New York City is always a very energetic place and there are always people celebrating something, but last NBA season, there was a lot to celebrate in New York because of the Knicks success.
Not only did the Knicks make the playoffs for the first-time since 2013, but they claimed the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference, Tom Thibodeau won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award in his first season with the team, and Julius Randle was not only a first-time All-Star and the league’s Most Improved Player as well.
Losing in the first-round of the playoffs definitely hurt, but the 2020-21 season was a huge success for the Knicks and it appeared as if they got better this past offseason with the additions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier.
Madison Square Garden was electric to begin the 2021-22 season, as the Knicks started the year 5-1 and looked like they were going to once again be a force in the Eastern Conference, yet New York has been extremely streaky this season and are now 22-24, the 11-seed in the East.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Heat, Knicks Eventual Landing Spot For Donovan Mitchell?
The energy this team seemed to have last year is gone and it seems like every time they begin taking one or two steps forward, they take three steps backwards and are back to where their woes started.
Due to health protocols and injuries, 13 different players have started at least one game for the Knicks this season, but their main problem right now is consistency. There is absolutely no consistency with this team right now and their last two games can prove this.
This past Tuesday, the Knicks took on the Minnesota Timberwolves in MSG and while they were in a dog fight for all 48 minutes, they were unable to win the game, falling to the Timberwolves 112-110. While they did lose, there were a lot of positive things the Knicks could take away from this game, especially given that they scored 110 points against the league’s 10th best rated defense.
On Thursday, the Knicks were in action again in MSG, this time against the New Orleans Pelicans who have been really struggling to find any consistency this season, much like the Knicks. After starting out slow in this game and trailing by as many as 24 after three-quarters, the Knicks came back and pulled within 10 points in the fourth-quarter, only to lose 102-91.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Heat, Knicks Eventual Landing Spot For Donovan Mitchell?
Just a few nights back, the Knicks put up 110 points against the Timberwolves, the 10th best rated defense in the league and on Thursday night, they were unable to score more than 91 points against the league’s 25th rated defense.
Lack of scoring depth is certainly a problem that the Knicks front-office will have to try and figure out heading into the All-Star break, but last year’s superstar Julius Randle has been a big concern for this organization.
One can certainly not blame Julius Randle fully for what has happened in New York this season and for all the struggles the Knicks are currently dealing with, but he certainly has not helped the cause either.
Once again, Randle leads the Knicks in scoring and rebounding, but he does not look like the same All-Star talent he did a season ago and questions are starting to form about whether or not he can be “the guy” in New York.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Heat, Knicks Eventual Landing Spot For Donovan Mitchell?
During the Knicks first 6 games of the regular season in October, Julius Randle averaged 20.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and shot 41% from the floor. Then in 15 games in November, Randle’s averages dropped to 18.9 points and 9.7 rebounds.
December seemed to be a solid bounce-back month with Randle averaging 19.1 points and 9.8 rebounds, though so far through 9 games in January, Julius Randle is only averaging 16.8 points, 10.2 rebound and shooting 38.9% from the floor.
Obviously his rebounding has been huge for the Knicks this season, but Julius Randle has not looked like a No. 1 option for this team this season. His inconsistencies on offense are as bad as anyone else’s on this team and right now, RJ Barrett is looking like the Knicks’ best player.
At the trade deadline, the Knicks are going to be looking to add some more scoring talent to their roster to get Randle and Barrett the help they need and Julius Randle’s future is certainly in doubt right now.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Heat, Knicks Eventual Landing Spot For Donovan Mitchell?
Randle and the Knicks recently agreed to a four-year, $117M contract extension that keeps him in New York through the 2025-26 season, but the team may be having regrets about locking up the 27-year-old big man so soon.
We have seen in the past the kind of success Julius Randle can have with this Knicks team, but to be honest, he does not look like “the guy” anymore for this team. He is still a very physical and high-level big man in this league, but if the Knicks are to be real threats in the Eastern Conference moving forward, they really do need to consider changing Randle’s role.
The Knicks need another All-Star talent on their roster to lead them because while Julius Randle certainly earned all the accolades he received last season, he is not on the same level as other All-Stars he played with last season in the All-Star Game.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Heat, Knicks Eventual Landing Spot For Donovan Mitchell?
Obviously he is not on the same level as guys like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it is hard to compared Julius Randle to guys like Rudy Gobert, Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vucevic because they are all proven, better talents than him as well!
The New York Knicks have some big problems to try and figure out over the course of the next month if they are to make the playoffs again and looking ahead, they really need to consider shifting Randle’s role.
