Getty Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks reacts with Jalen Brunson #11.
With Jalen Brunson and his Villanova boys now firmly entrenched in New York, it is fair to wonder about Julius Randle‘s future with the Knicks.
Brunson has become the toast of New York after leaving $113 million guaranteed money on the table by signing a four-year, $156.5 million extension this summer rather than next year.
Randle is also extension-eligible this summer. He can sign as much as a four-year, $181.5 million extension beginning on August 3.
However, SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 7 that “the extension talks aren’t at the forefront for either the Knicks or Randle.”
The Knicks are divided on Randle, who is coming off a shoulder injury that limited him to 46 games last season.
“On Randle, some in the organization believe that Randle can fit well with this group and think that Randle’s play in January – after the OG Anunoby trade – supports that point,” Begley wrote.
The Knicks went 12-2 in January with a healthy trio of Randle, Brunson and Anunoby.
“Others are concerned about Randle going into this pivotal season with free agency looming and the challenges that may present. In addition, some decision-makers aren’t as bullish about the general fit of the current group,” Begley continued.
Randle earned his second straight All-Star berth, the third in his career all with the Knicks before he went down with a dislocated shoulder. He averaged 24.0 points on 47.2% shooting, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 35.4 minutes per game.
Randle has a $32.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season which he will likely decline if he comes back strong from his injury. He will be eligible for a five-year deal worth more than $300 million in free agency, per Forbes.
Julius Randle’s Strongest Backer
Aside from Tom Thibodeau, who has publicly voiced his admiration for Randle since he took over as the Knicks head coach, the two-time All-NBA forward also has backers in the front office.
Before Leon Rose and William Wesley became the Knicks’ top decision-makers, they sympathized with Randle during his first season with the Knicks which went south in 2019.
But his biggest ally is the Knick owner, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.
“James Dolan has … been a huge Julius Randle fan for years,” Katz said on the Knicks Film School podcast. “(He) notoriously loves Julius Randle. Part of the reason for that is because all the fan base was just like, out on him. Dolan was like, ‘That’s my guy.’
He loves Randle. He loves that Randle chose New York. He loves his game. He loves the way he plays. It’s not like there’s some sort of issue with ownership or management. He’s very well respected in the organization.”
Before Jalen Brunson, There was Julius Randle
Dolan has a deep appreciation for Randle choosing the Knicks after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spurned them during the 2019 free agency.
Since Rose and Co. took over, Randle transformed into an All-Star forward who anchored the turnaround of the once moribund franchise.
He paved the way for Brunson’s addition when Randle also signed a four-year, $117 million contract extension in 2021 instead of waiting for his earlier contract to expire and signing for $200 million deal the following season. Randle gave the Knicks flexibility that allowed them to go after Brunson the following summer.