At the center of the Knicks‘ offseason plans is the complicated future of forward Julius Randle. On one hand, the talented forward made his third All-Star appearance in the last four seasons and helped power New York to one of the best months in franchise history during a 12-2 January. On the other, he suffered an injury at the end of January and didn’t play a single second the rest of the season as New York pushed Indiana to seven games in the conference semifinals.
As the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy writes, it isn’t impossible to come up with a theoretical trade package in the Knicks’ well-publicized pursuit of another star that precludes Randle. However, both Bondy and The Athletic’s Fred Katz note that including Randle in such talks could be New York’s best way to adding star power.
The Knicks aren’t trying to trade Randle, at least not yet, according to Katz. However, his eligibility for an extension (which begins Aug. 3) complicates factors. If the Knicks decide to go the route of maintaining continuity, Randle can sign for as much as $181.5MM across four years. Thankfully for the Knicks, Randle’s extension eligibility beginning in early August works in their favor, Katz explains — August is late enough in the offseason to recognize the team’s potential (or lack thereof) to acquire another star in 2024, but it’s also early enough to keep him available by the time the Feb. 2025 trade deadline rolls around, as players are ineligible to be traded for six months after extension.
With an expensive roster on the horizon, the Knicks have soul searching to do this offseason, Katz writes. If they feel they’re contenders in August, they’ll likely lock everyone up. If they don’t, it will accelerate the timeline of any difficult decision, assuming those decisions aren’t made even earlier this upcoming offseason.
We have more Knicks notes:
- The Knicks also have a decision to make on forward Bojan Bogdanovic, who was acquired via trade at the 2024 deadline but saw his production drop upon his arrival in New York. Bogdanovic, who ended the season injured, has only $2MM guaranteed if he’s released by June 28. If he isn’t, his guarantee increases to $19MM. As Katz writes in the same piece, what New York does with Bogdanovic could be telling for the rest of the offseason. If they keep him past June 28, it could signal a trade for a star, as his mid-sized salary would be useful for matching purposes. Katz speculates the Knicks could look to try and come to an agreement with Bogdanovic and postpone his trigger date until July.
- Other offseason storylines outside of OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein‘s futures include whether the Knicks should move their Nos. 24 and 25 picks in the 2024 draft and the futures of free agents Alec Burks and Precious Achiuwa. Regarding the latter point, Katz writes Burks could command more than the minimum in unrestricted free agency, which would make it difficult to justify keeping a player who had an inconsistent second tenure with the team but who caught fire to end the year. As for Achiuwa, his restricted free agency gives New York more options, such as a potential sign-and-trade to another team.
- Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart had the best seasons of any Knicks players, according to Bondy in his end-of-season report card (subscriber link). Brunson’s stardom and Hart’s role as the do-it-all glue guy earned them the top spots. Jericho Sims, who didn’t play consistent minutes even after New York’s roster was banged up, earned Bondy’s lowest grade. However, Bondy reports that opposing teams have expressed interest in trading for the 25-year-old big if he becomes available.
- Knicks president Leon Rose declined to hold an end-of-season press conference, according to Katz (Twitter link). Katz points out that no Knicks official has spoken to media on the record since 2021 and Rose hasn’t done an individual press conference since taking over in 2020.
- After seven straight seasons of failing to reach 40 wins from 2013-20, the Knicks are a respectable and strong team in the East’s hierarchy. Howard Beck of The Ringer takes a look back at how Rose helped morph the Knicks into what they are today and how it began with not trading for Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, whose arrival might have inhibited Brunson’s ability to break out on this scale.
The disrespect to Randle is so tiresome at this point. Who are you replacing a 25/10/5 all -NBA power forward who can score from anywhere on the court, is unstoppable in the paint, is already a perfect fit with this current roster with?
I wouldn’t say he’s a perfect fit at all due to his inconsistent shooting and motor. In some ways he’s a good fit, sure. And he’s obviously very talented. But he’s had emotional problems in the past (in particular, seeing his teammates succeed without his contributions) and has been atrocious in the playoffs.
Doesnt mean you need to trade him or that he can’t turn that narrative around with a good playoff series. But when the ultimate goal is a championship, I think it’s fair to question if he’s someone to get you there. I’m not convinced to this point. But I do agree that it’s a lot easier said than done finding an upgrade.
He proved this season that he is a perfect fit next to Brunson. He cut out the hero ball and risky dribble moves – Dubious Handle no more. He eschewed the perimeter and focused on bullying his way into the lane and spraying passes when double teams came.
I wouldn’t trade Randle for anyone conceivably available. Extend him.
Good point ….. truth is his drama. Is what turned fans off. If he’d just play. Let his gm do the talking.
Randle, I’m fairly sure, is not being shopped, if only because it would be inconsistent with the m/o of this NYK FO. As with all NYK reports, one should keep in mind that the NYK FO does not speak to the media. They work off data points from other teams, almost always dated.
