Credit: Brad Penner – USA TODAY Sports
The New York Knicks are faced with a tough decision regarding All-Star power forward Julius Randle, as he could become a free agent after next season if the two sides don’t agree on a contract extension by the end of this season.
Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that New York remains uninterested in trading for Randle because they don’t want to weaken a roster that is expected to be one of the deepest in the league this season after the offseason acquisition of Mikal Bridges. Katz added that Randle’s fit on the roster makes a trade difficult.
“Randle’s contract is reasonable — he’ll make $28.9 million this season and can become a free agent next summer — but it’s hard to find a buyer willing to give up a contract that’s worth the Knicks for fear of having to pay him, especially when his skill set is such a good fit for the Knicks,” Katz wrote. “As we’ve previously reported, there are no indications the Knicks are looking to trade Randle, which means it’s hard to gauge his market.”
Julius Randle is one of the Knicks’ most influential players.
Credit: Brad Penner – USA TODAY Sports
Randle is one of the team’s most important players, and his absence was felt during last season’s playoffs as the Warriors desperately needed a quality second option to take attention away from 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 perfectly with Brunson and OG Anunoby.
With Anunoby back and Bridges in the mix, New York could finally get to see Randle play a full season with the new Knicks. In the short time Randle, Anunoby and Brunson were together last season, the team went 12-2 and had big wins over several championship contenders, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets.
The Knicks’ financial situation could make it difficult to reach an extension with Randle
The Knicks would undoubtedly like to sign an extension with the man who sparked the franchise’s rebuild in 2021, but like Brunson, it may require a significant pay cut. New York doesn’t want to outstrip the second apron because they want to remain flexible in their ability to add players to the roster, but signing Randle to a maximum contract extension (four years, $181.5 million) would cap their financial flexibility.
So Randle’s performance this season could determine his market value and whether the Knicks sign him to a long-term deal or sell him at a premium to stay competitive without paying him a salary. New York needs Randle on the court to perform at his best, but their complicated contract situation could hurt their chances of contending for a championship, and they’ll need to have a contingency plan in place in case the two are forced to go their separate ways.