Tom Thibodeau’s Selfish Plan for Julius Randle Alarms ex-Warriors Star as Knicks Forward’s Future Hangs in Balance

“We could see Julius more at the 5.” With Julius Randle returning from a major shoulder surgery, Tom Thibodeau has made his plan clear for the three-time All-Star. Now that Isaiah Hartenstein is no longer in the roster, the head coach is looking to tackle the length problem by occasionally playing Randle at the Center position. And that could prove a massive challenge for JR while his future remains uncertain as he is yet to sign an extension with the Knicks. Sure enough, this has former Warriors’ star Gilbert Arenas concerned!

Addressing Coach Thibs’ plan for Randle, Arenas said, “I’m not mad at it, as long as he plays him in spurts.” With a 6’8 frame and an All-NBA calibre skillset, Julius definitely has the tools to excel as a Center, especially in today’s game where many teams play small ball. However, Arenas doesn’t want Thibodeau to follow that strategy where it does not make sense, “I don’t want Julius Randle going up against Embiid for no reason. I don’t need him going up against Jokic, because I need you offensively.”

Surely, going up against seven footers will take a toll on Randle’s body and could also impact his offensive production. But Arenas had one major concern regarding the forward constantly playing as a big, “I don’t need you to sit there and battle with people that’s not, that’s how you get injured. That’s how you get hurt.” Yes, Randle just missed nearly half the season and the entire playoffs due to a shoulder injury. And a change in his role upon his return puts him under major risk of getting injured again. So, Agent Zero remarked on the Gil’s Arena pod that Thibodeau should not play Randle at the five too often, which is similar to the head coach’s original plan, “I don’t want to do that for long stretches, it would take its toll, but to have him do it for 10 or 15 minutes, I think he can do it well.”

Gilbert Arenas’ colleague expressed faith in Julius Randle citing Draymond Green as an example

While Arenas remains cautious in his approach toward Thibodeau’s plan, his co-panellist Rashad McCants claimed Julius Randle would be “very effective” as a Center. Since JR joined the Knicks, he has averaged 22.6 points and nearly ten rebounds, which are perfect numbers for a big man. And looking at his impressive resume, McCants questioned, “How can you go wrong with that?”

Moreover, he backed his point by an interesting comparison, “We’re in a league where a guy like Draymond can dominate at his size at the Center position.” Yes, despite his 6’6 frame, Draymond has thrived as a Center and Power Forward and is considered one of the best defenders of the modern era. Sure enough, he even has four championships to show for it. Meanwhile, Randle is a couple of inches taller than Green and Rashad believes he could be equally if not more effective playing as a big man. Considering he will be used as Hartenstein’s replacement, McCants claimed, “He’s better than Hartenstein and he’s giving you 20 points more.”

While Randle has been eligible for a max contract since last month, he has not inked the deal with the Knicks so far. And next season could be his chance to prove that he can be a key piece on a championship contending team by excelling in Thibodeau’s challenge. Do you think Randle can do it and secure his future?