Julius Randle Rumors | Hoops Rumors

New York Notes: Randle, Knicks, Martin, Etienne

September 6th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Star Knicks power forward Julius Randle has struggled to stay healthy during New York’s last two playoff appearances, and questions have long lingered about his fit on Tom Thibodeau‘s team.

With All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson now clearly the Knicks’ top offensive option and the team missing center depth, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report pitches an intriguing hypothetical three-team deal involving Randle.

Pincus proposes that the Knicks send Randle and reserve center Jericho Sims to the Hornets and a pair of heavily protected 2025 first-round picks to the Wizards. In Pincus’ suggested deal, the Knicks would acquire floor-spacing combo forward Grant Williams and bouncy center Nick Richards while generating a pair of trade exceptions. Charlotte would also acquire Corey Kispert and Marvin Bagley while Washington would add Josh Green and Cody Martin in Pincus’ hypothetical.

There’s more out of New York:

The Knicks could still be on the hunt for a reserve center, Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes in a new mailbag. New York previously explored signing Omer Yurtseven and Bruno Fernando, both of whom ended up elsewhere.
Heading into the 2024/25 season, the Knicks have one final standard roster spot available. Sources tell Begley that it appears unlikely New York will bring back reserve point guard Ryan Arcidiacono for that spot. The Knicks may instead look to see if anyone stands out in training camp enough to warrant becoming the club’s 15th man.
The Nets‘ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, have traded their 2025 first- and second-round draft picks to the Iowa Wolves, the Timberwolves‘ NBAGL squad, in exchange for the returning player rights to forward Tyrese Martin. Across 33 contests (28 starts), the 6’6″ wing averaged 17.8 points, 8.0 boards, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steals.
Long Island has been active this week. The Nets‘ NBAGL team also shipped out the returning player rights to forward Kaiser Gates to the Hawks‘ G League team, the College Park Skyhawks, to obtain the returning rights for guard Tyson Etienne. In 51 regular season games with the Skyhawks from 2022-24, Etienne averaged 7.6 points on .444/.356/.722 shooting splits, plus 3.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 0.7 steals per night.

Knicks Notes: Randle, Rotation, Kolek, Yurtseven, Bridges

August 21st, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Tristan Tucker

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.

Atlantic Notes: Yabusele, T. Jones, Randle, Brown

August 19th, 2024 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

The roughly $2MM salary that Guerschon Yabusele will receive from the Sixers is less than his $2.5MM buyout with Real Madrid, but there’s another important financial consideration behind his decision to return to the NBA, according to BasketNews. Yabusele played two seasons with Boston after being selected with the 16th pick in the 2016 draft. Appearing in just one game this season will give him three years of NBA service, which makes him eligible for a pension and other benefits.

Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, eligible players receive $1,001.47 per month for each year they spent in the league, up to a maximum of 10 years. If he leaves the NBA after his third season, Yabusele will begin receiving $36,052.92 each year after his 62nd birthday. Life insurance, disability insurance and dental, vision, and prescription drug insurance are also available for players who qualify.

It’s also unlikely that Yabusele will face financial hardship due to his buyout, BasketNews adds. NBA rules allow the Sixers to contribute $850K of that amount, and it has become common for teams to let players pay off the rest in installments, as Gabriel Deck and Facundo Campazzo recently did when they left their teams.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Before signing with the Suns, Tyus Jones considered an offer from the Knicks worth about $10MM over two years, Ian Begley of SNY states in a mailbag column. Begley hears that Jones received at least one other offer that was significantly higher, and there were also sign-and-trade scenarios and the option to re-sign with Washington that would have paid him more than the minimum deal he accepted from Phoenix. However, Jones wanted to be starter on a contending team, and no one else in the market was able to offer him that chance.
Neither the Knicks nor Julius Randle appear to be in a hurry to reach an extension, Begley adds in the same piece. Randle became eligible for a new deal on August 3, but the two sides have until June 30 to hammer out an agreement. Begley notes that Randle is excited about the changes the team made this summer, specifically the addition of Mikal Bridges, and he’s looking forward to returning healthy for the start of camp.
On his social media account, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown shared photos of intense underwater workouts over the weekend, relays Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Randle, Achiuwa, Robinson, Brunson, Star Power

August 15th, 2024 at 9:12am CST by Dana Gauruder

Could OG Anunoby and Julius Randle play some minutes together at the power forward and center spots for the Knicks? The Athletic’s Fred Katz explores this possibility.

