The New York Knicks face a tough decision ahead for All-Star power forward Julius Randle, as he can enter free agency after this upcoming season if the two sides don’t agree on an extension before the conclusion of the season.
Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that New York still has no interest in trading Randle as they don’t want to weaken this season’s roster, which on paper is projected to be one of the league’s best following the acquisition of Mikal Bridges in the offseason. Katz added that Randle’s unique fit to the roster is what complicates making a trade.
“Randle’s contract is fair. He makes $28.9 million this season and can become a free agent next summer. But the fear of having to pay him, especially when his skill set makes him such a specific fit, makes it difficult to find suitors willing to give up any package that would be worth it for the Knicks,” Katz wrote. “As I’ve reported already, there is no indication the Knicks are trying to trade Randle, which means it’s difficult to gather a true gauge of his market.”
Julius Randle is one of the Knicks’ most impactful players
Randle is one of the team’s most important players, and his absence was felt during the playoffs last season as they badly needed an elite second option to draw some attention off of Jalen Brunson. Before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in late January, Randle was averaging 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and five assists per game and seemed to mesh with Brunson and OG Anunoby perfectly.
With Anunoby back and Bridges in the mix, New York will finally get to see what a full season of Randle playing with the new-look Knicks will look like. In the short time with Randle, Anunoby, and Brunson together last season, the team was 12-2 and had big wins over several championship contenders like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, and Denver Nuggets.
The Knicks’ financial situation could complicate extending Randle
The Knicks would certainly love to get an extension done with the guy who began the turnaround of the franchise back in 2021, but it could require him to take a significant pay cut similar to Brunson. New York doesn’t want to eclipse the second apron as they want to remain flexible in their ability to add to the roster, but signing Randle to his max extension (four years, $181.5 million) would hard-cap their financial flexibility.
Therefore, Randle’s performance this upcoming season could determine his market value and whether or not the Knicks should commit to him long-term or sell high to remain competitive without paying him. New York needs Randle on the floor for them to be at their best, but a complicated contract situation could change their plans within the championship window, and they will need to have a contingency plan in place in case the two sides are forced to go their separate ways.