Toronto Raptors Receive: F Julius Randle, C Nerlens Noel, 2023 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: F Pascal Siakam
Sometimes, life changes quickly in the NBA. After the year he had in 2020-21, nobody would have expected the Knicks to attach sweeteners to Julius Randle’s contract just to usher him out of town.
After all, he was named the league’s Most Improved Player and found his way to the All-NBA Third Team. Suddenly, Randle was shooting the ball like J.J. Reddick with a 6’8, 250-pound frame.
The Knicks surely thought they had their franchise player. Onlookers thought the same. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off in 2021-22. Randle’s three-point accuracy regressed mightily, and the rest of his game followed suit.
Now, it’s fair to wonder whether that 2020-21 season was fool’s gold. Sometimes, the league’s Most Improved Player is little more than someone having a career year.
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It’s difficult to know whether Randle can ever reclaim the glory of that year.
With such uncertainty surrounding his future production, could the Raptors really make this deal?