While head coach Tom Thibodeau has been reluctant to use Randle in the middle due to lack of rim protection, the Knicks’ current personnel could make it more feasible, Katz notes. Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are two of the top defensive wings in the league, making rim protection less essential. The Knicks could have Anunoby guard opposing centers in those lineups, while Randle would serve as the center on the offensive end, setting screens and hunting for offensive rebounds.

We have Knicks-related tidbits:

If Mitchell Robinson misses games, Precious Achiuwa will likely take his spot in the starting lineup, Katz opines in the same mailbag. Like Randle, Achiuwa isn’t an ideal rim protector, but he’s adept at defending switches. Once again, Anunoby could wind up guarding centers in these lineups. Katz noted that Anunoby defended Joel Embiid during a playoff game when Robinson was sidelined and Isaiah Hartenstein was in foul trouble.
Randle’s recovery from right shoulder surgery appears to be going according to plan, per Ian Begley of SNY TV. While Randle may not be ready at the start of training camp, he’s on track to return by the season opener or shortly thereafter. Jalen Brunson‘s recovery from hand surgery also appears to be progressing well and Begley anticipates the All-NBA guard will be a full go by training camp.
There’s less certainty about Robinson being available for camp, Begley adds. Robinson underwent ankle surgery in mid-May and he has not been given clearance for high-intensity weight-bearing activities. He’ll need to clear several hurdles before he’s allowed to participate in camp.
In terms of star power, New York ranks fourth among Eastern Conference contenders, Zach Braziller of the New York Post opines. While they have their share of stars, the Knicks fall below Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Boston in that regard. However, Braziller rates the Knicks at the top of the conference in the coaching category and second behind Boston in intangibles.

Knicks Notes: Center Options, Wing Depth, Brunson, Randle

August 7th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even if Mitchell Robinson can manage to avoid serious injury this season, he may not be the center the Knicks want on the court once they reach the playoffs, John Hollinger and Fred Katz of the Athletic write in a discussion about the team. Hollinger notes that while Robinson’s skills as a rim protector and offensive rebounder are valuable, New York was at its best with the pick-and-roll game and switchable defense of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with Oklahoma City in free agency.

Although he doesn’t expect the Knicks to add another center before training camp, Hollinger believes trade options will become available as the season wears on. He suggests the Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic as a possibility if Phoenix gets off to a disappointing start or the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, who may be a third-stringer in Portland behind Deandre Ayton and lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Larry Nance Jr., who was recently traded to the Hawks and has an $11MM expiring salary, could also be considered.

Another option that Hollinger and Katz discuss is experimenting with Julius Randle at center. Katz states that coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted using Randle as a small-ball five, but New York’s strong perimeter defense can make up for the lack of a shot-blocker.

There’s more on the Knicks:

Wing depth has become New York’s best attribute since the trade for Mikal Bridges, Hollinger states in the same piece. He cites Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as “automatic starters” for most teams, while the Knicks also have Miles McBride to handle minutes at two guard. Hollinger expresses concern about backup point guard, where McBride hasn’t shown an ability to create offense, Cameron Payne is with his fourth team in a little over a year and second-round pick Tyler Kolek isn’t likely to play much as a rookie.
Jalen Brunson has been selected as captain for the upcoming season, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Brunson, who recently signed a four-year, $156.5MM extension that’s well below his market value, becomes the 36th captain in team history and the first since Lance Thomas during the 2018/19 season. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York,” team president Leon Rose said.
The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column. Randle is eligible for a new deal that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Brunson, Randle, Tsai, Marks

August 4th, 2024 at 1:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After going 64-18 in the regular season and 16-3 in the playoffs en route to their 18th title this June, the Celtics already look like the team to beat next season. In a reader mailbag, Brian Robb of MassLive.com speculates as to which players could improve even more in 2024/25.

Robb believes that reserve big man Xavier Tillman, who has dealt with knee troubles in the last two seasons, still has room to grow at age 25. Robb also believes that Finals MVP swingman Jaylen Brown could improve his scoring efficiency.

Additionally, Robb touches on Tatum’s inconsistent postseason scoring, the team’s contracts, and what in-game elements the club can improve.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Knicks All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson inked a four-year, $156.5MM contract extension with New York this summer — far less than the five-year, $269MM contract he could have signed as an unrestricted free agent last year. In an Insider-only story, Bobby Marks and Tim Bontemps of ESPN reflect on how the superstar guard’s below-market deal could impact the future of All-Star power forward Julius Randle – who has just become extension-eligible himself – and the rest of the roster.
Nets owner Joe Tsai has “absolute confidence” that general manager Sean Marks can rebuild the club’s roster, a source informs Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). Marks’ history of finding talent outside of the draft lottery is a major factor in ownership’s belief in the team’s longtime GM. “[Tsai has] absolute confidence in the ability of the front office to draft well,” that source said. “Sean’s track record there is very good: Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Nic Claxton. [They took] Nic Claxton 31st in the draft. [Tsai] has every confidence in Sean.”
In case you missed it, new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez believes his experience coaching the Canadian national team helped him book the Brooklyn gig.

