Now that the season has come and gone, the New York Knicks have some pretty important decisions to make this offseason regarding the future of the franchise.
All in all, this year was a massive success for New York. Heading into the season, many pegged them as a play-in team, but they defied the odds, made the playoffs, and won their first-round series in convincing fashion.
Jalen Brunson proved to be an All-Star caliber point guard, so that decision paid off big-time. He’s set to lead the franchise into the future. Plus, Immanuel Quickley blossomed into a star Sixth Man, the trade for Josh Hart was a resounding success, and Tom Thibodeau showed more willingness to play his youngsters.
But there is still one potential issue lingering over New York’s heads — Julius Randle.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider
The forward made his second All-NBA team this season and put up some solid numbers after a rough 2021-22. However, when the postseason came around, he melted under the spotlight.
Randle underperformed in his first playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. And even though the Knicks as a team defied expectations this season, he was still extremely underwhelming.
Due to his performance, the idea of a trade doesn’t sound too bad. Randle’s not a bad player by any means, and in the right situation, he could be a massive help. But with Brunson emerging as the clear-cut best player (or most impactful) in New York, trading Randle to change the framework of the team could prove to be a worthwhile endeavor.
Switching up the team around Brunson and RJ Barrett might be best for the Knicks. So, here are five Randle trades the Knicks should consider this summer.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider: Minnesota Timberwolves
For the New York Knicks, this would completely restructure their roster, and they would likely have to make more moves to smooth things out at the big man position.
However, it would be difficult for them to pass up the opportunity to add Karl-Anthony Towns to the roster. His floor spacing would give them a massive boost. Plus, Towns doesn’t need the ball in his hands nearly as much as Julius Randle does in order to be effective. The two-man game between Towns and Jalen Brunson would be much better.
And on top of that, the Knicks would also land Kyle Anderson in this trade, giving them some serious veteran help at the wing position. Anderson has proven to be a valuable piece during his time in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves would reshape their roster just one year after their rough trade for Rudy Gobert. But since they can’t exactly flip Gobert, trading Towns could be their best option.
Randle’s fit alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert is a bit smoother as he’s more comfortable with the ball in his hands and a better, more mobile defender than Towns.
Obi Toppin would also give them an intriguing option to play around with. And though Evan Fournier hasn’t played much this season, maybe the Timberwolves could get something out of him.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider: Dallas Mavericks
Rather than trading for a star like Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks would attempt to shore up their depth with a trade like this one. It may not be as flashy, but it would be effective.
Christian Wood would give the Knicks a different look at the center position. Mitchell Robinson would act as the defensive anchor down low while Wood gives them some shooting. They could also play alongside one another.
New York would also get a nice two-way wing in Reggie Bullock—a former Knick. He had one of his best seasons in New York, and if he could get back to that, it would be super helpful to their rotation.
Lastly, Tim Hardaway Jr. would also return to the Knicks in this deal, providing them with a solid scoring boost. New York would also get off Randle’s salary earlier with a deal like this, which would be helpful.
As for the Dallas Mavericks, this trade would give them a third star to run alongside Luka Doncic and, if they re-sign him, Kyrie Irving. Julius Randle’s defense and ball-handling abilities would be useful for Dallas.
But, in a weird way, the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein may excite Mavericks fans even more. He’d give them a huge upgrade at the center position, which the Mavericks desperately need.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider: Atlanta Hawks
This trade would give the New York Knicks a fresh look at the position of power forward. Rather than having a ball-dominant player, John Collins would provide them with floor-spacing, rebounding, and athleticism.
At his peak, Collins was a 20-point, 10-rebound machine in Atlanta. But with all the additional pieces they’ve added to the roster, he’s fallen into the background, and the Hawks have reportedly been looking to trade him for a few seasons.
In New York, the Knicks could allow Collins to be more of a focal point in their offense again. They have great surrounding pieces, just like Atlanta, but sometimes a player needs a new situation in order to thrive.
Saddiq Bey would give them a quality wing to bring off the bench behind RJ Barrett and Josh Hart. And lastly, the Knicks would add another pick to their arsenal in this deal.
The Atlanta Hawks would be banking on a big change to help push them forward. They would have three players in the starting lineup comfortable with handling the ball, which would theoretically take pressure off of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Randle’s defense and powerful play would create an intriguing starting lineup. He would slot in alongside Young, Murray, De’Andre Hunter, and Clint Capela.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider: Philadelphia 76ers
Of all the potential Julius Randle trades, this one may seem the least appealing for the New York Knicks. However, when the details are laid out, it actually makes some sense for them.
First and foremost, Tobias Harris may be overpaid, but he’s still a solid player. As the second or third option in New York’s offense, he could get back to putting up the numbers that landed him the massive contract Philadelphia gave him.
Furkan Korkmaz likely wouldn’t give the Knicks much, but the two seconds would be nice. However, the reason New York might consider this deal would be because of the salary.
Rather than waiting until 2025-26 for Randle to be off the books, both Harris and Korkmaz will be free agents after next year, meaning the Knicks would clear up a ton of cap space.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, this trade would be about preserving their team. If James Harden leaves this summer, they will be searching for ways to remain competitive, and although the fit of Joel Embiid and Randle may be clunky, he’s absolutely a better player than Harris.
Plus, while Fournier may not have received minutes in New York this year, his shooting could be valuable alongside Embiid. They could also look to flip Randle the following summer if things didn’t pan out.
5 Julius Randle trades the New York Knicks should consider: Washington Wizards
At first glance, this trade may not be super enticing for New York Knicks fans, but it could work out well for them. They’d get two quality rotational pieces in the deal.
Honestly, Kyle Kuzma might be more than just a rotation piece at this point. He averaged over 21 points per game with the Washington Wizards and could have even more success with a point guard like Jalen Brunson setting things up for him.
The Knicks would also have the freedom to determine his contract, as they would have to acquire him via sign-and-trade in this deal, as he’s almost certainly going to decline his player option.
As for Delon Wright, he seems like the type of player Tom Thibodeau would go crazy over. He’s capable with the ball in his hands, a fine playmaker, but most importantly, he’s a veteran who can play defense.
The Washington Wizards would take a stab at a star in this deal, as they seem determined to make things work with Bradley Beal as their star player. No matter how clearly things don’t work. They could roll out a starting lineup of Monte Morris, Bradley Beal, Deni Avdija, Julius Randle, and Kristaps Porzingis and still have guys like Corey Kispert and Daniel Gafford coming off the bench.
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