The New York Knicks received a lot of flack this past summer for signing second and third-tier free agents to lucrative contracts. That came after the long-downtrodden team missed out on its top targets.
Now in the midst of yet another disastrous season, the players New York signed back in July are eligible to be traded.
While most of the talk has surrounded Marcus Morris, young forward Julius Randle could also potentially be had in a trade.
“An NBA source said it is believed that the Knicks would be open to moving Randle, though he has the contract locked in for next season,” Steve Popper of Newsday reported.
Randle, 25, signed a three-year, $62.1 million contract with New York during the summer. That included a partially guaranteed total of $4 million for the 2021-22 season.
This contract might be hard to trade. A former lottery pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, Randle has regressed big time in the Big Apple this season.
2018-19: 21.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 52.4% shooting
2019-20: 17.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 44.5% shooting
It might be hard for a team to swallow Randle’s cap hit for next season. Even then, he still has not hit his prime and remains an attractive option.
At 6-21 on the season, New York is going nowhere fast. Expect to hear a lot of rumors about a potential trade between now and February’s deadline.