NBA: Ranking 30 best power forwards for 2019-20

Julius Randle signed with the New York Knicks this summer after putting together a career year on a one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018-19.

Randle made that make-good deal with the Pelicans a good one, opting out of the final season and getting three years and $56.7 million from New York early in the free agency negotiating window.

As a part-time starter, Randle put up 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 30.6 minutes per game, shooting 52.4 percent overall and shooting 34.4 percent on 2.7 3-point tries a night.

The 3-point shooting was a new wrinkle for the five-year veteran. who had attempted 144 long bombs in his first four seasons before taking 195 in 2018-19. It wasn’t a terrible percentage for a player really stretching his range for the first time.

Randle remained effective in close, hitting 68.9 percent of his attempts in the restricted area and improving to a career-high 42.6 percent from three to 10 feet.

Those two areas accounted for 72 percent of his shots, with 18 percent from behind the arc and the rest from the mid-range area, where he was … not spectacular. Randle made 41.2 percent from 10 to 16 feet and just 33.3 percent from deep mid-range.

The Pelicans were better with Randle than without him by 2.5 points per 100 possessions in a lost season marked by the trade request and accompanying media circus surrounding Anthony Davis.

He’s not a terrific rim protector, but on a team with Mitchell Robinson, he won’t need to be. Instead, Randle can operate on the baseline and do his thing on the glass.