Getty Julius Randle and Kendra Randle attend the Haute Living Celebration of Julius Randle With Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Mr Chow on November 10, 2022 in New York City.
Kendra Randle took a shot at his husband’s critics following Julius Randle‘s fifth straight 20-point game as the New York Knicks got back on the winning track.
“My [timeline] has been super quiet,” the Knicks star’s wife posted on X (formerly Twitter) with hush emojis, quoting a post of her husband’s five solid game stats.
Randle, the most polarizing Knicks player since Carmelo Anthony, overcame an early-season shooting struggles.
The two-time All-Star forward averaged 25.4 points on 44.4% shooting, 10.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists over his last five games. Over that five-game stretch, the Knicks have posted a 4-1 record to climb to sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
It was a huge jump from his 27.1% shooting — the worst shooting percentage by a player in their first 6 games of a season since 1959 (min. 90 field goal attempts), per Basketball Reference — during the Knicks’ first six games.
Randle nearly finished with a triple-double (29 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists) against the Hawks.
“We’re just trying to get movement on the offensive end,” Randle told Gus Johnson and Wally Szczerbiak during his MSG Network postgame interview after beating the Hawks. “I feel like the more we move, the more we cut, space for each other, set screens, the easier the game will be for everybody. Everybody will get in a rhythm naturally, just continue to play off each other, play for each other.”
The Knicks recorded 29 assists, with Randle and Jalen Brunson dishing out eight apiece.
Randle and the Knicks are looking to continue their winning ways Friday night in the nation’s capital against the rebuilding Washington Wizards.
Knicks Warned Against Trading for Disgruntled Star
Former Knicks general manager Scott Perry believes the team is just “one player away” from title contention. But he warned them about trading for the next disgruntled star.
It’s a strategy that could backfire and set the team back after painstakingly pulling themselves out of the NBA rut.
“If a guy’s disgruntled somewhere else, what makes you think he won’t be disgruntled when he comes to you? I’m just saying,” Perry said on the Hoops Genius podcast.
Perry’s warning came before the ramblings of Zion Williamson’s discontent with his current role in New Orleans and the trade rumors of Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls open to parting ways amid a poor start.
“Me, personally, you have to proceed with real caution,” Perry said.
For these disgruntled stars, “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence,” Perry added.
The Next Disgruntled Star?
The Knicks have been constantly linked to the next star who becomes available. Yet, Leon Rose’s front office, which Perry was a part of until last June, has been defined by patience and prudence.
The Knicks are monitoring Zion Williamson’s situation in New Orleans as they checked in last offseason, according to retired New York Post Knicks beat reporter Marc Berman.
Cracks in the relationship between Williamson and the Pelicans have constantly been fodder for the rumor mill. But the cracks appeared to have widened following the Pelicans’ fifth straight loss on November 12.
“Like I said last year, we had a team meeting,” Williamson told reporters, “and it was brought up, some things I could do better. Especially with like buying into the program. And right now, it’s tough right now but like I said right now I’m taking a little backseat right now. I’m trusting the process.”
“I’m trying my best to buy in right now.”
Randle and Williamson play the same position.