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Former Knicks GM says trading Julius Randle would be a mistake

Bondman

Now that the New York Knicks have signed Mikal Bridges and re-signed OG Anunoby, it’s fair to wonder how Julius Randle fits in.

Randle is an NBA player who is a bit old-fashioned. Although he is a three-time All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA team, he is a powerful power forward who likes to have the ball in his hands, is a mediocre shooter, an inconsistent defender and cannot rise to play as a pivot (or at least he doesn’t).

That’s a harsh assessment of Randle, who is also an excellent one-on-one scorer and a great passer, but the Knicks are a team that leans toward 3-and-D wings who defend, shoot 3s, cut and make quick decisions with the ball around Jalen Brunson. Randle doesn’t quite fit the vision.

However, former Knicks general manager Scott Perry, who signed Randle to his first contract with the Knicks in 2019, said on the “Hoop Genius” podcast that it would be a mistake to trade the skilled forward.

“People seem to forget who Julius Randle is. Julius Randle is the only player on his team who’s a three-time All-Star. He’s the only player who’s a two-time All-NBA player. You can’t rush him out of the building.

“And I love OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, but they’re not guys you can run an offense with. They’re playing with other good players, the best players. They’re at their best playing with Jalen Brunson. and Julius Randle. Because those are the two players that can really score points against a well-established defense… Julius Randle, you’re stuck with him unless you can replace him with another All-NBA player or All-Star. Because without him, I don’t know, the Knicks would still be formidable, but they’d miss a player that can create offense against a well-established defense and when things fall apart, it wouldn’t all have to fall on Jalen Brunson’s shoulders alone.”

Perry raises a point that became clear during the Knicks’ playoff run: Without a second playmaker, there was too much pressure on Brunson. Brunson still managed to deliver frequently, even when he faced immense defensive pressure, and players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo stepped up his offensive production, but that weight ultimately caught up with Brunson.

Randle, for all his imperfections, gives the Knicks a different dynamic on offense, with his inside-outside game. The Knicks can get him the ball to the mid-post, where he can drive his way to the rim, knock down tough one-on-one shots or get the ball to shooters by drawing a defender. Randle is arguably the best Knicks player at creating three-point shots for others.

If Randle can evolve and play more off the ball, make more 3-pointers and defend consistently, he could raise the Knicks’ ceiling.

It would be up to the Knicks to keep Randle around for the season to see how he fits into this revamped team. But if the Knicks’ offense struggles more than expected, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Randle’s name start popping up in trade rumors.

Watch Perry’s comments below:

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