Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the first half against the Boston Celtics.
The 2023 NBA All-Star break is just days away and already New York Knicks big man Julius Randle finds himself stirring the pot as he preps for the illustrious event.
The 28-year-old is slated to be taking part in the exhibition out in Salt Lake City on February 19 and, recently, when asked who he would like to play with, the power forward couldn’t help but take a playful shot at Los Angeles Lakers superstar, LeBron James.
“I’ve never played with LeBron (James) so, you know, it would be fun to do before he gets his old a** out of here,” Randle said.
Julius Randle would like to play with LeBron James and Paul George at the All-Star Game. Why LeBron?
“It would be fun to do before he gets his old ass outta here” 🤣
Now in his year 20 season in the association, James finds himself gearing up for his 19th All-Star Game appearance while Randle, in year nine, will be participating in the weekend’s festivities for his second time.
The two competing rosters will be assembled via draft by James and Eastern Conference captain Giannis Antetokounmpo directly before the exhibition, meaning that the Knicks big’s desires to play with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer could still very well end up becoming a reality.
Knicks Guard May Have Shot at All-Star Game
At the moment, Julius Randle is the lone Knicks player who will be representing the franchise during this year’s NBA All-Star Game, though Heavy Sports’ Ryan Aston believes that point guard Jalen Brunson could end up joining him out in Utah should Chicago Bulls Star DeMar DeRozan have to pull out due to injury.
“Although no decision has been made as of yet, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown’s All-Star spot may be in jeopardy after the baller suffered a facial fracture recently. And while Brunson could be a factor there, many believe that Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden is the more likely selection to replace Brown…Even if Harden does end up subbing in for Brown, though, a new injury on the East’s side could open up another door for Brunson. DeMar DeRozan was forced out of the Chicago Bulls’ Monday loss to the Orlando Magic due to a thigh strain. And he later revealed that he has been dealing with discomfort for several weeks,” Aston wrote.
DeMar DeRozan has been playing through pain in his right leg since December.
The All-Star still wants to play every game, but he’s realistic about how the injury is affecting his output: “It’s been really bad.”
Despite not having been named an All-Star outright during the voting process, Brunson has proven to be an absolute revelation during his inaugural season with the Knicks in 2022-23, as he finds himself posting impressive per-game averages of 23.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds on 48.5% shooting from the floor and 41.7% shooting from distance.
Since the final selections were revealed on February 2, the 26-year-old has only gone on to bring his level of play to even greater heights, as he’s been averaging a whopping 32.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds on 60.9% shooting from the floor and 55.9% shooting from deep during his last six outings.
Knicks Guard Addresses Recently Diminished Role
Though the acquisition of Josh Hart certainly seems to have had an overall positive impact on the New York Knicks, for sophomore guard Quentin Grimes, it has led to a rather apparent decline in his role within the rotation.
Since the veteran wing’s arrival, Grimes has seen a near-eight minutes drop off in his per-game playing time and, as a result, has seen his averages as a whole be negatively affected.
Now, while losing in-game reps may often be a harsh reality for some to accept, Zach Braziller of the New York Post shared some of the guard’s recent comments regarding the situation and, with an upbeat spirit, he suggested that he’s rather accepting of Thibodeau’s recent minute’s distribution.
“Quentin Grimes on diminished role of late since Josh Hart’s arrival: “It’s not about minutes. It’s trying to win games. He helps us win games, that’s the main thing,”” Braziller tweeted.
Quentin Grimes on diminished role of late since Josh Hart’s arrival: “It’s not about minutes. It’s trying to win games. He helps us win games, that’s the main thing.” #knikcs
Braziller revealed in the thread that Grimes would share that he feels he “can’t think about it” when it comes to losing some of his minutes to Hart, and that all he can do is “play how I’ve been playing all year, and not worry about that.”
On the season, the 22-year-old is posting career-high averages of 10.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and just shy of a steal per game.