The New York Knicks are among a few teams that are looking to cement their status not only as playoff contenders in the NBA but championship-caliber teams as well. They have done a great job of turning things around in recent seasons under head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was tasked with leading a franchise many people had referred to as a laughing stock for about two decades.
Once a premier, model franchise, the Knicks had lost their way. There wasn’t much they had gotten right, whether it was free agent signings, trades or head coach hires other than a few glimpses of success with Carmelo Anthony on the team.
But, signs of change of been present in recent seasons and New York once again looks to be home to some excellent basketball. One of the players who can be attributed with turning things around is Julius Randle.
Signed as a free agent in 2019, Randle was determined to show that he was worth the contract that the Knicks had signed him to. It was a three-year, $62.1 million deal and would be the first time Randle was tasked with being the vocal point of a team as a go-to player.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks Updates
The results, for the most part, were underwhelming. Randle didn’t perform at the level which he thought capable and the team struggled. The Knicks went 21-45 that season under David Fizdale and were one of the teams not invited to the Orlando Bubble to finish out the season.
It was a wake-up call for the franchise and Randle, who came back with a vengeance in Year 2. He turned in an incredible season, averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game. Randle earned his first All-Star nomination and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team.
The Knicks finished as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference that season, earning homecourt advantage in the playoffs. Unfortunately, a first-round exit occurred at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks.
In the following season, the same success was unable to be obtained as New York missed the playoffs. But, they were right back in the mix during the 2022-23 season as Randle, along with free agent signing Jalen Brunson, carried the team into the postseason.
An ankle injury near the end of the regular season, which was reaggravated in the playoffs, derailed Randle’s performance. But, his regular season production was enough to earn his second All-Star and All-NBA Second Team nominations.
This season, the alternate season curse looked like it was going to strike again. Randle got off to an abysmal start, in part because of the ankle procedure he underwent in the offseason. That led to him having to rehab all offseason and not being able to get into proper basketball shape as he had in years past.
Record-setting shooting numbers, but not positive ones, were set by Randle. But, as he moved further and further away from the surgery, his numbers spiked. While his 3-point shot has not been there, Randle has cut back drastically on jumpers, relying more on his bully ball tactics inside the arc to get his season back on track.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks Updates
His numbers are back in line with what he has produced during his high points with the Knicks and he is making a case to earn a third All-Star nomination. That slow start, Brunson and his desire to win were among the things Randle talked about during a sitdown with NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
“New York has definitely been the most challenging…I want to win so bad. There’s nothing more that I want to do other than win a championship here in the city,” Randle said during the sitdown.
There is no place like New York to have success in the world of sports. The city has been starved for success when it comes to their NBA team and Randle is a driving force in helping turn things around.
While there have certainly been some peaks and valleys to the relationship between Randle and the fans, there is one thing everyone can appreciate. Much like when Anthony joined the team, Randle isn’t afraid of the spotlight. He wants all of the pressure that comes with playing for the Knicks as he knows how sweet the reward can be.
The Knicks, in many ways, failed Anthony during his tenure with the team. They are looking to not repeat those problems and build a sustained winner with Randle as part of the core moving forward.
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