Knicks Rumors: Julius Randle Had Made ‘No Progress’ on Contract Talks Before Trade

Julius Randle’s future in New York was reportedly uncertain before Friday’s blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Randle was dealt alongside Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick to the Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. The move ends his five-year run with the franchise and he now enters a contract year on a new team.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported that Randle and the Knicks had made “no progress” on a potential contract extension and that Randle wasn’t exactly sure where he fit into the team’s new core.

“Meanwhile, there had been no progress on contract extension talks over the summer with Randle, who was likely headed toward free agency in 2025,” Windhorst wrote. “Randle, an All-Star each of the past two seasons, had seen the franchise totally change around him over the past nine months, and he wasn’t sure where exactly he’d fit with a team built around Jalen Brunson and former Villanova teammates. Randle knew he would likely be playing a ton of rugged minutes out of position at center in what was shaping up to be a contract year.”

Randle averaged 24 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 46 games for New York in 2023-24. He earned his second consecutive All-Star selection and was a major impact player for the team.

However, the acquisition of Mikal Bridges, re-signing of OG Anunoby and the extension of Jalen Brunson showed where the team’s priorities lie, and keeping Randle around beyond 2024-25 may have been a tall task.

He has one guaranteed year remaining on his deal at $28.9 million, although he does have a player option for 2025-26. However, his recent production shows that he could earn much more than that and now Minnesota will hope to make him a major part of their core for the foreseeable future.

Towns, meanwhile, is under contract through 2026-27 and will provide much-needed strength to the center position. Mitchell Robinson is likely to miss several months to begin the season, and now Towns can take that position over and be a stable presence in the paint.