New York Knicks All-Star Undergoes Arthroscopic Surgery

The New York Knicks should have their two-time All-Star back in the fold for the start of the regular season. The team announced that Julius Randle underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to repair a nagging left ankle injury.

Julius Randle underwent successful arthroscopic surgery yesterday on his left ankle. He will resume basketball activities later this summer.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) June 3, 2023

Randle injured his ankle late in the regular season and was clearly hindered throughout the postseason. After averaging 25.1 points per game with a .581 true shooting percentage over 77 regular season appearances, he tumbled to 18.1 points per game with a middling .485 true shooting percentage over the Knicks' 10 playoff matchups.

Randle has been an extremely durable if somewhat inconsistent star since joining the Knicks in 2019. He has appeared in 284 regular season games for the Knicks and brought them their only two playoff appearances over the past 10 years, but his disappointing postseason play has kept them from truly evolving into a credible contender. His 17.1 points per game and .462 true shooting percentage in the postseason have put a hard ceiling on the Knicks' potential.

For the Knicks to compete for a title, they'll need to build on the base Randle has built. They made a good start by nabbing Jalen Brunson in free agency last year; the former Dallas Maverick delivered career highs in points per game (24.0) and assists per game (6.2). A healthier postseason from Randle next year could help the Knicks inch a little farther, but more than likely, they'll need another infusion of talent.