3. The scoring weight on Julius Randle’s shoulders
The New York Knicks have a glut of outside shooters, which helps, but seemingly no one to carry the offensive burden. Barrett and Knox are young and have years of development ahead. Trier may stick to a sixth-man role. Portis, Payton, Gibson and Ellington are all complementary players.
That leaves Julius Randle. He only took a lead scoring role last season, surging to 21.7 points per game. It marked the third consecutive year-over-year improvement, and with a primary role after Anthony Davis requested a trade from New Orleans.
Randle only did this for half a season, and it will turn towards a full year with the Knicks, given the roster that surrounds him. It may not be the ideal piece to lead the way, but at 24 years old and only trending up, he can be this player for the Knicks for the next one or two seasons.
Continued three-point improvement will make Randle a multi-faceted offensive player. Work is still necessary at the other side of the court, which may never arrive, but for a team that failed to keep up with the superior NBA offenses, finding a lead scorer who’s proficient behind the arc is beneficial.
Randle pushing his points average with the Pelicans would benefit the Knicks. Even more so if he is efficient. If he moves past that number, 25 per game makes sense.