When the New York Knicks connected with Julius Randle and his agent regarding an extension, communication was seamless and smooth. Normally, things can get a bit choppy between the front office and agents, mostly due to a difference in compensation and supposed value.
However, this was one situation that both parties agreed on, and after watching Dennis Schroder play away a massive contract extension offered to him by Los Angeles, Randle decided to take a more logical approach toward a deal with New York.
Randle signed a four-year, $117 million extension, but he will stay under $30 million per season, which opens up the possibility of signing another star in the future. The deal includes $106.4 million and guaranteed money, $10.6 million in potential bonuses, a 15% trade kicker, and a player option worth $29.46 million in the final year.
Essentially, the Knicks threw in the final year and gave him the power to make a decision as a result of him staying under $30 million per season and allowing them to get another max contract onto their books if need be.
Randle spoke to the media on Friday, indicating that his primary concern was happiness rather than money, which is music to the Knicks’ ears as they happily made him a very rich man.
“The money was one thing, but for me, it was more about the situation as far as my happiness, the basketball situation, my family, just being stable and being in New York and really just continuing to build this thing up,” Randle said Friday. “When I signed here two years ago, this was my vision, to be able to lock in something long term and build something from the ground up. That’s what we’re doing. All hands on deck.”
Of course, settling in New York and presenting his family with a great life in one of the most attractive cities on the planet is something most dream of. Randle managed to accomplish that, cashing in big-time instead of testing his luck in a contract year.
“At the end of the day, I’ve had stops along the way in my career where I haven’t been happy playing,” Randle said. “I understand both sides of it and how hard this game could be and how hard it can be being on a team where the chemistry’s not right and it’s tough showing up to your job every night.
“I don’t think there’s a better place to win a championship than here,” Randle said. “I wanted to be a part of that, and I felt like I could help be a part of that. And I thought with me signing that extension, it could help [Knicks president Leon Rose] and those other guys get pieces and continue to build the team so we could have that opportunity.”