Anyone who takes a studied look into the New York Knicks’ offseason activities should tell you all you need to know about the squad: they are all in on their championship chase with their current core.
It’s not hard to see why they are zeroed in on winning a championship in the coming season. The team may have paid quite a ransom to get Mikal Bridges from their Brooklyn neighbors, but fans are mightily excited about his acquisition.
Moreover, the team is also actively looking for ways to improve their roster. The fact that they’re being linked to a serviceable big man in Brook Lopez shows how serious the team is with handling their championship window.
However, their quest for a big also brings to mind the team’s plans for Julius Randle. It’s common knowledge for quite some time now that the organization is looking to move on from him, and this greatly impacts his value in trade talks.
As if to confirm what Knicks fans already know about him, the team made a huge update about his status.
New York Knicks confirm Julius Randle is ‘extraordinarily tradeable’, per source
Respected NBA insider Brian Windhorst revealed in a recent The Hoops Collective episode that the team is more than happy to accept offers for the 29-year-old forward.
Per Posting & Toasting’s Antonio Losada:
“(Randle earns) a very attractive $29 million, his player option for next season is $31 million.
“His value, if he is 100% is more than that. There is no reason why if he is playing at the top of his game, why he shouldn’t seriously consider opting out of that.” — ESPN’s Brian Windhorst
However, Windhorst also noted that the team should be careful with crafting a trade package around Randle as he will likely cost more than a pretty penny:
“(Randle) is eligible for a four-year, $181 million extension—not the max, but a significant number. However, the Knicks have to be careful with their salary commitments, because of Anunoby.
“Even though Brunson is a huge discount, that is a big salary on there. And they’re going to have to extend Mikal Bridges as well.” — ESPN’s Brian Windhorst
It’s not hard to see why Randle would be able to demand such huge amounts of money. While he only played 46 regular-season games last year, he averaged 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
If they can find a team desperate enough to trade for a serviceable big man, they can possibly tempt them to make a move for him.
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