3 Goals Knicks fans would love to see Julius Randle achieve in 2023-24

2: Defensive consistency

Julius Randle isn’t a bad defender, but an inconsistent one. He has surprisingly quick feet, able to use his 6’8″, 250-pound frame to stick with shiftier wings while also having a strong base to not get easily moved by opposing forwards attempting to post him up.

The only problem is that his engagement on the less glamorous end of the court fluctuates on a game-to-game basis.

“Stocks” are a defensive statistic that combines steals and blocks. Randle averaged 0.9 stocks last year, the lowest mark of his eight-year career.

He also ranked seventh out of the Knicks’ nine rotation players with 1.3 deflections per game, an alarmingly low number considering the fact that he led the team in minutes each night. Not only was Randle lacking the timing to disrupt passing lanes, but he was also slow to capitalize on loose balls and potentially generate extra transition possessions.

It’s especially frustrating because it’s less of a talent issue and more of an effort one. He had several excellent defensive games last season, able to hold his own against some of the best offensive players in the association.

It’s fair to wonder if the immense load of generating the entire team’s offense sapped his defensive tenacity, but that shouldn’t be an excuse anymore with Brunson in the mix. It’s also worth noting that he’s squarely in the middle of his athletic prime, the years when most NBA players are at their peak in terms of ball-stopping prowess.

With Brunson potentially transitioning to the Knicks’ number-one scoring option next season, there’s hope that Randle can exert more energy defensively with a lighter offensive role.