The New York Knicks accomplished one big piece of offseason business last Friday by signing Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $156 million contract extension.
Next up is Julius Randle.
Randle becomes eligible for an extension on August 5. Randle is entering the third year of a $117 million contract, set to earn $28.9 million in 2024-25.
According to Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News, the 29-year-old forward is eligible for a max extension of four years, $181 million.
Extension talks for Randle may be a bit trickier.
Randle has been a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection since joining the Knicks in 2019. However, his play has been up-and-down in New York, and he has struggled in the playoffs. Randle missed all of the Knicks' postseason run this season, as the Brunson-led team came within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals, despite a slew of injuries to rotation players.
Randle would give the Knicks more size and a different element on offense. But as a so-so shooter and iffy defender, Randle could be an awkward fit with this Knicks roster. An extension might not be a no-brainer.
If it matters, Randle reportedly has at least one big fan within the Knicks organization: owner James Dolan.
The Athletic's Fred Katz said on the "Knicks Film School" podcast that Dolan "loves" Randle.
"James Dolan has also been a huge Julius Randle fan for years," Katz said. "Huge Julius Randle fan. He notoriously loves Julius Randle ... He loves Randle. He loves that Randle chose New York, he loves his game, he loves the way he plays."
It's worth noting that many people have reported that Dolan has not been as involved in the Knicks' decision-making in recent years.
Katz said that the Knicks may want to wait to give Randle an extension to see how this team with high expectations looks. It may also allow the Knicks to get a better grip on their financial situation, as they near the dreaded second apron, which greatly restricts how teams can build their rosters.
Katz noted that there are no known issues between management and Randle and that Randle is "well respected."
Randle would be well within his right to want a max extension, given all of his individual accolades in New York. Randle also surely heard the talk that the Knicks could have challenged the Celtics if they had been healthy — Randle's absence left a huge hole in the Knicks offense.
However, Brunson may have set a precedent on this Knicks team. He is an All-NBA guard and MVP candidate who left tons of money on the table to help the team build. Not every player has to follow suit, and perhaps Brunson's sacrifice was intended to allow Randle to get paid. But the Knicks may feel uneasy about paying a max extension to a player like Randle, who is a trickier roster fit than Brunson.
Whether Randle gets an extension — and if so, how much — could say a lot about the Knicks and their future direction.
