As the February 10 trade deadline approaches, the New York Knicks are running out of time to make some franchise-altering decisions.
There’s no guarantee they’ll move anybody at all, but they have been linked to several teams and players around the league. They already made a move in acquiring Cam Reddish, but he has largely sat on the bench since coming over from the Atlanta Hawks.
The Knicks still have several more moves they can make, especially as they continues their slide out of the playoffs and into basketball obscurity after their impressive run from last season.
Names that are likely candidates to be moved include point guard Kemba Walker and forward Alec Burks. These two are veterans that can play a role on other teams while also boasting a smaller, more team-friendly deal.
Names that are more unlikely to be moved are Evan Fournier and Julius Randle. Both of these players have big contracts that aren’t exactly easy to fit into a team at this point in the season and it might be better to look for potential moves in the offseason for the two of them.
What’s Randle’s Value?
GettyJulius Randle of the New York Knicks.
It’s no secret that Julius Randle has been having a rough year, and it comes after signing a massive contract extension before the year began.
In fact, his performance has been so bad at times that members of the media are pushing the Knicks to at least test the waters on a potential trade. As it turns out, Randle’s struggles are known around the league and according to a source from The Athletic’s Fred Katz, his trade value has plummeted as a result.
“I don’t see anyone giving up anything of value for him,” said a rival executive to Katz.
Randle is coming off a season in which he came home with an All-NBA selection, the Most Improved Player award and an All-Star appearance. That year rewarded him with a big contract extension, but he’s been struggling all season long after signing that dotted line.
There are reports that there are worries within the organization that the big payday has actually damaged their star and made him feel like he has to do more than he did last year.
Randle being moved just one year into his extension would come as a massive shock, but there is a vocal group of fans who would love to see a deal done, especially if the return was somebody like De’Aaron Fox.
Will Randle Be Moved?
GettyGabe Vincent, right, of the Miami Heat
As it stands right now, there’s little reason to suspect Randle will be moved, and the Knicks would almost certainly wanted to get a decent haul of players in return.
With their star’s struggles this season so documented, there likely aren’t many suitors out there willing to take on his $117 million contract, so he’ll probably remain in New York at least for the remainder of this season.
When big name players and contracts are moved, it usually comes during the offseason when free agency is going on. This would be the time of the year when teams have the most cap space available, so if the Knicks want to move Randle, then that would be a perfect time to explore that opportunity.
READ NEXT: Knicks Starter Sends Blunt Message on Future in NY
Comments
High-Priced Knick’s Trade Value Plummeting at Deadline: Report