5 players that should be part of New York Knicks long-term core
2. Julius Randle
Due to the Kristaps Porzingis trade clearing enough cap space to sign two max free agents, New York Knicks fans believed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were coming to town.
Instead, that money was used to sign seven players. Julius Randle was the top dog, inking a three-year, $63 million deal with a team option on the last year.
Expectations are set high for Randle, especially after Durant and Irving passed up on the Knicks’ offers.
Through 15 games, Randle has started every one but hasn’t consistently impressed. The 6-foot-8 forward finished last season averaging 21.4 points in 30.6 minutes per game off the bench. In 33.3 minutes per game this season, Randle is averaging 16.5 points per game, which is far closer to his 2017-18 scoring average (16.1).
For the Knicks to find success and prove the signing wasn’t a waste, Randle will have to stand out as the star of the team every night.
Most recently, the forward scored 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. That marked his first 30-point game of the season and his fifth 20-point game of the season.
Along with his points, Randle is averaging 9.2 rebounds per game and a career-high 3.8 assists per game. His 3.8 APG is not as appealing as it looks, though. Randle is often handling the ball in isolation, collecting a career-high 3.5 turnovers per game.
In the past, Randle has played with a confident ball handler such as Jrue Holiday and a young D’Angelo Russell. Now, with a less confident Frank Ntilikina as the starting point guard and an overall young backcourt, Randle is taking on more ball-handling responsibilities, including more isolation opportunities.
According to NBA.com, Randle isolated 12.2 percent of his possessions for 0.95 points per possession last year. This season, he’s up to 15.8 percent — good for 14th in the league — and 0.62 PPP.
Despite the lack of production this season, the Knicks have to hold on to Randle. Right now, his role as a ball handler doesn’t optimize his skill set. Rather, it forces him to stray away from his strengths. As the young New York backcourt gains more confidence, Randle will go back to his strengths in the post, giving him the opportunity to be a 20 points per game scorer for the Knicks.