3x NBA All-Star May Be On the Move This Summer, Per Insider

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle may have already played his last game for the team. In a recent episode of Run It Back, Charania said “teams are monitoring” Randle and his contract situation. The 29-year-old has a player option for 2025 with no contract extension imminent.

“Julius Randle, he’s got a player option in 2025…Teams are monitoring this situation for sure, because how [the Knicks] handle that extension situation, if that is a conversation, what transpires, I think that will be interesting.”

Charania’s report comes a day after the Knicks’ season ended in the second round of the playoffs. Despite leading their series against the Pacers 2-0, the Knicks lost in Game 7, failing to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals despite being the No. 2 seed in the East. Randle, however, missed the team’s entire postseason run. Due to a shoulder injury, Randle has not appeared in a game since January 27. On the season, Randle played in just 46 games, his fewest since playing just one game in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. In those games, he averaged 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5 assists per game en route to his third All-Star selection.

3x NBA All-Star May Be On the Move This Summer, Per Insider

The New York Knicks Have Other Priorities Besides Julius Randle

In addition to the Knicks possibly making a decision on Randle’s future with the team, they have other priorities as well. The biggest one could be the future of head coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau has coached the Knicks since 2020 and has a 175-143 record with the team. In his first season with the team, Thibodeau was voted the NBA Coach of the Year. Though nothing is official yet, Stefan Bondy of the New York Times suggested both sides have “expressed confidence” in an extension for the coach.

A source expressed confidence that the Knicks and Thibodeau will come to an agreement but certainly nothing is for certain until pen is to paper.

Furthermore, wing Josh Hart praised Thibodeau after their season ended.

“Obviously I’m not too up to speed on what it was before [Thibodeau] was here, but he’s been Coach of the Year [in 2021], got this team to the playoffs, got this team to the second round, and, barring injuries, could have gone further,” Hart said. “So I think you’re seeing the foundation that he’s built, but we know getting to be a championship team is not flipping a switch and one season you just get there.

Additionally, the Knicks have multiple players set to be free agents this summer. This includes Isaiah Hartenstein (unrestricted) and OG Anunoby (player option). Both of these players had tremendous seasons with the Knicks. Hanging on to both for the near future makes sense for New York.

The Last Word on Julius Randle

When healthy, Randle is a top-tier power forward in the NBA. Additionally, he will be only 30 in November. It will be interesting to see if he remains with the Knicks in the long run.