Brandon Tierney says Julius Randle should stay with the Knicks, and the team’s priority this summer should be finding a piece that could come in and help Randle be the best version of himself.
“I think, with the right tweaks, Randle can look a lot better,” BT said. “And be more efficient.”
So, who are some candidates that could come in and help improve the team? BT came out with a blast from the past as one of his prime candidates.
“Kristaps Porzingis,” BT said. “Because he’s got a player opt-out and can opt out.”
Porzingis, of course, was seen as a potential franchise savior when he was taken fourth overall back in 2015, and became an All-Star at 22 years old before tearing his ACL and eventually demanding a trade. Porzingis has since openly expressed regret in regards to how he handled his exit, and has even hinted that he misses playing in New York. But the Knicks likely wouldn’t have interest in a former player with injury history who is expected to turn down a $36 million player option after playing in more than 60 games for the first time since 2016-17.
Still, given his numbers with Washington this past season, BT can’t help but think of what his scoring would do for Randle and Jalen Brunson.
“He’s tall and he can score, and he can take the stress away from Brunson and Randle,” BT said. “This year, Porzingis averaged 23 points per game. He shot 50 percent from the field, and 39 percent from three. That’s phenomenal. The league average is 35 or 36.”
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