There has been some recent talk that the New York Knicks will engage in trade talks surrounding All-Star forward Julius Randle this summer.
Randle suffered a dislocated shoulder back on Jan. 27 and did not play again this past season. All the while, New York went on a huge run late in the season to put up its best record since back in 2012-13.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart did their thing, leading to a belief that Randle might not be that valuable in the grand scheme of things.
It’s somewhat foolish. Despite winning 50 regular-season games, New York fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Injuries certainly played a role in the defeat.
So, what’s the latest on Randle and his future in the Big Apple?
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New York Knicks not shopping Julius Randle on NBA trade block
Fred Katz of The Athletic reported on Friday that the Knicks are not actively shopping Randle. Though, he did acknowledge that they understand it might be a necessity in order to land another star to go with Brunson. The need to re-sign three-and-D wing OG Anunoby could also play a role in the decision-making process.
“Randle is eligible to sign an extension with the Knicks on Aug. 3, when the team could offer him a contract as large as $181.5 million over four years. Meanwhile, this front office has preferred to extend its meaningful players, handing one even to Randle a few years ago.
The Knicks are not trying to trade Randle, but they recognize that their quest for a star could require having to do so.”
Report on New York Knicks plans for Julius Randle
It could really all come down to who New York might be able to land in a trade and salaries. Randle, 29, is a key figure when it comes to matching salaries. He’s set to earn $30.3 million in 2024-25 and still has some value despite the injury-plagued season he’s coming off.
- Julius Rande stats (2023-24): 24.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 47% shooting
Technically, a frontcourt duo of Randle and Anunoby would be great for New York. The question here is whether front office head Leon Rose will go big-game hunting. If so, that would require moving Randle and his contract.