3 Possible Trade Destinations for Julius Randle After James Dolan Breaks the Bank for OG Anunoby & Mikal Bridges

New York Knicks star OG Anunoby is here to stay! According to renowned NBA reporter Adrain Wojnarowski, the small forward is set to sign a five-year, $212.5 million extension with the franchise. This update comes just a few hours after the Knicks made another long-term decision by acquiring Brooklyn Nets shooting guard/small forward Mikail Bridges, even though the player was not amongst the individuals to have made a trade request in recent days. By taking up Bridges remaining $48.2 million to be paid over the course of two years, the franchise has exhausted a major part of its financial resources, leaving little to no space for star player Julius Randle.

Bridges joining the Knicks reunited with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. These are the same players who, at one point in time, represented Villanova Wildcats Men’s Basketball team together, and won the college championship in 2016 as well as 2018. Because of this association, once again making a comeback, Julius Randle becomes the odd one out. The combined pay of Anunoby, Bridges, Brunson, Randle, Robinson, DiVincenzo, and Deuce McBride will cost them a whopping $124 million this year itself.

According to CBS Sports reporter Sam Quinn, while there is nothing yet to indicate that the Knicks would trade the player, they may be enticed to get rid of his $28.9 million salary in order to free up the cap space and receive a low-usage and cheaper athlete in exchange. Furthermore, Randle’s performance also makes him a target for a possible trade.

“Randle’s value is tied closely to his usage,” reported Quinn. “He needs the ball. Are there going to be enough shots for him on a team with Brunson, Bridges, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Hart, and McBride? That’s debatable.”

Fortunately, if the player’s future with the Knicks remains uncertain, there are other places where he can take his talents.

Where can Julius Randle head next?

Amongst the major franchises that Julius Randle can take his talents to next season are the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Los Angeles Clippers

A possible Paul George exit can open the way for the 3x NBA All-Star to take his talents to another Eastern Conference franchise. The possibility for George’s exit seems imminent since ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst reportedly revealed that his current franchise is not willing to offer him a max contract, but instead “three years at a little bit less than the max”. Randle would be an appropriate replacement, given that not only he is a younger player but someone with more efficient stats.

This is a developing story.