Despite being without Julius Randle for the most significant parts of this past season, the New York Knicks had an incredible season. Unfortunately, while many have hailed this as a great achievement, there are now others who believe Jalen Brunson and Co. would be better off without Randle. Having caught wind of this, Kevin Garnett almost seemed disgusted by this possibility.
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Boston Celtics legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussed the future of the Knicks going forward on the latest episode of KG Certified. During this time, Pierce admitted he stood among those who weren’t convinced of Randle. Trying to get his co-host on his side, Garnett said,
“Pick and roll Brunson, Randle at the top, who you taking? Are you trapping Brunson and giving Randle the three? Or the long 18-footer with a 3-D Vinci in the corner?”
Kevin Garnett went on to talk about the pieces that surround Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson on the Knicks squad. Brunson may have displayed immense improvements in Randle’s absence, but KG still felt that the 29-year-old was still a perfect fit for the team.
There is quite a bit of truth to Garnett’s words here. After all, Julius Randle’s ability on the offensive end of the floor perfectly complements Brunson’s. And with the star having some great defense to go along with it, it’s hard to see why New York would want to get rid of the star right now.
That said, when has logic been enough to stop NBA trade rumors?
Are the Knicks looking to trade Julius Randle?
Fans and analysts around the country had given up on the New York Knicks when Julius Randle got sidelined with a season-ending injury. The two-time All-Star was the team’s leader in scoring and rebounding, leading many to believe that the team now had nobody to take up that mantle.
Instead, the team banded together beautifully, doing a great job of making up for his absence. At this time, Jalen Brunson in particular just couldn’t stop impressing, leading many to believe that he is now the lead star of this franchise.
Now according to Shams Charania, there have been rumors that the New York Knicks may be interested in trading Julius Randle, given the amount of draft picks they have going forward.
“The Knicks are going to continue to be aggressive. They have 8 first-round draft picks they can trade. They’re looking for that next player if he is available…Julius Randle is extension eligible for a 4yr/181.5m contract. Teams are monitoring that situation.”
While the report by Shams mentions the Knicks are interested in trading Randle, those within the Knicks camp adore Randle, at least according to BleacherReport, making it unlikely that they will be looking to ship him off.
Simply put, anything could happen during the upcoming offseason.
