The New York Knicks have all the talent to be a successful and competitive team during the 2019 season. Still, head coach David Fizdale has failed to utilize his players in an efficient way to elevate scoring production.
New free agent signing, Julius Randle, average 21.4 points per game last season, but has only averaged 13.4 points in his first seven games with the Knicks. His field-goal percentage has plummeted from .524 to .418. Also, his free-throw rate dropped from .731 and 2018 to .607.
While this is a small sample size, all of his statistics seem to be down except for assists, Where Fizdale has preached to move the ball consistently and open up shots for other players. The Knicks have also been keen on developing their defensive abilities and having Randle participate more in that category. Randle has generally been an offensive player for the majority of his career, so being asked to play defense is a bit concerning.
“It’s a lot that we’re asking of him,” David Fizdale said last week. “(Previously in his) career all he’s been asked to do – for the most part – is score. And so now he’s juggling (the additional responsibilities) and trying to figure it out. And I think step-by-step, he’ll get there.”
You can easily justify the reality that Randle is still building chemistry with his new team. It will take him time to adapt and learn the tendencies of his teammates, especially when playing with young players like RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, and big man, Mitchell Robinson. He will enter Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons shooting 42% from the floor and hitting just one of 18 shots from beyond the arch.
When looking at Randle, you can see that his shots simply aren’t falling. Something he hasn’t experienced in recent years with the pelicans. It will take him time to regain his form and put up consistent performances, but the Knicks know what he can become and will eventually be for the organization.
Patience is the key moving forward, as head coach David Fizdale stated that it will take him time to learn the defensive tendencies of his scheme and how to defend appropriately against opposing teams.
“He hasn’t seen (defenses) running two and three people at him before. It’s just a matter of him learning how to play against those defenses and understanding how to attack them,” Fizdale said on Sunday before the Knicks’ loss to the Kings.
Randle has played a significant part in the Knicks’ 1-6 start to the season, but at some point, the team will fall into place and perform as a cohesive unit. However, that time could be quite some time away.