Randle is easy to single out because he’s inherently an ill-fitting piece, basketball-wise, and high maintenance, particularly compared to the rest of the NYK locker room. But they ignore that Randle has been somewhat made to fit this roster by virtue of the TOR trade (adding OG, a non-playmaker, for two guys who amounted to the team’s 3rd and 4th playmakers), and while Randle may not be one of the guys, his teammates, by all accounts, respect his work ethic and realize his importance to the team.
Yeah, he might be traded for a “star” who can complement Brunson better as 1-2 option. That could be said about everyone else on the team (other than Brunson). Randle is a two time All-NBA player in his prime, who has proven he can be successful with this current NYK roster. Go ahead, upgrade from that. I’m in favor of it. Just make sure its not like the upgrade from Bullock to Fournier. It’s one of the few times this FO has tried to fix something that wasn’t broke. It’s rare to come out on top with that.
This is so clearly Brunsons team now and you’ve seen how good the role players perform when given the opportunity with Randle out of the way.
He’s a fantastic basketball player but also very demanding and has the ego of wanting to be a number 1 option when he’s better suited to being a 2 or a 3.
I’d be looking flip him for good bench pieces. Just load up on really good contracts, really good role players and see how far you can get built around Brunson again next year. If you come up short again then target another star to pair up with him.
Here’s one suggestion:
Brooklyn: Julius Randle and picks 34 and 38
Knicks: Robert Williams and Dorian Finney-Smith
Portland: Cam Johnson
Then decline Bogdanovic’s contract for next season. Hartenstein I think will get offered a big deal elsewhere and Burks has a 10mil expiring deal also. That gives you enough money to make some good deals in FA.
I think Tobias Harris would be a really good sneaky pick up, coming off a terrible playoff series he’s still a good player just didn’t live up to the expectations.
Then staying in Philly they could also steal Kelly Oubre for the bench.
Line up:
Brunson Hart OG Tobias Robinson
McBride DiVancenzo Oubre DFS Williams
Plus two Kate first round picks at 24 and 25.
DaRon Holmes would be one of my picks for sure and then maybe Tyler Kolek or KJ Simpson
That would be the worst trade in NYK history, and keep in mind they traded multiple 1sts for Andrea Bargnani. Randle is worth so much more than Robert Williams (who can’t stay healthy) and DFS. Julius Randle is All-NBA multiple times. He’s worth way more than “good bench pieces”.
Thou shalt not slander the original Big Ragu!
I understand he’s really good and all but his market is small because of how he plays, his contract and so on.
It’s kinda like Trae young right now, he’s on the market but his value isn’t what it should be cause of his lack of defence, lacks of playoff successes etc and because of these reasons your not going to be getting back what he’s worth right now and Trae is clear of Randle.
I doubt most teams in the NBA would even give up 2 firsts and a bad contract to salary match in order to get him ….
You’re acting like they need to trade him. They don’t. It doesn’t matter what Randle is worth to other teams or what his market is or what he could bring back. The fact is he is far, far more valuable to the Knicks than Robert Williams and DFS would be. The comparison to Trae doesn’t make any sense because the Hawks might be blowing it all up to start from scratch while the Knicks are eyeing a top seed in the East.
You’re saying that trading a two-time All-NBA franchise cornerstone for 1) a back-up center who has played only 216 games in six seasons and only has one season where he averaged more than 23 minutes/game, and 2) a 3-and-D role player, makes the Knicks better. It doesn’t.
I generally enjoy the creativity and effort you put into your trade proposals but this one is horrible for the Knicks unless it was accompanied by another move/signing that netted the Knicks a Randle-level talent. On it’s own, that trade would be worse than the Eddy Curry trade and would result in Leon Rose getting fired on the spot.
How do you not know how free agency works yet ?
Go on then enlighten me as to why you couldn’t do the deals I have made (only two deals……)
Decline Bogdanovic’s 18mil contracts, renounce bird rights/cap holds to Hartenstein and Burks (10mil each roughly) which totals just under 40mil coming off the books. With the only major extension being Miles McBride going from 2mil to 10mil or something.
So while you have some cap money to spend throw Tobias a contract, 3 years 60mil (20mil a season). Then use whatever money is spare or the MLE or something to sign Kelly Oubre to a deal something like 3 years 30mil.
Then after those two deals extend OG (teams can exceed the salary cap to retain their own players) offer him whatever money he wants or match an earlier offer if someone already thrown him something.
Tah Dah
That’s not how cap works whatsoever
I’d advise the glossary here or anything from kieth smith over at spotrac to get a better understanding
Probably best to scrub whatever your impression is currently of how the cap works and start brand new .
If your a cap team ( which Nyk is not ) you’d only get a room exception (8 m) as well not a full Mle
*Nyk wouldn’t be a cap team even if they let Bb walk for nothing
Oh my God, you want the Knicks to sign Tobias Harris?!?!? I must have glossed over that in your original post. Did you not watch him in Philly the last few years? He’s horrible. He’s going to be lucky to get a multi-year deal from anyone, much less 3/$60 million.
