The saying is usually “from rags to riches,” but for the Knicks this NBA season, they have gone from “rich to rags” in the sense that they have gone from the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference last year to missing the playoffs this season.
Currently 34-42 on the season, the New York Knicks currently find themselves 4.5 games back of the 10-seeded Atlanta Hawks with just six games left on their schedule.
While it is still possible for them to make the playoffs, the Knicks will more than likely end up missing the play-in tournament altogether, sending their front office back to the drawing board to try and come up with answers on how to be a true threat in the Eastern Conference moving forward.
Tom Thibodeau is expected to remain the Knicks’ head coach and return for his third season in New York next season, but the status of this roster remains in question.
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The Knicks will be looking for ways to better themselves long-term and as a result, they could float around the idea of trading Julius Randle in the offseason.
He was an All-Star just a season ago, but this season, Randle has regressed in terms of his overall progression and as of late, the New York Knicks have been winning games without Julius Randle looking like an All-Star-level talent.
Having Obi Toppin as a young forward in their rotations and with R.J. Barrett cementing himself as the best scoring option on this team, the possibility of New York exploring trade opportunities for Randle in the offseason just one year after signing him to a four-year, $117 million extension is very real.
Who would be interested in Julius Randle is a key question that the Knicks would have to ask themselves, but the Detroit Pistons could be a team to inquire about the All-Star should New York put him on the trade block.
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Detroit is rebuilding right now and with Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart all emerging as high-level, youthful talents, the Pistons could take this opportunity to add an All-Star to their roster in order to escalate their rebuilding process.
Already having Jerami Grant on the trade block entering the offseason, the Pistons are expected to be just as active as the New York Knicks, potentially setting these two teams up to make a massive offseason trade.
Could Julius Randle find himself in a Detroit Pistons’ uniform for the 2022-23 season? Let’s take a look at what this trade could look like.
