As the Knicks enter what will be a crucial offseason following another second round exit, many wonder if the upcoming summer will bring about the end of Julius Randle’s memorable, yet complicated tenure in New York.
Some believe that trading Randle, who is eligible for a contract extension in August, will make the team better, pointing to the three-time All-Star’s playoff disappointments and salary cap hit as reasons to cut ties now.
That would be a mistake by the Knicks, and a move that would cater to the mindset of a corner of the fanbase that is simply misguided when it comes to Randle’s role on the team.
Randle’s contributions to the Knicks have been undeniable. A consolation prize after missing out on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, Randle turned himself into an All-Star, willed New York back into the playoffs for the first time in years, then reworked his game to return to All-Star form after a disastrous 2021-22 campaign. Only an untimely ankle injury spoiled his second All-Star season, and hampered him dramatically in the playoffs, where New York still managed to win its first postseason series in a decade.
Which brings us to the unfair declaration that Randle can’t get it done in the playoffs.
When Randle’s Most Improved Player season highlighted the “We Here” Knicks and lifted them to the fourth seed against the Hawks in 2021, he was tasked with facing a defense that had other “concerns” like Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, RJ Barrett, and a struggling Immanuel Quickley. There was nobody to draw attention away from Randle, who shot a miserable 29.8 percent from the field in those five games. Two years later, Randle tried to fight through a sprained ankle that cost him the last five games of the regular season (he didn’t miss a game before that), reinjured it, and came back again as he tried to help Jalen Brunson and company reach the conference final. His numbers were much better than his playoff debut, as he shot 46.9 percent from inside the arc, but his 3-point numbers were still rough, and the Knicks were bounced in game six.
Two postseasons, and no opportunities to see Randle when he is either healthy or in the best environment to thrive. AKA, an incomplete assessment.
So, have we gotten a complete assessment on Randle at his best with the Knicks? It was a frustratingly small window, but we did back in January when New York looked like the best team in the NBA.
The Knicks looked unstoppable after OG Anunoby was brought over in a trade with the Raptors, and Randle was thriving, shooting 36.9 percent from downtown and 47.9 percent from the field while dishing out over five assists and scoring 24.9 points per game. The Knicks lost just two games in 14 tries before Randle’s season-ending shoulder injury, once again robbing fans of a look at what the Knicks can do with the right pieces around Randle, and led by a star in Jalen Brunson.
Once Randle went down, things didn’t get easier for Brunson. Sure, he still put up star numbers like a true star does, but was anything easy? Did Brunson not take a consistent beating in the playoffs against the Sixers and Pacers? Was he hounded just after crossing halfcourt by double-teams, daring him to trust another scorer to make them pay? A healthy Randle would have changed that. A healthy Randle would have been another dynamic creator on the floor to draw attention away from Brunson, and allow him to take less contact in the paint on every possession. That leads to a more fresh Knicks team, one more poised to make a deep playoff run.
Randle’s ability to bump and bruise in the paint and collapse defenses also can’t be overstated. It’s what led to Anunoby’s open looks in the corner, and what helped Brunson get way more wide open threes than he did after Randle’s injury. Randle not only gives the Knicks more scoring, rebounding, and open looks beyond the arc, but he also helps preserves the rest of the team, especially Brunson, who is as valuable to the Knicks as any player is to their respective team in the NBA right now.
It takes a certain brand of player to buy into Tom Thibodeau’s style of play, let alone thrive in it. Randle has proven that already, and offers the Knicks another legit scoring threat to not only give Brunson more open looks, but give Brunson more breathers where Thibodeau doesn’t have to sacrifice his entire offense to get his point guard some rest. Randle is a crucial piece of this Knicks team, and showed his worth in that beautiful stretch of basketball we witnessed in January. This group isn’t better without him. In fact, had he been healthy, New York is likely still playing basketball right now.