Knicks Notes: Randle, Sims, Bryant, Okeke

August 1st, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle becomes eligible on Saturday for an extension that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years (if he declines his $30.9MM player option for 2025/26). According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Randle will likely need to take a discount if he’s interested in long-term security.

As Katz details, New York doesn’t want to waste the financial flexibility gained by Jalen Brunson‘s recent extension. That means offering Randle a starting salary of $40.5MM in ’25/26 on a new extension probably isn’t feasible. However, if Randle picks up his ’25/26 option and then extends off that figure for ’26/27, the Knicks would be in great shape from a cap perspective going forward.

Randle could be incentivized to agree to that deal structure because not many teams project to have cap room in 2025 when he could hit free agency, Katz writes. And nearly all of those clubs are rebuilding, making signing a player who would turn 31 before the ’25/26 season begins an odd fit.

Even if an agreement isn’t reached and Randle decides to test free agency next year, Katz says the Knicks have no interest in trading the former Kentucky standout, especially if it would make them worse, since they’re trying to win a championship as soon as possible. Perhaps that could change if Randle becomes unhappy with extension talks, but there’s nothing to suggest that will happen and the Knicks value what he brings to the table and would prefer to keep him, per Katz.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Backup center Jericho Sims has been fully healthy this summer for the first time in the past few offseasons, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. According to Bondy’s source, Sims had previously undisclosed thumb surgery two summers ago, followed by shoulder surgery last offseason. Sims, whose minimum-salary deal becomes fully guaranteed on August 16, has been working to sharpen and expand his offensive game the past few months, Bondy adds.
According to Bondy, the Knicks plan to spend part of their training camp this fall at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. The team also spent about a week training in the same location last year, Bondy notes.
In a subscriber-only story for The Post, Bondy spoke to former NBA head coach P.J. Carlesimo to get a better idea of what new assistant coach Mark Bryant will bring to the Knicks. Carlesimo coached the former longtime NBA player when he was in college at Seton Hall.
Chuma Okeke‘s new contract with the Knicks features Exhibit 10 language, Bondy reports (via Twitter). That means Okeke’s deal covers one year for the veteran’s minimum and is fully non-guaranteed. If he’s released before the season begins, Okeke would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if agrees to join the Knicks’ NBA G League affiliate in Westchester for at least 60 days.

Eastern Notes: Randle, Pistons, Raptors’ Camp, Ware

July 31st, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks re-signed Precious Achiuwa to a one-year deal on Tuesday. The next order of business for the front office could be a contract extension for Julius Randle, but neither side is in a rush to get it done, according to Ian Begley of SNY TV (Twitter video link).

“I don’t believe it’s at the forefront for either party, so it would take a major shift in thinking on both sides to get an extension done,” Begley said.

Randle becomes extension-eligible on Saturday. The veteran forward, who is coming off shoulder surgery, will be eligible for an extension of up to four years and $181.5MM. Randle has two years left on his current contract, which includes a $30.9MM option for the 2025/26 season.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Pistons’ offense should improve significantly during the upcoming season with the additions of Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley. However, they won’t make any real progress unless they show dramatic improvement defensively, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes. New coach J.B. Bickerstaff asserted that defensive development will be a high priority. “Most of the time, people only care about the offensive development, right? They spend all their time working on step-back shots, between-the-legs and all that, but they don’t spend any time working on rotations or being in the proper spots. That is something we’re going to really, really handle,” he said recently.
The Raptors will hold their first week of training camp in Montreal, according to a team press release. It’s the first time in franchise history they’ve trained in the city. They’ll wrap up their week in Montreal with a preseason opener against the Wizards on Oct. 6.
The knocks against Kel’el Ware entering the draft were related to his effort and focus, the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang notes. Those supposed negatives certainly weren’t evident during the Heat‘s Las Vegas Summer League title run as Ware, a mid-first round pick, was named to the First Team while averaging 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, and 1.5 blocks per game. What did Ware learn from his college experiences? “That there’s always more in the tank,” he said. “That I can always push past it and to always give more because it’s never really where my skill set stops at. There’s always more that I can improve and more that I can put on the floor to be able to perform better.”

