Getty Julius Randle of the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks have had a busy offseason so far as they’ve brought in Jalen Brunson, resigned Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims, and also traded away Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks and Kemba Walker.
Next season’s team is going to look a bit different than what fans saw the previous season, but it should all be for the best. It could still look drastically different in the Knicks pull off a blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, something that’s in the early stages of talks.
Many of the moves the Knicks made this offseason were for flexibility reasons and that’s what led to them being able to sign Brunson. With RJ Barrett on the verge of a payday, New York might want to free up even more money, and that could be done while still maintaining a competitive roster.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley suggests a swap of Julius Randle for Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Gordon Hayward. The two players have similar deals, but Gordon’s runs for just two more season while Randle’s will be for four. Because of that, the deal might just make sense.
Randle for Hayward?
Signing Brunson might seem to indicate the Knicks are ready to win right now, but many would argue the team isn’t ready to make the leap.
Buckley argues this trade could be made to free up much-needed playing time for Obi Toppin.
“Moving on from Randle would clear a path to major minutes for Obi Toppin and free up a ton of developmental touches for all of New York’s prospects,” he wrote. “The Knicks might need to temporarily take a step back—though not necessarily if Hayward stays healthy—but it could deliver a big leap forward down the line.”
Here’s a look at what Buckley proposes:
- Hornets Receive: Julius Randle and Cam Reddish
- Knicks Receive: Gordon Hayward, James Bouknight and future first-round pick
The Knicks aren’t expected to compete for a championship next season even with the signing of Brunson, so perhaps another year of development would be important for the team.
Of course, this point is moot if the Knicks land Mitchell, but that’s not a guarantee at this point. he also argues adding the number 11 pick from the 2021 draft is something worth rolling the dice on.
“Bouknight, by the way, is far from a throw-in. The Brooklyn native had a rough-go as a rookie, but the Hornets never gave him his sink-or-swim chance,” Buckley continues. “He barely cracked 300 minutes. Giving him a fresh start with the chance of a significantly expanded role could help him find his NBA niche as a slippery scoring guard who can fill it up from all three levels.”
Knicks Taking Calls on Randle
A source speaking to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney reveals the Knicks have taken calls on Randle, but he might not hold the type of value New York thinks he has.
“They have taken calls on him, it is not like there is no one in the league who is interested in him,” the source said. “It’s just a matter of, the Knicks see him as a guy who is a star and they want a star return for him. But the rest of the league is thinking, ‘OK, we’ll do you a favor and take his contract, how does that sound?'”
Randle could still be moved this offseason, but it might be harder than it sounds.
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