With the Knicks re-signing OG Anunoby and acquiring Mikal Bridges in the 2024 offseason, some analysts feel Julius Randle could become redundant in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system entering the 2024-25 season.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe proposed a few trades that would fetch New York valuable pieces in exchange for Randle, a former three-time All-Star, on the September 9 episode of his “Lowe Post” podcast.
One of those trades would see the Knicks land two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls.
Knicks get: Nikola Vucevic
Bulls get: Julius Randle
On paper, the trade could work for both teams. A career 17 PPG scorer, Vucevic could be a dynamic presence on the Knicks due to his ability to shoot 3s. However, he isn’t known as a defensive stopper.
“I don’t know if Vuc is a good fit for how Tom Thibodeau wants to play,” Lowe said. “But [a rotational center is] still something the Knicks need. I think he could be an interesting change of pace for them, but his shooting fell off badly last year.”
A career 49.5% shooter, Vucevic’s field goal dropped to 48.4% in 2023-24 after shooting 52% in 2022-23. His 3-point shooting percentage of 29.4% was the lowest since 2015-16.
Other Potential Knicks Trades
All the other proposed Knicks trades were intended to fill the Knicks’ biggest hole — the starting center. With Mitchell Robinson struggling with injuries, and Isaiah Hartenstein departing in free agency, the Knicks have only one other center in Precious Achiuwa.
Another floated trade involving Randle would land the Knicks three players from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Knicks get: Robert Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Kris Murray
Blazers get: Julius Randle
While Williams and Thybulle are veteran defensive specialists, Murray is a second-year forward out of Iowa who showed promise in his rookie season. The deal could be interesting for the Knicks, but Lowe wondered if Portland stood to benefit from it.
“If I’m Portland, what’s in it for me? Can I flip Julius Randle again?” Lowe wondered.
It’s important to note that the Knicks, as a second-apron team, can take back only $28.9 million or less in trades involving Randle.
Randle Could Become a Free Agent in 2025
The 2024-25 season could essentially determine Randle’s long-term future with the Knicks. The 11th-year forward has a player option worth $30.9 million for the 2025-26 season, which he could decline to test free agency.
With Randle extension-eligible since August 3, the Knicks have the option of locking him up for the long haul, thereby avoiding the likelihood of losing him in the 2025 summer. However, SNY’s Ian Begley reported on July 7 that “extension talks aren’t at the forefront for either the Knicks or Randle” citing the Knicks’ reluctance to go over the NBA’s second-apron in luxury tax.
To avoid the scenario, ESPN’s Bobby Marks proposed an idea on the “The Lowe Post” podcast on September 9.
“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 of Randle’s future in New York.
“[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.”
If the Knicks start the 2024-25 season on a winning note, the concerns surrounding Randle’s future in the Big Apple could be answered.
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Proposed Knicks Trade Lands All-Star for Julius Randle