Ben Stiller Pens Heartfelt Farewell to Julius Randle, Beating Spike Lee & Other NY Celebs in Tribute to ex-Knicks Star

“Telling me never to go anywhere. To be a Knick forever.” Just a few days before getting traded, Julius Randle revealed in an interview how much the fans wanted him to stay in New York. But no player is safe from the brutality of the NBA business. With the chance to bag a superstar like Karl-Anthony Towns, James Dolan pounced on the opportunity even if it meant parting ways with Randle. While KAT’s addition is a huge upgrade, the Knicks fanbase was left heartbroken with Julius’ departure and actor Ben Stiller even paid homage to the All-Star forward ahead of other New York celebrities.

Giving five years of his career to the franchise, Randle surely won a lot of hearts in New York. And Ben Stiller penned how much he meant to the city in a heartfelt tweet, “Julius Randle carried the Knicks on his back when he first came here. Brought winning back. No one will ever know what the winning January ‘24 Knicks would have done in 24/25.” Yes, when Randle joined the Knicks five years ago, the franchise had not made the playoffs for six years and was looking for a ray of hope.

And in only his second season, Randle singlehandedly led them to the postseason. Sure, there were hurdles along the way as Stiller wrote, “He went through ups and downs here and fans were tough on him sometimes. Who can know what it is to endure that pressure. I wouldn’t want it. But he did.” Be it injuries or a bad performance spell, Randle rose above it all and played a massive role in turning the franchise around. And Stiller is forever grateful, “Through it all his commitment to the community and the team was and is undeniable. Grateful for his time here. He is an All-Star and we’re lucky to have had him. Wish him all the best in Minnesota, he is going to bring a lot of toughness and grit and dedication to that team and community.” While Stiller let it all out in his tweet, other Knicks celebrity fans including Spike Lee are yet to reveal their thoughts about Randle’s trade. But with Julius’ contract situation, his departure seemed inevitable.

Julius Randle had made “No Progress” in extension talks as Knicks assessed the ‘Fit’ problem

While the Knicks fanbase is heartbroken, Randle’s departure should not come as a big surprise. Although he had turned into a superstar during his time in New York, a lot changed in the franchise in the past year while he was out with a shoulder injury. With Jalen Brunson making an MVP calibre leap, it became clear that he was the one the team would build around. Sure enough, it became evident this summer as Brunson inked a four-year $156.5 million extension.

Meanwhile, Randle had reportedly made “no progress” in contract extension talks with the team even though he was eligible for a new deal. As per veteran insider Brian Windhorst, “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.”

Yes, dealing with the length issue, Tom Thibodeau had plans to move Randle to the Center position if needed. So, it made sense to trade him when a true Center like KAT became available. However, that does not take away from what Randle has meant for the Knicks franchise and the role he played in turning them back to legitimate title contenders. What are your thoughts?