New York Knicks: 3 reasons to sign Julius Randle

The New York Knicks are likely to miss out on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but 2019 NBA free agency could still be successful. Pairing R.J. Barrett with Julius Randle may result in a bright future for the Knicks.

It’s been six seasons since the New York Knicks have made the playoffs, and for five of the last six years, they’ve been near the bottom of the league’s standings.

That was set to change in the upcoming 2019-20 season. The Knicks were the favorites to land Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick, while also adding Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to create the next super-team. It was also rumored that Anthony Davis could be traded to the Knicks to pair with Durant and Irving.

Fast forward to today and the Knicks did not land Williamson or Davis, nor are they favorites to land Durant or Irving when free agency begins on June 30.

The Knicks have been shifting focus away from the superstars and onto cheaper free agents. One in particular is 24-year-old power forward Julius Randle, with whom the Knicks share a mutual interest, according to The Undefeated. Randle finished his fifth season in the NBA, though his rookie year was cut short after a season-ending leg injury in the first game.

Here are three reasons why the Knicks should sign Randle in 2019 NBA free agency.

3. Less pressure for R.J. Barrett

The Knicks were one of many teams negatively affected by the new draft lottery system. They finished with the league’s worst record and were tied for the best odds of landing Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick, but they fell to No. 3 overall pick, where they selected R.J. Barrett.

Barrett was the top-ranked recruit in the 2018 high school class, according to ESPN, but lived in Williamson’s shadow for the majority of his freshman season at Duke. Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on .454/.308/.665 shooting splits while setting the ACC freshman scoring record with 860 points.

Barrett is the Knicks’ first top-three selection since Patrick Ewing in 1985. Rightfully so, the Knicks see Barrett as the face of the franchise. That said, he will have a ton of weight on his shoulders entering his first season, so adding strong young talent around him would help ease him into the league.

The team’s young core currently consists of Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson, Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilkina, Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson. Come July 30, insert Randle. The Knicks would finally have an established young player that can take some pressure off Barrett’s shoulders.

Randle turns 25 in November and has had four productive NBA seasons thus far. He has career averages of 15.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game on 50.2 percent shooting. His combination of youth and experience would not only help Barrett begin his career, but also lift the Knicks out of the gutters of the NBA.

2. He gives the Knicks more flexibility than a max-level player

Since trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks have been in discussion to land two max free agents — in particular, Durant and Irving. Now that the Knicks are likely to strike out on these two superstars, the organization will be left with $59 million in “practical” cap space, according to Sportrac.

Randle, being a step down from Durant and Irving, may not demand a max contract, thus giving the Knicks more flexibility with other free agents. The remaining money would either be used to sign other young players long-term or sign players for one year in hopes of signing Anthony Davis next summer.

Randle has declined his $9 million player option with the New Orleans Pelicans and will be seeking a larger payday. The Knicks won’t be able to sign him for under $10 million like the Pelicans did, but he will be less expensive than a superstar. A four-year, $80-90 million contract would be beneficial for both parties.

1. A budding star

What the Knicks have lacked in recent years is a clear star, and the organization believes Barrett will be that guy. However, Randle is on the verge of breaking out and very well could become the future of the franchise if he signed on.

Last season with the Pelicans, Randle averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 30.6 minutes per game. He also shot a solid 52.4 percent from the field and improved his 3-point percentage from 22.2 percent in 2017-18 to 34.4 percent last season.

Randle has seen his game develop every season since entering the NBA, but he has yet to see consistent time as a starter. He was a full-time starter in 2016-17 with the Los Angeles Lakers, but saw a lot of time as the sixth man in New Orleans.

The Knicks do not have a surefire power forward, so Randle would step in and immediately become the starting 4 for the Knicks. With an increase in minutes and another year of NBA service under his belt, Julius Randle could be on the brink of stardom, while being paid a relatively cheap salary compared to what top-tier free agents are making.