New York Knicks: Julius Randle Should Still Get a Max Contract Extension

New York Knicks: An extension would be more expensive next summer

Other fans want the Knicks front office to wait and evaluate Randle for another full season before offering him a contract extension, but that would be extremely risky. If the team waits until summer 2022, Randle’s extension would now start at around $35 million per year.

That extra $10 million would put a significant dent in the Knicks’ cap space moving forward and would hurt them in a year where many prominent superstars are expected to be available on the free agency market.

Players including Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, and Russell Westbrook could all be available in the 2022 offseason. Losing $10 million because the Knicks wanted to wait on a Randle extension could potentially end up costing New York another star.

Team President Leon Rose and the rest of the team’s front office shouldn’t delay, tacking on another four years to Randle’s deal immediately.

Past recipients of the MIP award such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, and Paul George have shown that this is most likely the beginning of a great stretch of basketball rather than a flash in the pan season from Randle.

The Knicks have an All-Star on their hands who is one of the most uniquely skilled bigs in the league with excellent passing vision and the ability to score from all three levels. He’s also just starting to enter the prime years of his career.

The team needs to extend him this summer, one disappointing playoff series shouldn’t change that.