Getty Julius Randle of the New York Knicks looks on during a time out in the second half of a game against the Miami Heat.
In a September 23 interview on MSG Network with analyst Alan Hahn, New York Knicks President of Basketball Operations, Leon Rose, addressed the current state of the organization and the promise that they have heading into 2022-23.
Throughout the 22-minute conversation, the two covered a slew of topics pertaining to players, front office decisions, and even the fanbase, but perhaps the most noteworthy part of the interview came at around the 18-minute mark when power forward Julius Randle was discussed.
When asked by Hahn whether or not he has spoken with the big man about last year’s lackluster production, Rose spoke glowingly about his $117 million man and stated that they’ve been in communication throughout the offseason.
“I’ve talked to Julius, I’ve seen Julius. He is in phenomenal shape. He’s in a great space. He’s really excited about getting started this year” Rose said.
“Did he have some rough patches last year? Yes. We all learn from things, and Julius has learned from that and he is ready to go. I can tell you from talking to him, I can tell you from being around him. And he looks phenomenal. I think Julius could have a great year.”
Since joining the Knicks back in 2019, Randle has seen his status within the league rise quite considerably, receiving both an All-Star and All-NBA nod throughout his three seasons whilst boasting impressive per-game averages of 21.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists along the way.
Randle Was Still Productive in 2021-22
Although 2021-22 has been widely considered a “down season” for Julius Randle, in the interview on MSG Network Leon Rose acknowledged that, at least from an individualistic standpoint, his production was still rather impressive.
“Look, last year his numbers were elite again. 20 [points], 10 [rebounds], and 5 [assists]. [There were only] three players in the league to do that.”
Through 72 games played, the 27-year-old posted averages of 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. The two other players that Rose alluded to who exceeded those numbers in each category last season were Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two most recent league MVPs.
Of course, on the surface, these statistics are truly impressive, but when digging a bit deeper one will find that his efficiency when putting up said stats seems to trump any true positive takeaways from his play, as he managed to finish the season as the least-efficient number-one scoring option in the association.
Hahn Has Eyes on Knicks Wing
In a Facebook post from September 20, Alan Hahn discussed how disgruntled wing Cam Reddish is a player that he’s “going to watch more closely than any other” during the 2022-23 season, citing his captivating physical tools and the fact that he’s entering a contract year as the main reasons why.
“He’s 23 years old now. He’s in the last season of his rookie deal, which means he’s literally playing for his future. If there’s ever a time for him to show up in the best shape of his life, in the best mindset and determined to take jobs and command playing time, it would be now,” Hahn wrote.
“Ask any scout and they’ll tell you, Cam is an enigma. All the physical tools to be a prototype wing in today’s game and yet there’s something missing. Something inconsistent.”
Though Reddish’s tenure with the New York Knicks hasn’t proven to be all that impressive, as he played in only 15 games and posted sub-par averages of 6.1 points and 1.4 rebounds, the former five-star recruit did show some promise in his minimal showings before going down for the season with a shoulder injury, particularly in his final full game of the year where he dropped 17 points in 25 minutes against the Clippers on March 7.
Because of this, being he believes the fourth-year pro is “literally playing for his future,” Hahn says that this could push the wing to go above and beyond with his efforts on the floor this season, which, in turn, could result in a career year for the former 10th overall pick.