The New York Knicks have surprised a lot of people thus far during the 2020-21 NBA season. They are tied for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a place not even the most optimistic of people could have predicted them being at.
A lot of credit should be given to Tom Thibodeau and his coaching staff. They have gotten the most out of their roster despite lacking talent at certain spots. Easily the best coaching job they have done has been with Julius Randle.
If you asked any Knicks fan what they thought about Randle coming into the season, their response would assuredly be a negative one. The Knicks signed Randle to a three-year, $62.1 million deal last offseason and the early results were not great.
New York was losing a ton of games and Randle was not endearing himself to the fans. They were counting down the days until he would be traded. After Obi Toppin was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, many people hoped and thought a trade for Randle would follow.
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Fast forward to today and everyone has egg on their face. Randle is now arguably everyone’s favorite Knick and is the driving force behind the team’s turnaround. He is putting up All-Star worthy numbers, averaging 23.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 36.7 minutes per game. The points, assists and minutes are all career-highs, as Randle is connecting on a career-best 40.7 percent from the 3-point line and 80.2 percent from the foul line.
It was not too long ago people were happy to hear Randle involved in trade rumors. Now, not so much. Luckily, it sounds like the organization is also changing its stance on the former Kentucky Wildcat.
.According to Ian Begley on The Putback Podcast, many prominent members of the organization are now viewing Randle as part of the team’s young core and want him to be here in the long-term.
“There are prominent members of the Knicks organization that feel Randle is part of this young core that they’re trying to move forward with,” said Begley on The Putback with Ian Begley.
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At only 26-years old and with how he has played, it would make sense for the Knicks to long Randle up long-term. They need to find a core to build around and Randle has stepped up to be the centerpiece of that core.
During his first season in New York, he didn’t look ready to carry the load and went through a coaching change. Now, he looks poised and brings it every night, thanks to the work he put in during the offseason and having a coaching staff that puts him in a position to succeed and trusts him.
The Knicks should not even field calls for Randle at this point. If he can help carry the team to the levels they have reached this season sometimes by himself, imagine what he could do once the front office can start adding talent around him?
For the first time in a long time, there is hope and optimism at Madison Square Garden. Julius Randle is as big of a reason as any for that.
