Trade Julius Randle: Jeff Teague Dubs Knicks All-Star ‘Ball Stopper’ Amid Heated Debate

Julius Randle’s future as a Knick is uncertain. He has two years left on his current deal, but the second year is a player option, which he’ll likely decline and test free agency. The three-time All-Star can effectively handpick his next destination in a year’s time. Despite that threat looming large, the franchise has shown little urgency to extend his stay and Jeff Teague has implored them to avoid the temptation and trade him.

On the Club 520 podcast, Knicks superfan Joe Budden urged the front office to hand Randle a new max deal he is reportedly seeking. However, Teague disagrees. He argued that the Knicks are a better team without the forward and they should trade him before the season commences to stop him from leaving for nothing next year. He said,

“I just think [the Knicks] can get some value from [Julius Randle] cuz y’all play so much better without him. Y’all play so much freer without him. He’s a ball stopper and y’all don’t want Jalen Brunson to revert back to like chilling and watching somebody play. Y’all need him to kill it.”

The Knicks are seemingly following Teague’s suggestion. They acquired Mikal Bridges from the Nets in a blockbuster trade to reunite him with his former Villanova Wildcats teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. This move has created a logjam at the forward position, which could affect Randle’s playing time.

The franchise allegedly dropped another hint that they were looking to move on from the forward. Earlier this month, the Knicks stocked their new jersey at the team’s store in Madison Square Garden. While the shelves were well-stocked with jerseys of the Vilanova quartet, Randle’s #30 jersey was missing. It infuriated the forward who posted two cryptic stories on Instagram.

The 29-year-old has been eligible for a four-year, $181 million extension since August, however, the Knicks are yet to offer him a new contract. Per NBA insider Zach Lowe, the Knicks are unwilling to offer him a max deal. They reportedly would be glad to retain his services if he follows Brunson’s lead in handing the team a massive discount and signing an extension well below what he’s eligible for.

It’s unclear whether Randle would be willing to leave money on the table like the guard did when he signed a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension earlier this year. For now, all signs point to the forward leaving the team next year or being traded before the deadline.