The New York Knicks have a big decision to make about their All-Star power forward, Julius Randle. The two-time All-NBA forward became eligible for a lucrative four-year, $181.5 million extension last week, but so far nothing serious has materialized. If the Knicks are unable to land an extension with Randle before the end of next season, he will have a player option in 2025 that he will more than likely decline, making him an unrestricted free agent.
There have been questions about his long-term fit with the Knicks, especially after bringing in OG Anunoby for the long haul and adding Mikal Bridges via trade this summer. There are also financial concerns tied to those concerns, as he may need to accept a pay cut like his teammate Jalen Brunson did in order for the organization to not eclipse the second apron.
However, despite all of that, Randle is too talented of a player for New York to just let go without a concerted effort to bring him back. Here are three reasons why the Knicks should do everything in their power to extend Julius Randle long-term.
1. Despite fans’ harsh criticism, Julius Randle is one of the game’s best power forwards
Knicks fans have not been as kind to Randle over the past season or two. His lackluster performance in the 2023 playoffs didn’t sit well with the fans as many were spotted vandalizing his poster outside of Madison Square Garden following their early exit. He faced even more criticism when he started off the 2024 season as historically bad, leading many to call for him to be traded.
The Knicks didn’t listen to those fans, however, and chose a different direction by trading away fan favorites RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby, and were keen on building a big three of Brunson, Randle, and Anunoby. Following that trade, Randle played some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 14 games in January. The Knicks were 12-2 in those games, and 11-1 when Randle, Brunson, and Anunoby all played. Things were looking bright for the Knicks, and the fans had an admiration for Randle once again.
Suddenly, a dislocated shoulder suffered late in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat would sideline Randle for months and ultimately would end his season prematurely after it was decided that he needed surgery. The Knicks were still successful in his absence, but many would soon see how much they were missing him as the playoffs rolled around, and loads of injuries to the roster led to another second-round exit.
In a game that is starting to phase out the usage of traditional power forwards, Randle still fits the criteria of the traditional power forward, but is also dynamic in his game which makes him unstoppable when he is on. A narrative that has been spread is that Randle is a ball-stopper and doesn’t look to pass, but that is disproven by the numbers. Since the 2021 season, Randle’s 5.0 assists per game ranks third among power forwards in the NBA, with only Draymond Green and Giannis Antetokounmpo having more.
Randle used to struggle mightily when faced with double teams, but he has since improved in that aspect and is able to make the perfect read as the double team approaches, leading to much cleaner looks for his teammates. In addition to the playmaking, Randle has demonstrated the ability to score at a high-level numerous times, making him an all-around elite offensive threat. Taking that away from the Knicks would be a huge loss, and it could even have an impact on Jalen Brunson’s ability to get clean looks.
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2. The Knicks’ big three has serious potential
As previously mentioned, the Knicks were dominant in the month that they had a fully healthy roster. In the 12 games that Brunson, Randle, and Anunoby shared the floor in, the Knicks’ point differential was an astronomical +202, with the average game being a 16.8-point Knicks victory, according to KnicksMuse via X.
They beat up on some playoff teams in the process, including double-digit blowout victories over the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets and another win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The group showed serious potential to contend for a championship until Randle went down.
Anunoby fit in perfectly with this Knicks’ unit that included Randle, as his offensive game doesn’t rely on creating his own shot and rather catch-and-shoot threes and cuts to the basket. This would allow Randle and Brunson to take more control of the offense and create looks for themselves and their teammates. In addition, Anunoby’s defense helped create plays in transition for everybody, which enhanced the spacing drastically. Anunoby’s plus-minus as a Knick is an outstanding +353, and the team was 26-6 in games he played. Adding him to the roster made everybody around him play significantly better, including Randle.
It would be premature to move on from Randle before seeing what the trio could do with a fully healthy season and undergoing training camp together. Despite it only being a small sample size, what the Knicks demonstrated in the postseason without Randle should be an indication that they would have only continued their dominance if he stayed healthy.
3. Randle deserves a payday for turning around a dormant franchise
When Randle first signed with the Knicks back in 2019, it was frowned upon to come to New York since it was known as a place where great players’ careers end up dying, and the franchise was still in the dark days that clouded them for the past several years. Randle came to New York when nobody else wanted to, and he gave fans something to cheer about.
His phenomenal season in 2021 in which he was named an All-Star for the first time, won the league’s Most Improved Player award and was also named as a member of All-NBA second team is an unforgettable campaign. The Knicks had very little expectations coming into that season and Randle led a remarkable turnaround that saw the team jump from a lottery team to a fourth seed in one season.
2022 was a bit of a lost season for both him and the Knicks, but the way they have responded since then deserves more credit than it actually gets. Is it fair to question if a team can win a championship with Randle as their first or second option? Yes. However, he has proven several times that he is a winner and will compete until he is physically unable to do so.
That mentality is one that should have Knicks fans excited about what is in store for him, and if he is willing to buy into the franchise’s plans for the long haul, then he should only gain more respect for wanting to build something special in New York.