn annual bonuses to be worth no less than 200% of those base salaries.
Julius Randle gave Dolan credit for paying the league-imposed fine after shunning the media for three weeks, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Randle wasn’t made available to reporters for seven straight games and the league fined the team $25K. Randle finally addressed the media on Sunday. “Honestly, I appreciate Mr. Dolan. He’s great,” he said. “But the reaction was the team didn’t make me available. All I can do is my job as a player and the team didn’t make me available. And that’s it.”
Mitchell Robinson missed the team’s game in Cleveland on Monday due to a sprained left ankle, the team’s PR department tweets. Robinson was injured during Sunday’s victory against the Clippers.

Knicks Notes: Reddish, Randle, Barrett, Point Guards

January 23rd, 2022 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Ten days after being acquired in a trade with the Hawks, Cam Reddish is expected to make his debut with the Knicks this afternoon, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Reddish has recovered from an ankle sprain that he suffered before the deal was made and he’s eager to start the next phase of his NBA career after two-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta.

“To be honest I didn’t know what was going to happen with the whole trade situation,” Reddish said. “I literally woke up to it all and ended up in New York. So, I’m just excited man to just get started. I can’t really control everything, minutes and stuff like that. But I can control my attitude and my effort. I’m going to do my best to give all that up.”

Incorporating Reddish into the lineup will be challenging as New York didn’t part with any rotation players in the trade. Botte suggests that Kemba Walker may sit out today because of knee soreness, but giving minutes to Reddish will eventually take time away from a young player such as Quentin Grimes or Obi Toppin. Coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about trying Reddish at power forward alongside Julius Randle at center.

“It’s a good question. See, I do love Cam’s size,” Thibodeau said. “Right now we’re focused more on the wing position at the two and the three. But eventually I do want to get a look at that, to see where that goes. … But I don’t think you could have enough wings, and that’s why we did the deal.”

There’s more from New York:

Randle’s ongoing battle with fans and reporters isn’t the behavior the team needs from its leader, argues Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman talks to an unidentified person that handles personnel for a rival team who believes Randle’s struggles on and off the court are related to the $117MM extension he signed over the summer.
With Randle still boycotting the media, RJ Barrett is emerging as a team spokesman as well as an on-court leader, Botte adds in a separate story. “I feel Year 3, also just being with this staff and these guys for a couple years now, it’s a lot easier for me, because I’m out there on the court experiencing things, seeing things, just trying to help in any way that I can,” Barrett said. “I feel that leadership is not just what you say. It’s what you do, how you act, how you comport yourself in the facility, on the court, in the games everywhere.”
The recent poor play by Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley has accentuated the Knicks’ need to find a point guard, per Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.