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Knicks unwilling to add 1st round picks to sweeten Julius Randle trade market

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) warms up before a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks unwilling to add 1st round picks to enhance Julius Randle trade market

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Jason Burgos | Last updated 8/25/22

The trade market for New York Knicks star Julius Randle has been non-existent thus far and the team is reportedly not interested in adding one of their many upcoming first-round draft picks to sweeten the offer for interested teams.

During the 2022 NBA offseason, there have been two very specific narratives in Knicks-land all summer long. The first is the organization’s hot pursuit of Dallas Mavericks’ restricted free agent Jalen Brunson. They got their man. The other major story has been if the team will finally secure a deal for the long-coveted Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell. However, hovering in the background since the season ended was the question of it Randle would still be on the roster next season.

After an MVP candidate showing in 2021-2022, where he helped the team earn the fourth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, the 27-year-old regressed in a major way last season. Maybe it was the return of a hostile New York crowd every night, a new level of pressure, or notable changes in the roster, but Randle had a disappointing run last year.

The market for New York Knicks star Julius Randle has been non-existent

That diminished performance is part of why there hasn’t been much in terms of serious rumors around a Julius Randle trade. In a new column on Thursday, The Athletic’s Knicks insider Fred Katz explained why the former Kentucky star is not drawing much interest around the league despite being a 20 points per game scorer for three of the last four years.

“Last season’s offense was concerning for a ball-dominant forward on a nine-figure contract. His head wasn’t in the right space. His defense dipped. Basketball-Reference deemed 112 players qualified for their efficiency leaders in 2021-22. Randle finished dead last in effective field-goal percentage. Teams saw how the Knicks stalled when he had the ball. They saw how the Knicks were almost 10 points per 100 possessions worse when he was on the floor.”

Combined with the four years left on his contract, Randle is nearly untradable for New York at this point. That is unless the organization added one of their eight upcoming first-round picks to sweeten the pot. However, Katz reports the organization has been unwilling to do that thus far.

“The four remaining seasons on Randle’s deal have made teams, even ones who believe last season wasn’t representative of who he is, hesitant about acquiring him. The Knicks, meanwhile, haven’t been willing to attach a first-rounder or two to send him elsewhere.”