2. Julius Randle extension
On Aug. 3, Julius Randle will be eligible to sign an extension. The Knicks could offer him a deal worth $181.5 million over four years. He took a discount on the four-year, $117 million extension he signed in 2021, and he might not be willing to do that again this summer. Thanks to Brunson's discount, the front office can comfortably offer Randle more money if that's what he wants.
Fans have speculated about Randle's future in New York. Part of that is because he missed the second half of the season after he suffered a dislocated shoulder. The Knicks secured the No. 2 seed in the East, even with Randle playing only 46 games. However, that doesn't mean the team doesn't need him. Imagine how much stronger New York would've been in the playoffs with its All-Star power forward.
Randle shouldn't feel obligated to give the Knicks another discount after Brunson's extension, but that doesn't mean he won't. He's reiterated his desire to deliver New York its third NBA title, and the Knicks are in the best position to do so since Randle signed as a free agent in 2019.
If Leon Rose and Co. sign Randle to an extension this summer, that'd be massive. He's a key part of New York's core.