The New York Knicks Willing to Trade Major Superstar

Just weeks after trading for Raptors star OG Anunoby, it seems the New York Knicks are not finished. Recent reports reveal that they are willing to entertain further trades, including any offers for one of their major superstars.

Knicks Star on the Trading Block

The Knicks star in question is Julius Randle, which comes as a massive surprise due to his perceived position as the franchise player over the last several years. In fact, Randle has been the driving force behind the recent reemergence of the Knicks in playoff basketball.

The Knicks are reportedly open to trading Julius Randle, per @ScoopB pic.twitter.com/DzROboJtGZ— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 12, 2024

Much of the Knicks' basketball identity is based on toughness, with gritty and hardworking performances taking them as far as the 2nd round of the playoffs last season. This has been a main trait for Julius ever since his mentorship from Kobe Bryant when he was drafted by the Lakers. This was only emphasized when Randle became one of the oldest players to win the Most Improved Player award in 2021.

Now in his fifth season representing New York, he is once again having an impressive season, averaging 24.4 points and 9.2 rebounds. His contributions have been a key factor in helping the Knicks earn a 22-16 season record thus far. With them looking likely to reach the playoffs once again, it is a major shock to see that the Knicks are so willing to offload the 2-time All-Star.



Possible Trade Scenarios

Just because the Knicks are willing doesn't necessarily mean that they are actively looking for a Randle trade. If the last few seasons have been any indication, the Knicks are currently being patient and making sensible moves instead of aggressively targeting superstars like many other teams have been trying. This has been seen in how they passed on the chance to acquire Donovan Mitchell from Utah and how they waited to bring in Jalen Brunson via free agency instead.

The signing of Brunson also halts a lot of current trade options, as right now the main available targets are mostly in the guard positions. With a ball-heavy smaller player like Brunson in the front court, there are limited options on who would make a good fit, and the Knicks certainly won't trade away Randle for a deal with little upside.

Now, with Anunoby and Randle himself filling the wing positions, it seems unlikely that they would trade for another forward either, which makes the only true option for New York trading for a big man. While they were linked with Karl Anthony-Towns at the start of the season, the blistering start by Minnesota all but rules that out, and With Philadelphia far exceeding their expectations without Harden, it seems that Joel Embiid will not be available either. All of that hints to me that Randle will remain a Knick for the foreseeable future, but it is interesting that he is available, and with the deadline looming, many new and exciting trade opportunities may become available that could lead to proving me wrong.

Credits
The Coldwire