Knicks Lose Key Staff Who Kept Julius Randle in Check

Getty Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks sits on the bench during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on November 20, 2022.

The New York Knicks lost one of the key members of their medical and performance team who played a crucial role in Julius Randle‘s rejuvenated form last season that earned him his second All-Star and All-NBA nods.

On Friday, Erwin Benedict Valencia, the Knicks’ wellness lead, announced he’s leaving the team after nine seasons with the organization.

“It is with deep sadness but immense gratitude that I share I will no longer be a member of the New York Knicks Medical and Performance Staff beginning the 2023–2024 Season,” Valencia wrote on Medium.

The Filipino-American polymath is moving back to the Philippines for a sabbatical after experiencing severe back pains last month.

Valencia is credited for introducing the space and wellness program during the Phil Jackson regime, which includes meditation, in the Knicks organization. He became a fixture of Randle’s pregame routine last season, which helped the two-time All-Star forward kept his emotions in check for the most part following an emotionally-charged 2021-22 season.

Randle, who wasn’t sold early on the meditation program initiated by Valencia, approached him last year to do the mindfulness meditation three minutes before each game’s tip-off.

It worked wonders for Randle as he played with more positive energy to recapture his All-Star form and helped the Knicks return to the playoffs.

It is unclear if the Knicks will keep Valencia’s space and wellness program now that he’s left the team.

Another Evan Fournier Trade Option off the Board

The Knicks’ avenues to move Evan Fournier is getting slimmer by the day.

After talks stalled among the Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers in a three-team trade that would have involved Fournier, the Suns pivoted to dump Cam Payne’s salary to the San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The trade came a day after Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto reported about the aborted Fournier trade that would have landed him in Indiana in exchange for Payne.

“New York, Phoenix, and Indiana had exploratory discussions on a three-team trade where Cam Payne would’ve joined the Knicks, TJ McConnell would’ve joined the Suns, and Evan Fournier and draft pick compensation would’ve gone to the Pacers, league sources told HoopsHype. There were also variations of the talks, which involved Jordan Nwora, HoopsHype has learned. Had the trade come to fruition, New York would’ve created a traded player exception of over $19 million. However, talks have since stalled,” Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto wrote.

Knicks Passed up on Karl-Anthony Towns Trade

The Knicks passed up on the opportunity to trade for three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

“There were talks between the Timberwolves and other teams before the draft and Towns’ name came up,” Begley said on the July 13 episode of The Lowe Post with Zach Lowe podcast. “I don’t know how aggressive the Timberwolves were with Towns, if at all, but the Knicks could have gone there as well, and they clearly have decided not to go there at this point.”

In May, Begley reported that the Knicks’ interest in Towns has waned.

“From what I’ve heard from a couple of people in touch with them, they felt the temperature was a little down on the interest in Towns compared to where it was very early on in Leon Rose’s tenure,” Begley said on the May 25 episode of the Hoopshype podcast with host Michael Scotto and fellow guest New York Daily News’ Stefan Bondy.