The New York Knicks are now in their offseason era after a promising playoff performance against the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers. However, the Knicks lost four out of seven games in their playoff series against the Pacers.
NBA spectators and analysts predicted that the Knicks would reach the Eastern Conference finals despite the influence and impact of the Knicks’ power forward, Julius Randle, during the regular season. Therefore, now that the New York Knicks lost the playoffs with piles of injuries, it brings the Knicks’s #30 into the offseason plan. Should the Knicks trade the two-time All-Star or offer him a contract extension?
Grade The Trade: Julius Randle’s Trade Possibilities
The New York Knicks are on the hot seat to make a decision that should determine their future outlook as championship contenders. These two scenarios should determine trade possibilities:
The first scenario is if the Knicks win the NBA Championship without their best power forward, they would be pressured to trade him.
The second scenario is if the Knicks did not win the NBA Championship, they would desire to extend Julius’ contract. Also, based on this second scenario, the 6′ 8 footer could seek to opt out of his contract with the New York Knicks in 2025.
According to Shams Charania:
“Julius Randle, he’s got a player option in 2025. He’s eligible for a 4-year. $181.5 million contract extension. Either way, significant money. Teams are monitoring this situation for sure, because how they [Knicks] handle that extension situation if that is a conversation, what transpires, I think that will be interesting. Because if you think about moveable assets, salaries, obviously Julius Randle has got the number if you are to make a big, big trade.”
Who’s Interested In Julius Randle?
If the New York Knicks trade Julius Randle, one of the teams interested in him is the Brooklyn Nets. Also, the cap size of the Knicks should increase to capture more elite players that should fit with Jalen Brunson’s shooting prowess and playing skill; if not, the offensive burden will be intense on Jalen.
Why Shouldn’t The New York Knicks Trade Julius Randle?
If the Knicks don’t trade Julius, he’d be a good complement for Jalen Brunson and the Knicks’ second-best player. However, what put the 6′ 8 footer in this Knicks’ offseason dilemma was his shoulder injury.
During the regular season in January, the Knick’s power forward dislocated his shoulder, which took him out for the whole season. After he went for surgery in April, the medical officials advised against straining the injury so much to avoid worsening it. Therefore, the All-Star missed the post-season games, and the Knicks felt his absence as most of their vital starting five got injured while others played on injury management. Thus, trading Julius Randle could be a blow to the Knicks next season.
Also, before the two-time All-Star got injured, he averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 46 games for the Knicks. Further, these are attractive stats that in the right team, the 29-year-old could become their club’s face.
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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