According to Bleacher Report, Julius Randle is ranked eighth among the top 30 free agents for next summer. The only players ahead of Randle were Brandon Ingram, Jamal Murray, Evan Mobley, Jimmy Butler, Lauri Markkanen, Jalen Brunson, and LeBron James.
Randle averaged 24 points per game in 46 appearances for the Knicks this season, a modest decrease from the previous season. He struggled at first but improved as the season progressed. However, it raised doubts about whether the Knicks would be better without him, especially given how brilliantly New York did in the playoffs while he was on the bench.
Randle would have been a stronger asset to the Knicks, especially in light of the fact that they were eliminated in the second round for the second straight season. But they appeared much more unified, and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals wouldn’t have been out of the question if injuries hadn’t beset the rest of the team.
Bleacher Report contributor Grant Hughes writes, “Though he makes for a tricky fit in many landing spots because he’s prone to bouts of tunnel vision, needs the ball to be most effective and has never rated as a high-end defender, Randle provides high-volume shot creation from the power forward spot. He’s averaged at least 20.0 points and 4.0 assists in each of the last four seasons.” He further added, “A rediscovery of the stroke that helped him drill a career-high 41.1 percent of his treys in 2020-21 (career 33.3 percent) could juice Randle’s market value to superstar levels.”
Randle’s time in New York is running out, and with the trade acquisition of Mikal Bridges, it is less likely that he will stick around with the team in order to retain flexibility in the years to come.
