Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Julius Randle

New York Knicks Receive: G Eric Bledsoe, F Nassir Little, 2022 First-Round Pick (POR)

Consider this the nuclear option.

It seemed as if Julius Randle and the New York Knicks had trouble staying on the same page in 2021-22. Randle frequently seemed to clash with the coaching staff. This deal sees the Knicks moving on from their best player to embrace a complete teardown.

The Blazers’ pick will convey in the lottery. That’s because they spent most of the season with Damian Lillard. In response to his absence, they jettisoned several contributing veterans in exchange for draft picks and young players at the deadline.

They’re hoping to convert those assets back into a new impact veteran this offseason. Julius Randle would be the most dynamic forward Lillard has ever played with.

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Randle may have been overburdened as the Knicks’ first option in 2021-22, but second fiddle seems like an instrument he’d be likely to master.

Meanwhile, the Knicks acquire a soon-to-convey lottery pick and an interesting young player in Little for his services. That feels like good market value for a second option in the NBA.