If there were not Julius RandleTHE The New York Knicks they wouldn’t be where they are now. Randle became the first All-NBA player for the Knicks since Carmelo Anthony, guiding the team to the playoffs before Jalen Brunson arrived in 2022. Randle’s performance revitalized the franchisemaking him the focal point of the team’s renaissance. However, the landscape within the Knicks has changed significantly. According to NBA insider Zach Lowe, since Brunson became the main star, with the addition of Mikal Bridges and the re-signing of OG Anunoby, Randle has become a bit of an afterthought.
“That’s kind of one of the big questions in the league right now,” Lowe told Bobby Marks on the latest episode of The Lowe Post. “Julius Randle is eligible for an extension. There hasn’t been an extension. I don’t know about you, but I don’t expect an extension just because the Knicks have to be very careful with their finances and they have to figure out how to use that salary window that Jalen Brunson has given us.”
“Jalen Brunson offered us the opportunity to parlay Julius Randall’s salary into something, maybe. The solution might be to let him go in free agency and reconfigure the team in some other way, but I don’t think an extension is on the table.”
What could be next for Julius Randle and the Knicks?
ESPN management insider Bobby Marks also weighed in, agreeing with Lowe that a Randle contract extension seems unlikely.
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“He’s been eligible since August at a 4-181 salary,” Marks said. “He would be over the $40 million mark, which is rare in New York. … The market plays a huge role in what determines a player’s salary. This is a player who has had surgeries over the last two years, the most recent being a serious shoulder injury that cost him the year since January.
Who will New York be competing against next season? Are the Brooklyn Nets willing to spend $40 million on Julius Randle? Are the Washington Wizards and other teams willing to do that? It’s just not possible. Either it’s going to be New York for an extension, a new contract, or it’s what Josh Hart did, getting a deal done before October 31st and extending from there.
With Randle missing the end of last season due to injury, it’s understandable that his future with the team is uncertain. He’ll be something to keep an eye on as the Knicks kick off their highly anticipated 2024-25 campaign.
