The New York Knicks are liable to trade All-Star forward Julius Randle at any point between now and the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline, making speculations about where he could land interesting, to say the least.
Randle was the Knicks’ franchise player from 2019-20 until 2022-23, but passed the torch to fellow All-Star teammate Jalen Brunson last season. With an even more talented starting five set to take the floor at Madison Square Garden, a recent blockbuster proposition sends Randle to another team where he can compete for a championship as an ancillary star.
Analyst proposes that the Knicks trade Julius Randle to the Mavericks
A writer who goes by “Arkay” from twsn.net predicted that the Knicks will trade the Kentucky product to the Dallas Mavericks before the deadline, citing a potential poor fit in New York being a reason for the franchise to move off of his contract:
“Trade Idea: Dallas Mavericks Receive: Julius Randle
New York Knicks Receive: P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Jaden Hardy, 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors),” the writer “Arkay” wrote.
In the piece, the twsn.net writer declared that the deal would form “the most skilled Mavericks team since the 2010-11 season,” while the Knicks would benefit from moving their two-time All-NBA honoree if “they can’t afford to keep Randle or prefer a smaller lineup with Hart as a starter.”
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Would the Knicks benefit from trading Randle to the Mavs?
The deal makes sense for the Knicks. Washington’s 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, one steal, and 0.8 blocks per game in 2023-24 translated to 15.2 points, 6.7 rebounds 1.2 steals, and one block per 36 minutes. He’s a capable scorer who could reach his ceiling in a different environment than Dallas or the Charlotte Hornets before them.
Gafford would solve the Knicks’ need at center. He finished as the most efficient scorer in the league last season with a 72.5 percent field goal percentage, and even challenged a decades-old record from Wilt Chamberlain for the most consecutive field goals made. His touch around the rim and 2.1 blocks per game as a rim protector would make him a premier bench producer behind Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson.
Hardy is also a talented young scorer, who when given the opportunity, can put up big numbers, a la the 17.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 4.0 APG he posted in the four games he saw 30 or more minutes in and the 11.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.3 APG he put up when he saw 20-29 minutes for the Mavs last year. He’d be a prime candidate to bump Cameron Payne and Miles McBride out of their backup point guard slots and come into his own in the Big Apple.
Randle would form an imposing big four in Dallas alongside Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson which the Knicks may not want to deal with next season. However, strictly off of what they’d get from the deal, it is one that is attractive enough for the Knicks’ front office to consider if proposed, especially with a future second-rounder thrown in, and the salaries match up to make the deal work.
