NBA stardom is a high bar. Most young players won’t get there. If you make it to the league, you’re a talented basketball player. Still, starring in the league is an entirely different matter.
Some players get close. Moreover, some get so close that their star status is a bit ambiguous. For example, take Julius Randle of the New York Knicks. Is he a star? That depends on who you ask.
In 2023-24, he’s not performing like one. Randle has been one of the most disappointing players in the NBA this season. This has been a theme. Randle seems to alternate between turning in star-caliber seasons – and duds.
If the Knicks are getting tired of that inconsistency, could they send him to the Utah Jazz?
NBA Trade Proposal — Utah Jazz Land Julius Randle
New York Knicks Receive: F/C John Collins, F Simone Fontecchio
Utah Jazz Receive: F Julius Randle
On the other hand, Collins was once seen as a potential star too. Unlike Randle, he never really approached that status. What happened here?
We’d say it was a combination of factors. At one time, Collins was Trae Young’s primary play finisher. We don’t mean to give Young all of the credit.
Collins was a remarkable pick-and-roll finisher who also shot the three ball with great accuracy. Yet, as the Hawks moved away from him and towards Clint Capela, his volume and accuracy took a nose dive.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz Updates
So, Collins is a star-dependent player. That’s fine – but it means that he isn’t a star. Still, his statistical production since joining the Jazz has improved relative to the end of his stint in Atlanta. Should they really consider moving him already?
Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal
Collins’ numbers may be on the rise. Randle’s have taken a dive in 2023-24. He is having an undeniably poor season. That’s exactly why the Jazz would be trading for him here.
After all, the best version of Randle would never be available at this price. If he can return to form, the Jazz will suddenly have two forwards that can create offense from scratch.
Randle and Lauri Markkanen should be able to take them to the playoffs, and maybe even make some noise once they get there. If Randle doesn’t return to form?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz Updates
Collins is a modest price to pay. Their contracts are comparable, so acquiring Randle won’t set Utah back financially. This is a medium-risk move at best, with potentially huge rewards.
Should the Knicks really move on from Randle?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
The Knicks must be tired of waiting for Randle to get back to himself. It’s something they’ve had to do every other season for years now. If they feel like it’s time to move on, they could move Randle.
They shouldn’t expect a king’s ransom. The rest of the NBA knows exactly how inconsistent Randle is. Nobody is going to send them a superstar’s return for him. Luckily for the Knicks, they’ve had another star emerge in the midst of Randle’s troubles. It feels like this is officially Jalen Brunson’s team.
So, why not pair him with a more complimentary player? Collins can bring the best out of Brunson in pick-and-roll actions.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Utah Jazz Updates
Meanwhile, if the Knicks want to get in on a bigger star down the line, they could pair his contract with some draft capital to make that happen. In that event, we’d be talking about a star player – full stop.
