NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 10: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks reacts in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat during game five of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden on May 10, 2023 in New York City. The New York Knicks defeated the Miami Heat 112-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Julius Randle trade and 2 other moves Knicks must make to win title
If you would’ve told New York Knicks fans a year ago that the team would have an actual shot at winning the 2024 NBA Championship, at least part of the fanbase would’ve laughed in your face. It’s safe to say that not even Knicks fans predicted just how good Jalen Brunson would be for the team in his first season. Although he wasn’t named an All-Star, he was more than worthy of the honor.
Moving forward, the front office should prioritize building around Brunson. His excellence in the regular season and playoffs made that evident. New York is in a far better position than many believed the team would be in, meaning that in the coming years, the Knicks could be viewed as contenders.
There are some moves that need to happen before then, though, starting with an obvious trade.
3 moves Knicks need to make to have shot at winning 2024 NBA Championship
3: Trade Julius Randle
Julius Randle’s time in New York has had its fair share of ups and downs. His first season was rocky, his second one was good, his third season was disappointing, and his fourth season that just wrapped up was great.
The playoffs have told a different story, though, with Randle averaging 17.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 15 postseason games. Here’s the kicker — he’s shot 34.4% from the field in the playoffs and 28.3% from three. Those aren’t numbers that a star is supposed to put up in the postseason.
The four-year, $117 million extension that he signed after his first All-Star season in 2020-21 kicked in at the start of 2022-23, meaning that he still has three years left on his contract with 2025-26 being a player option. Randle can provide value to another team, but it seems as if he’s run his course in New York.
The Knicks could decide to keep the forward during the offseason, but especially if the organization is able to bring a star in, Julius Randle needs to be on the move.
!["New](https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1706,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimagn-images%2F2023%2F05%2F20609143-scaled.jpeg")
to be out the door.</a> New York’s shooting woes in the postseason weren’t enough to prompt Tom Thibodeau to put Fournier in, so that should’ve told fans everything that they needed to know.</p>
<p>The front office could look to the 2023 free agency class to help fill their need for shooting with players like Fred VanVleet or Seth Curry. That isn’t to say that the Knicks should sign either one of those players, but that’s just an example of what’s available.</p>
<p>The Knicks can’t afford to have a game in the playoffs where they shoot 10-for-35 (28.6%), which is what the team shot in Game 6 against the Heat. For New York to be able to make it past the Eastern Conference Semifinals next year, adequate three-point shooting is going to need to be a requirement.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> What everyone has been waiting for </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_143632" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2023/05/19965141.jpeg">!["New](https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimagn-images%2F2023%2F05%2F19965141.jpeg")
Karl-Anthony Towns</a> and Trae Young could become available, but the front office should have hesitations about pushing in all of their chips for those two players.</p>
<p>For the first time in a long time, the Knicks should be viewed as a top destination for disgruntled stars. Donovan Mitchell was planning to be traded to New York last year, but obviously that isn’t what ended up happening. After seeing how the Knicks played this season and witnessing Brunson’s ascension to the face of the franchise, there are players out there that should have New York at the top of their team wishlist.</p>
<p>After years of disappointment (except 2020-21), the Knicks are finally on the right path. New York’s push to the semifinals wasn’t a fluke but instead is something that the organization can build off of by being aggressive and making the necessary moves this offseason.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="CLmCuoh1jg"><p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"https://dailyknicks.com/2023/03/20/9-players-new-york-knicks-gave-up-on-way-too-soon/">9 Players the New York Knicks gave up on way too soon</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“9 Players the New York Knicks gave up on way too soon” — Daily Knicks" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/julius-randle-trade-2-moves-knicks-make-win-title/"https://dailyknicks.com/2023/03/20/9-players-new-york-knicks-gave-up-on-way-too-soon/embed/#?secret=ZQaBd6BlNd#?secret=CLmCuoh1jg" data-secret="CLmCuoh1jg" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div><!—pageview_candidate—>">
