What do the Knicks Have in Store for Julius Randle?

July 07, 2021

Fresh off winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award, Julius Randle is looking at a healthy upgrade to his bank account. 

Heading into his last year of a 3-year/$62.1M deal, Randle is looking to cash in on an extension with the resurgent New York Knicks. Forming a nice front-court combo with RJ Barrett, there are some that think New York will need more than just Randle to be competitive in the Eastern Conference. Among those pundits is Reggie Miller, who said the following:

They need a superstar above Julius Randle. Because what the playoffs showed to me was a lot of his flaws. And Atlanta kind of highlighted that when they pressured him. And if they’re going to build around him, that’s one thing. To me, I think they need a superstar. If, for instance, they had a Damian Lillard along with a Julius Randle, that’s something where you can really say, okay, the Knicks are loaded and ready.
If the rumors are true about the Knicks adding Damian Lillard, or even potentially Chris Paul, look for NYK to make some noise in next year's playoffs. However, they still need to decide what to do with Randle this offseason. If they cannot get a deal in place, Randle will enter the season with a chip on his shoulder and look to capitalize on becoming an Unrestricted Free Agent following his age-26 season. Of course, if Randle can back up his excellent 2020-21 campaign it will be great news for the Knicks - but it also may drive up Randle's price when negotiation on the open market. On the other hand, do the Knicks want to commit to a 4-year extension for a player who's playoff performance this year stunk up the Garden? 

Photo Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports



Go To: NFL Rumors | MLB Rumors | NHL Rumors

Post a Comment