The New York Knicks pulled off a surprisingly successful 2020-21 NBA campaign. Many expected them to be one of the lesser teams in the Eastern Conference, but instead, the team managed to post a 41-31 record—earning the fourth seed.
After the Atlanta Hawks ended up taking down the Knicks in the opening round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. the focus quickly shifted on how the Knicks could manage to take yet another step forward as a team. Before that, Julius Randle had earned himself a four-year, $117 million contract extension.
The Knicks won a lot of games last season by playing high-level defense but their execution on offense lagged behind. New York opted to sign Evan Fournier and acquired Kemba Walker after he was traded to and bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fast forward to now and the Knicks have simply struggled to get the job done. They rank 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 24-28 record and some have begun questioning if Randle is the right fit with the team going forward.
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The Washington Wizards are another team that faces tough circumstances ahead of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline. Bradley Beal is questioning his future with the organization (again) ahead of his potential free agency unless the team can trade for a ‘difference-maker’ to pair with him.
Could there be a logical pathway for a deal featuring Julius Randle involving both the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards ahead of the NBA trade deadline? If so, here’s what one could look like.
