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Trade talk will continue to circle Julius Randle until he and the New York Knicks agree on a contract extension. He’ll become eligible for a four-year, $181.5 million deal on August 3.
One team that could emerge as a trade partner is the Memphis Grizzlies.
Memphis receives: Randle
New York receives: Jaren Jackson Jr., 2026 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
Jackson Jr. is a former All-Star, 24-years-old, and coming off of a down year with the Grizzlies. With point guard Ja Morant out for most of the year, Memphis finished just 27-55.
Jackson averaged 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 66 regular-season appearances.
Randle is similarly coming off of a down year, but because of injury. He missed the final 36 games of the regular season with a dislocated shoulder.
A deal with the Grizzlies could help replenish assets lost in the Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges. Randle averaged 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5 assists in 46 appearances with the Knicks.
Why Would Memphis Go All-In On Randle?
The Grizzlies are headed into the sixth season of the Jackson, Morant tandem. Memphis has made the playoffs in three of those five seasons, but made it out of the first round only once in 2022.
If they’re certain of Morant’s place as the franchise’s cornerstone, maximizing his prime should always be priority.
And after drafting Zach Edey out of Purdue, there’s a bit of redundancy to the Grizzlies’ roster. They’ve got two seven-footers who play the same position.
Whether or not the two can play together is yet to be determined. But there’s an NBA readiness to Edey’s game that could afford Memphis to upgrade other areas of the roster.
He’s 22 years old, but a two-time AP Player of the Year winner. He averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game for his senior season at Purdue.
Why Would The Knicks Trade Randle?
Randle was the face of New York basketball prior to Jalen Brunson‘s arrival.
Since, he’s missed time in consecutive postseasons due to injury. And now he’s up for an extension as soon as August 3.
With the acquisitions of OG Anunoby and Bridges, the Knicks are now with almost too many starters. Donte DiVincenzo–who set the franchise record for most 3-pointers in a season last year–is likely headed to the bench.
But they’ve also lost Isaiah Hartenstein, who left in free agency for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
His absence may prove the biggest detriment to New York’s new look roster. In 3,816 possessions with the starting center off the floor, the Knicks were outscored by 0.7 points per 100 possessions. That may come off as a small number, but their offense and defensive numbers ranked in the 51st and 47th percentiles–run of the mill.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s unwillingness to deploy small-ball lineups is also an apparent foil in next year’s plan.
Non-center lineups played just 32 possessions last season. That’s .004%.
Jackson, who led the NBA in blocks from 2021-2023, would give Thibodeau a rim protector who can play in a five-out offense.
The 24-year-old is a career 34% three-point shooter, and won the Defensive Player of the Year as recently in just the year prior.
New York is an aspiring title contender going into next season. But without a true-shooting big man or a willingness to play small-ball, their path through the Eastern Conference is difficult.
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