Some NBA players are frustrating. We’re not saying that they aren’t talented. They are – that’s part of what makes them frustrating. We’re talking about inconsistent players.
Some days they look like stars, and other days, they look like bench warmers. Take Julius Randle of the New York Knicks. Inconsistency is the only consistent for him.
Last year, Randle looked like an All-NBA player. This year, he’s struggling. This isn’t new for the Knicks. They saw the same pattern unfold over the two seasons prior to the last two.
Surely, they Knicks are growing tired of it. Randle must be a trade candidate for this group. Could the Knicks send him to the Golden State Warriors?
NBA Trade Proposal: Golden State Warriors Land New York Knicks’ Julius Randle
New York Knicks Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, F/C Dario Saric, 2030 First-Round Pick (Swap – GSW)
Golden State Warriors Receive: F Julius Randle, G/F Evan Fournier
With that said, we should give credit to the league’s more reliable players. They come to work every night and deliver. For a long time, Thompson was one of those players.
The Warriors knew he’d defend, and there was an exceedingly high chance that he’d shoot well, too. Those days may be gone. Thompson suffered a serious injury, and he hasn’t looked the same since.
His defense is less impactful, and he’s devolved into a roughly average shooter. Thompson does not look like the player that he used to look like.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors Updates
This is a problem for the Warriors. Thompson is in a contract year. Giving him a contract that’s comparable to his current one could be a disaster, but letting him walk would be problematic as well.
Should they flip him for Randle?
Why The Golden State Warriors Do The Deal
Some Warriors fans will bristle here. We get it. Randle is prone to long bouts of inefficiency. He’s not necessarily a “Warriors guy.” Yet, we think this deal could benefit them anyway.
If nothing else, it raises their ceiling. It’s easy to forget, but Randle has delivered All-NBA performances – in recent memory. If he can return to form in Golden State, it will make them serious title contenders.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors Updates
If he can’t? This isn’t the end of the world. Randle’s deal will be moveable within the next season or two. The Warriors avoid the Thompson dilemma, and Fournier is on an expiring deal as well.
Should the Knicks include him in this package?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
Randle’s inconsistency is troubling. If the Knicks had traded him last year, they would have received a fortune. With that said, trading him would have been difficult – Randle was integral to their success.
Yet, here we are again. The Knicks are middling, and Randle is floundering. At this point, it may be best to just cut ties with Randle. His value may be down, but this is still a solid return for New York.
If nothing else, that pick swap is highly valuable. The Knicks will likely look to trade for a star in the coming years – by 2030, they could comfortably exceed the aging Warriors.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors Updates
Add on Thompson’s expiring deal, and the Knicks shed a lot of cap space by making this move. They also get rid of a frustrating – and talented – player in the process.
