Former Knicks GM says trading Julius Randle would be a mistake

Scott Davis

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Former Knicks GM says trading Julius Randle would be a mistake image

With the New York Knicks trading for Mikal Bridges and re-signing OG Anunoby, it's fair to wonder how Julius Randle fits in.

Randle is something of an out-of-vogue NBA player. Though he's a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member, he is a bruising power forward who likes the ball in his hands, is a so-so shooter, inconsistent defender, and can't shift up to play center (or doesn't, anyway).

That's a harsh evaluation of Randle —who is also an excellent one-on-one scorer and great passer — but the Knicks are a team that is trending toward 3-and-D wings who defend, shoot threes, slash, and make quick decisions with the ball around Jalen Brunson. Randle doesn't quite fit the vision.

However, former Knicks GM Scott Perry, who signed Randle to his first contract with the Knicks in 2019, said on the "Hoop Genius" podcast that it would be a mistake to trade the skilled forward.

"People seem to forget who Julius Randle is. Julius Randle is the only three-time All-Star on his team. He's the only two-time All-NBA player. You cannot be rushing to get him out of the building.

"And I love OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, but they are not guys that you are running offense through. They play off of the other good players, the top players. They're in their best position playing off of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Because those are your two guys who can really go get buckets against a set defense ... Julius Randle, you hold onto him unless you can replace him with another All-NBA player or All-Star performer. Because without him, I don't know — the Knicks would still be formidable, but they would miss a guy who can create offense against a set defense and when things broke down and everything wouldn't just have to be on Jalen Brunson's shoulders."

Perry brings up a point that became clear during the Knicks' playoff run: without a second creator, there was far too much pressure on Brunson. Brunson still managed to deliver frequently, even while facing immense defensive pressure — and players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo stepped up their offensive output — but that weight eventually wore on Brunson.

Randle, for all of his imperfections, give the Knicks a different dynamic on offense, with his inside-outside game. The Knicks can throw him the ball in the mid-post where he can bully his way to the basket, hit tough one-on-one shots, or kick the ball out to shooters by drawing in a defender. Randle is arguably the best Knick at creating three-point shots for others.

If Randle can evolve and play without the ball more, hit more spot-up threes, and defend consistently, he could elevate the Knicks' ceiling.

It would behoove the Knicks to keep Randle into the season to see how he fits alongside this reformed team. But if the Knicks offense struggles more than expected, it wouldn't be surprising to see Randle's name start popping up in trade rumors.

Watch Perry's comments below:

Scott Davis

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Scott Davis covers the Knicks and Ravens on The Sporting News. He previously spent much of the last decade as a sports reporter for Business Insider, covering all sports, with a specific focus on the NBA and NFL. Follow him on Twitter/X @WScottDavis