New York Notes: Jokubaitis, Randle, Wilson, DSJ, Walker, Howard

July 17th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rokas Jokubaitis has been a Summer League standout, but the Knicks don’t seem to have a roster spot for another guard, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Jokubaitis turned in an impressive performance on Wednesday, making all seven of his shots from the field while finishing with 16 points, five assists, two steals and a block in a narrow win over Sacramento.

A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Jokubaitis is under contract with Barcelona, but Popper notes that it might be tough for him to get playing time there in a backcourt that features Ricky Rubio and Juan Nunez. He may have the option to join Zalgiris in his native Lithuania, according to Popper, or the Knicks could send his draft rights to another NBA team as part of a trade.

There’s more on the New York City teams:

Julius Randle‘s recovery from shoulder surgery is going “incredibly well” and he’s looking forward to being part of the Knicks‘ revamped roster following the trade for Mikal Bridges, Ian Begley of SNY states in a mailbag column. On August 3, Randle will become eligible for an extension of up to four years and $181.5MM, but Begley hears that negotiations on a new deal “aren’t at the forefront” for either Randle or the team.
Jalen Wilson looks like a veteran in his second Summer League experience, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 2023 second-round pick has been a team leader for the Nets, scoring 27 points and finishing plus-19 in Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Knicks. “It’s fresh as a rookie; you don’t know really what to expect. But now this is my second year coming back,” Wilson said. “It’s just fun. You get to see things, get to experience having a chance to win it. That’s the thing that drives a guy, especially when it’s our second time doing it.”
Dennis Smith Jr. has been cheering for the Nets in Las Vegas, but sources tell Collin Helwig of NetsDaily that the free agent guard is considered “very unlikely” to be back in Brooklyn. Lonnie Walker is also expected to move onto another team, Hellwig adds.
Juwan Howard talks to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com about why he decided to join the Nets‘ coaching staff.

Atlantic Notes: Randle, LaVine, Sixers, Newton, Nets, Stevens

June 20th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the latest episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast (YouTube link), Knicks forward Julius Randle spoke about the frustrating process of trying to rehab his right shoulder injury during the second half of the 2023/24 season in the hopes of making it back for the playoffs, only to ultimately opt for season-ending surgery.

“I’m rehabbing for two-and-a-half months, knowing my shoulder ain’t good,” Randle said (hat tip to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “So it’s a situation where it’s like, ‘Do I play and know that I’m going to miss six or seven months after we’re done playing?’ So I’m probably not playing until the next year. And I’m not good. So can I help the team? I don’t think I can get a rebound. I can’t fall. I feel like if I fall my shoulder is going to come out. So I’m dealing with that.

“I’m also dealing with the part like I feel selfish, like I’m letting the guys down. Then it came to the point where I don’t even want to be around because I’m trying to work to come back but I feel like I’m a distraction. I feel like an outcast. I’m like, let me just stay away, they’re doing great, let me just be around and support when I can. So I had to get out of my own way of my own ego and be like, all right, once I made that decision, deal with it, and keep moving and support the best way you can. But that s–t was tough.”

Randle underwent surgery on his troublesome shoulder in early April, with the Knicks announcing that he would be reevaluated in five months. That would put his evaluation on track for early September, with no guarantee that the star forward will be ready for training camp a few weeks later. However, Randle suggested he feels good about the progress he’s made — and about his chances of being ready to go in the fall.

“I’m getting there. It’s a process. It’s something that’s going to take a long time. I knew that going into it,” he said. “But I’m ahead of schedule, I’m feeling good. I’m healthy. I’ll be ready when the season starts.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported earlier today that the Sixers are among the teams that have talked to the Bulls about Zach LaVine, then reiterated that report in a story published this evening following Chicago’s Alex Caruso/Josh Giddey trade agreement with Oklahoma City. However, a league source tells Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link) that Philadelphia isn’t interested in pursuing LaVine.
UConn’s Tristen Newton was among the prospects who took part in the Sixers‘ pre-draft workout on Thursday, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Newton is the No. 66 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
Eben Novy-Williams and Scott Soshnick of Sportico provide more information on the minority stake that Julia Koch and her family are buying in BSE Global, the parent company of the Nets. The deal will include $688MM in cash, per Sportico, with much of that money being put toward outstanding debts.
Brad Stevens coached a number of the players who helped lead the Celtics to a title this spring and acquired several of the others. Michael Pina of The Ringer takes a look at the role the head-coach-turned-executive played in Boston winning its record-setting 18th championship.