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The Knicks are entering arguably the most pivotal offseason of the Leon Rose era, fresh off back-to-back second-round defeats with the new CBA and its restrictive covenants looming. While the team should feel secure running it back with the same roster, they’ve been angling to make a star trade for years, and may feel this is their last big chance to do it.
Julius Randle could very well be a part of such a trade given his contract size and All-Star talent. At face value, shopping a perennial All-NBA player as you approach the cusp of contention seems odd, but if the Knicks feel the right move pushes them over the edge, everything’s on the table.
What would that move be, and should the Knicks even consider it?
Let’s begin with Randle, who put up 25.5 points, nine rebounds and five assists on 50 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from three since early November. It was a bittersweet season that started rough, ramped into a magical fully healthy January that coincided with the OG Anunoby trade, and ultimately ended with a separated shoulder.
If there were any doubts left about Randle’s regular season production, this season should have extinguished it. Randle once again brought big numbers and winning basketball to the table, fine tuning his game yet again as he’s proven to constantly evolve like other greats.
Perhaps the most convincing stretch was after the Anunoby trade, when the Knicks steamrolled the league and Randle looked like an ideal blend of heliocentric creation and system cog. New York looked like certified contenders, with Randle being a key piece of that group.
After his and Anunoby’s injuries, the Knicks struggled to maintain a .500 pace for a little while until Anunoby returned. Even then, Randle’s absence was deeply felt, with the Knicks starving for offensive creation beyond Jalen Brunson.
Still, the group clicked and fought their way to a strong playoff run as the injuries mounted late. Fans were robbed of seeing Randle compete at that stage, in what’s likely to be a major factor in the front office’s decision-making.
To this point, Randle hasn’t performed close to his…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/stay-knicks-bring-back-julius-141503407.html
Author : SNY
Publish date : 2024-06-02 14:15:03
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