Why the Knicks giving Julius Randle a max contract is a mistake
By Justin Frank
New York Knicks: Julius Randle must prove it to procure it
None of this should take away from Randle’s historic season. The man averaged 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He shot 45.6/41.1/81.1. He posted six triple-doubles. He was MIP and named to the All-NBA 2nd team and is only 26, years away from his proverbial prime.
As Knicks Film School scribe Jonathan Macri tweeted, Randle’s All-NBA nod put him in some exclusive Knicks company:
Julius Randle is the 4th Knick to make All-NBA 2nd team in the last 3 decades, joining Patrick Ewing (91, 92, 93 & 97), Amar’e Stoudemire (‘11) and Carmelo Anthony (‘13). The last Knick to make 1st team was Ewing in 89-90.
— Jonathan Macri (@JCMacriNBA) June 16, 2021
And the fact is, Randle should not only go down in Knicks lore for leading a team that was projected to win somewhere in the ballpark of 20 wins to a playoff spot and 4-seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but he should be able to stick around to see how this all plays out. And the Knicks should do right by him and allow him to do so.
Many onlookers see the arrival of Coach Tom Thibodeau as the reason why Randle’s strong play was unlocked this season. But was Randle’s season a fluke, or indicative enough of a promising trend for him to also unlock a bag of max money in the near future?
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