What hurts the most about the New York Knicks disappointing finish to the 2022-23 season is that they never got a chance to see the roster play at full strength during the playoffs. Injuries to several players including Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mitchell Robinson eventually became too much for the team to overcome.
The Knicks have big roster decisions to make this offseason
Now, as the offseason commences, the Knicks have important decisions to make about some key players. Anunoby is a free agent, though they are expected to offer him a lucrative long-term contract to bring him back. There’s been speculation that in order to reach an agreement with Anunoby, they will have to trade Randle, who is eligible for a four-year, $182 million extension this summer. If an extension isn’t reached, he will become a free agent after next season.
Could Julius Randle be the Knicks’ odd man out?
Because of the uncertainty surrounding the ability to extend both Randle and Jalen Brunson as well as sign Anunoby, the three-time all-star in Randle has been labeled as the potential odd man out as the Knicks continue to build for the future. The power forward averaged 24 points and 9.2 rebounds last season but missed the final 36 games of the regular season and all of the playoffs after suffering a dislocated shoulder against the Miami Heat in late January.
Despite all of this, the Knicks shouldn’t trade Randle, at least not this summer, and here is why:
