Julius Randle appears to be on-board with a potential schematic change for the New York Knicks this season.
With a lack of depth at center, it's been speculated that the Knicks may go to "small ball" lineups with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby as the team's "big men."
Not only would this allow the Knicks to play more of their talented guards and wings at the same time, it would also be a difficult offensive attack for opponents to stop.
Of course, Randle has hardly played center, and it hasn't been a look Tom Thibodeau has often tried, so it's unclear how often the Knicks will go to it this season.
In a mailbag column, SNY's Ian Begley reports that Randle is motivated to win in New York and "willing" to accept any role asked of him.
Begley writes:
"[Randle] will accept any role that’s asked of him on this Knicks team if it leads to winning. As SNY noted earlier in the offseason, Randle has been excited about this team and believes the group can make a run. He’s looking forward to being back, healthy, with this team, and thinks things can be special with Bridges. He wants to win and win in New York. "
While the offseason is often when players make their boldest proclamations about the season to come, if Randle is truly willing to embrace any role, it would be a huge development for the Knicks.
The small-ball look could be the Knicks' go-to lineup in close games. A lineup of, say, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Mikal Bridges, Anunoby, and Randle would not only feature shooting and playmaking at every position, it would be switchable on defense, with three disruptive perimeter defenders.
Beyond specific lineups, however, the Knicks also need Randle to adapt to a specific style to reach their ceiling. Randle showed signs of it last year by moving more off the ball, making quicker decisions with the ball, and making a more consistent effort on defense. Randle was in the midst of playing some of the best basketball of his career when he dislocated his shoulder on January 27 and missed the rest of the season.
The Athletic's Fred Katz has reported that people around the team thought that stretch was the most joyous and focused stretch of Randle's time in New York.
With a deep, talented team, nearly every member of the Knicks will have to make sacrifices when it comes to minutes, roles, and shots. As of now, Randle appears to have the right mindset for it.
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