With the New York Knicks in a bit of a free fall after their hot start to the season, it’s not clear if the team will be in the business of buying or selling come trade deadline.
There’s still a few weeks to go before the team has to really think about it, but judging by the way things have been going, it might be a trade deadline where they try to shed salary. There’s no doubt about it, the Knicks season so far has been a disappointment, and a lot of it comes down to injuries.
A lot of the struggles so far center around All-Star forward Julius Randle. Randle is coming off a season where he made the All-NBA team and was named Most Improved Player, but he hasn’t been able to recapture that magic. His shooting numbers are down across the board, and while he still puts up good stats, it’s come at the cost of efficiency.
The Knicks haven’t said anything about shopping him around, but according to a report from SNY’s Ian Begley, there is interest around the league in him if he became available. One of the teams that could have interest is the Sacramento Kings, a team that seems to always be in a state of rebuilding.
Randle to Sacramento?
“Some people with Sacramento were interested with Julius Randle. Maybe there’s something there.”
De’Aaron Fox, Jalen Brunson, and more trade buzz from @IanBegley on a new episode of Begley’s Mailbag: t.co/hSrQUjb2SR
Trading away their star player was definitely not on the bingo card of Knicks fans coming into the year, but after his yearlong struggles, the idea of it doesn’t seem as far-fetched as it did before.
The Knicks are in dire need to a point guard, and considering the injury histories and age of both Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker, neither of them figure to be the option going forward.
Perhaps a swap of Randle for Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox could make sense for both sides.
GettyCould a swap of stars be in order?
“Some people with Sacramento were interested with Julius Randle,” said Begley. “Maybe there’s something there.”
Trade rumors have been swirling around Fox, but he doesn’t seem at all concerned about them as of yet.
“(These) things are part of the business,” he said. “Am I worried about anything? No. Do I know stuff can happen? Yeah. But I’m not worried at all. No.”
For what it’s worth, Kings management told him they don’t have any plans of moving him, but things in the NBA are always fluid and the right deal can sway anybody.
Will Randle Be Moved?
GettyJulius Randle going for a basket against the Pistons.
Randle just signed an extension in the offseason and he’s become the face of the Knicks during his time here. Trading him would be a controversial move since he’s the one who helped claw the team back into relavancy.
If it weren’t for his season last year, there’s no chance the Knicks could have made the playoffs last season, and he’s also part of the reason the expectations for the team were so high coming into this year.
For right now, it’s looking like the team will be holding onto him and they’ll just have to hope he gets things turned around.
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Western Conference Team Has Interest in Knicks Star Julius Randle: Report