Knicks Star Julius Randle Predicted to Get Traded to West Team: ‘That Would Be Nice’

Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley said that a Julius Randle trade is just a matter of time.

“It’s tough when you (New York Knicks) sign all of those guys at that position, his (Randle) size, his type of players,” Beverley said on the September 11 episode of his podcast. “I mean, the writing’s on the wall.”

Randle has been eligible to sign a four-year, $181.5 million extension since August 3 but SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 7 that “the extension talks aren’t at the forefront for either the Knicks or Randle.”

The news came as a shock after the Knicks re-signed OG Anunoby to the richest deal in franchise history (five-year, 212.5 million extension) and gave Jalen Brunson his max extension (four-year, $156.5 million).

The Knicks have also added Mikal Bridges in a trade that cost them almost all of their future draft picks.

For Beverley, the Knicks’ recent moves plus the lack of extension for Randle are tell-tale signs that the three-time NBA All-Star could be the odd man out.

Beverley views the Sacramento Kings as the perfect landing spot for Randle if the Knicks make him available.

“That would be nice, him in [Sacramento],” Beverley said. “That would be different.”

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Knicks in Tricky Spot When It Comes to Julius Randle’s Extension

ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Bobby Marks do not anticipate a Randle extension this offseason as the Knicks are in a tricky spot in trying to navigate the new, restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement.

But Marks said the Knicks can avoid dipping into the second apron with one interesting move, that is if Randle agrees.

“It’s either going to be in New York on an extension or maybe a new contract, or maybe it’s what Josh Hart did, where you’re opting into that deal, and you’d have to do this by October 21,” Marks said on the “The Lowe Post” podcast on September 9. “[Randle opts in, and then you extend off that where you get a little more breathing room next year when some of these numbers (OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson’s contracts) start to go and then the Randle number doesn’t kick in until 2026-27. So maybe that makes a little bit more sense as far as how this plays out here.”

In this scenario, Randle can tuck in an additional three years worth a maximum of $140.3 million if he opts into his $30.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season. If Randle agrees, he would be leaving more than $100 million in potential earnings.

Randle will be eligible for a five-year deal worth more than $300 million in free agency next offseason, according to Forbes.

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Knicks Predicted to Get Lowballed in Julius Randle Trade Talks

The conundrum for the Knicks is that they are not going to get maximum value for Randle in the trade market, per Fred Katz of The Athletic.

“Here’s what makes discussions about hypothetical Randle trades so difficult: I don’t believe there is a team in the NBA that would value the three-time All-Star more than the Knicks do.

I texted this question to someone who works in a rival team’s front office and received an answer I expected: “Neutral, at best,” the person said,” Katz wrote in his mailbag on August 21.

There is optimism that Randle will be fine as illustrated by the Knicks’ 12-2 stretch in January with him, Anunoby and Brunson all healthy. But adding Bridges into the mix will mean another adjustment.

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