This would be an absolutely awful trade. You want to trade Randle, a two-time All-Star, for two average bench players. And replace him with Tobias Harris, who failed as the “third star” in Philly’s rotation this year. Randle has been a disappointment in the post-season because he was double- and triple-teamed in 2001 playoffs vs. Atlanta and injured in last year’s playoff run. This past January showed that when he plays alongside Brunson and OG – easing the load on him offensively and defensively – he can thrive. Knicks need to run it back with their current team + upgrades on the bench.
That’s fine then all you New York fans keep this same energy when you don’t achieve anything and year from now and another year from then because your team built on Brunson OG and Randle don’t do anything more than they have…
My man, they came within a game of the ECF despite practically everyone on the team being injured. Randle didn’t play a minute in the playoffs, OG missed practically the last five games of the 2nd round, Mitchell Robinson missed most of the postseason, Hart missed time, Brunson fractured his hand, Hartenstein was playing hurt, Bojan missed the second round. And they still almost made the ECF.
This team will be fighting for the ECF again next year if they keep the roster in tact. Giving away Randle for nothing and also signing awful Tobias Harris would make this team worse, not better. This is already a great team. They don’t need any big moves; they just need to be healthy.
If we don’t do anything. Just get healthy. This team could have beat anyone really. Definitely would have beaten Pacers. And Ceitics without KP. Wouldn’t have beat a healthy Knicks team. Even a healthy Boston team. Would need 7 gms to beat this Knicks team. Thibs 4th yr here. Knicks definitely heading in right direction.
Just this team healthy is a solid deep team. So getting another impact player. Makes them contenders…….
Look at that…. me and Al agree on something!!
“If they feel they’re contenders in August, they’ll likely lock everyone up.”
They already are contenders now. They’re a top four team in the East. They literally just need to get healthy. But because it is NY, there’s going to be a ton of media speculation about major moves even though there shouldn’t be.
It’s James Dolan. He does not care how much he has to spend. He just wants a winner. He used to regularly have the highest payroll in the league even when they were awful. Knicks offseason priorities:
-Sign OG
-Sign Hartenstein
-Extend Randle
-Extend Brunson (if reports are true that he will take four years and $156 million)
Only decisions are minor:
-re-sign Precious or try for an upgrade
-let Burks walk
-Bojan – I would pick up the option; it’s only one year and he’s a scorer; can trade his expiring deal at the deadline if it’s not working out
-what to do with their draft picks – maybe draft-and-stash or a project player that can sit a few years
Starters – Brunson, Divo, OG, Randle, Hartenstein
2nd unit – McBride, Bojan, Hart, Precious (or someone else), Mitchell Robinson
That roster can take you deep into the playoffs. It could compete with Boston, Philly, Miami, etc. No need for major changes.
Hear, hear!
Re-sign Hartenstein, Anunoby, Precious, and even Burks for the right price. Keep Sims and cut the other end of bench guys. Cut Bogs to avoid the first tax apron. Bring over Jokubaitis. Use our draft picks to fill the back of the roster.
We were dominant before Randle and Anunoby went down. Run it back!
“Julius Randle. On one hand, the talented forward made his third All-Star appearance in the last four seasons and helped power New York to one of the best months in franchise history during a 12-2 January.”
So you think you will replace a three time allstar with a star …….. it’s like you don’t even read what you write. And it’s most of the media. I get media needs numbers, clicks. It’s why Knicks are always referenced. Like DirtyDre does it …….
You don’t mess with success. Thibs loves Randle. This team needs to show what they can do 100% healthy. You can trade Randle later if need be. Personally I want to see this team play. I want a true play maker at the 2. With positional size and 2way game (DeM DeR). Someone like him younger. Donte is a shooter who plays D. Great for sixth man imo. If Lakers want Murray. Knicks should get in there (3way) and get Reaves out of it. He’ll fit with Jalen nicely.
I believe this Knicks team healthy. Will compete for East. With Bogdanovic as a rotation piece. But you add another SG/playmaker. Then we are talking ……
Contenders !!!!!!!
The 4 yr plan is over. And Knicks are still building. Do all the Haters now understand what it takes to TRULY rebuild in NYC now. Rose and Thibs should get a trophy for this. And another for keeping Dolan away.
A lot of people need to realise the top 5 teams in the league have been the top 4 in the West and 1 Eastern team for years now…
This past season was no exception but a highlight of the disparity between the conferences…
The Knicks aren’t contenders and have at least 7 teams to vault over in the pecking order… They don’t have a Giannis, Tatum or Embiid…
They beat Philly who had Embiid and did so without Randle. Milwaukee might be a worse team with Dame because Jrue actually played defense, plus their coach is Doc Rivers. They don’t have to vault over anyone. They’re already in the mix with the best in the East.
Embiid gives philly someone to build around, same with Giannis for the Bucks…
The Knicks have Brunson who isn’t close to either of those former MVPs level… yet… Give him a few years and that might change…
The Knicks had better balanced rosters than both teams… All 3 aren’t top 5 teams in the NBA and IF Boston fell out of the playoffs due to injury this year the title would be a Western teams after a sweep in the finals…