The New York Knicks face a significant decision regarding their All-Star power forward, Julius Randle. Randle, a two-time All-NBA forward, became eligible last week for a substantial four-year, $181.5 million extension. However, no serious negotiations have taken place yet. If the Knicks fail to secure an extension with Randle before the end of the upcoming season, he could decline his player option in 2025 and become an unrestricted free agent.
There are ongoing questions about Randle’s long-term fit with the Knicks, especially after the team acquired OG Anunoby for the future and added Mikal Bridges through a trade this summer. Financial concerns also come into play, as Randle might need to take a pay cut, similar to his teammate Jalen Brunson, to prevent the team from exceeding the second apron.
Despite these concerns, Randle’s talent is too valuable for the Knicks to let him walk without making a serious effort to re-sign him. Here are three reasons why the Knicks should prioritize extending Julius Randle long-term:
1. Despite criticism, Julius Randle remains one of the NBA’s top power forwards.
Randle has faced harsh criticism from Knicks fans over the past couple of seasons. His underwhelming performance in the 2023 playoffs led to frustration among the fanbase, with some even vandalizing his poster outside Madison Square Garden after an early playoff exit. The situation worsened when Randle started the 2024 season poorly, prompting calls for his trade.
Instead of trading Randle, the Knicks chose a different path, trading fan favorites RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby and aiming to build a strong trio with Brunson, Randle, and Anunoby. After that trade, Randle responded with some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 14 games during January. The Knicks went 12-2 in those games and were 11-1 when Randle, Brunson, and Anunoby all played, rekindling the fans’ appreciation for him.
Unfortunately, a dislocated shoulder in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat sidelined Randle for months, ending his season prematurely as he required surgery. While the Knicks continued to succeed in his absence, his value became evident during the playoffs when injuries to other key players led to another second-round exit.
In an era where traditional power forwards are becoming less common, Randle still embodies the traditional role but also brings a dynamic element to his game, making him unstoppable when he’s on. A common narrative suggests that Randle is a ball-stopper who doesn’t pass, but the stats say otherwise. Since 2021, Randle’s 5.0 assists per game rank third among NBA power forwards, trailing only Draymond Green and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Randle has also improved significantly in handling double teams, making better reads and creating cleaner opportunities for his teammates. Combined with his ability to score at a high level, Randle is an elite offensive threat. Losing him would be a major setback for the Knicks and could impact Jalen Brunson’s ability to find quality scoring opportunities.
2. **The Knicks’ Big Three Has Immense Potential**
As previously mentioned, the Knicks were dominant when their roster was fully healthy. In the 12 games that Brunson, Randle, and Anunoby played together, the Knicks had an incredible point differential of +202, averaging a 16.8-point victory per game, according to KnicksMuse via X.
During this stretch, they convincingly defeated several playoff teams, including double-digit blowouts against the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, and another win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The trio demonstrated significant potential to compete for a championship until Randle’s injury.
Anunoby integrated seamlessly into the Knicks’ lineup alongside Randle, as his offensive style doesn’t rely on creating his own shot but rather catch-and-shoot threes and cuts to the basket. This allowed Randle and Brunson to take greater control of the offense and create opportunities for themselves and their teammates. Moreover, Anunoby’s defense facilitated transition plays, which greatly improved the team’s spacing. Anunoby’s plus-minus as a Knick is an impressive +353, and the team went 26-6 in games he played. His addition made everyone around him, including Randle, perform significantly better.
It would be premature to move on from Randle before seeing what this trio could achieve with a fully healthy season and a complete training camp together. Despite the small sample size, the Knicks’ performance in the postseason without Randle suggests they would have continued their dominance had he remained healthy.
3. **Randle Deserves a Payday for Reviving a Dormant Franchise**
When Randle signed with the Knicks in 2019, joining New York was widely viewed as undesirable, as the franchise was still mired in years of mediocrity and failure. Randle chose to come to New York when others didn’t, and he gave fans a reason to cheer again.
His phenomenal 2021 season, where he earned his first All-Star selection, won the league’s Most Improved Player award, and was named to the All-NBA second team, is unforgettable. The Knicks entered that season with low expectations, but Randle led a remarkable turnaround, lifting the team from a lottery position to the fourth seed in one season.
Although 2022 was a challenging year for both Randle and the Knicks, their response since then deserves more recognition. It’s fair to question whether a team can win a championship with Randle as the first or second option, but he has repeatedly proven that he is a competitor who will fight until he physically cannot.
That mentality should excite Knicks fans about what lies ahead, and if Randle is willing to commit to the franchise’s long-term plans, he will earn even greater respect for wanting to build something special in New York.
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