The New York Knicks made a splash move Tuesday night, sending Bojan Bogdanovich and a boatload of draft picks to Brooklyn for former All-Defensive First Teamer Mikal Bridges. Naturally, this has further intensified Julius Randle trade speculation, as the three-time All-Star may be the odd man out after the blockbuster deal.
While there's no concrete evidence of a Randle trade in the works, it's feasible based on possible floor spacing and ball distribution issues, via CBS Sports' Sam Quinn.
“Is a Randle move on the table?” Quinn asked. “There is no reporting suggesting that it would be, but remember, virtually every Knicks star trade scenario over the past few years has included Randle as the matching salary. There are reasons for that beyond financial necessity. Randle's value is tied closely to his usage. He needs the ball. Are there going to be enough shots for him on a team with Brunson, Bridges, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Hart and McBride? That's debatable.”
Even if Anunoby departs in free agency, moving on from Randle would still make sense. Bridge's acquisition provides New York with another quality wing player but could hurt its center depth, as Isiah Hartenstein is rumored to be moving on for financial reasons.
The Knicks could deal Randle for a replacement center and draft picks, as they just gave up five first-rounders for Bridges.
“Randle is a two-time All-Star,” Quinn continued. “He might also be more of a floor-raiser for growing teams than a ceiling-raiser for championship contenders. Anunoby's likely return will prevent all four Villanova players from starting together, but moving Randle would at least open the door for three of them. It would also maximize spacing and defense on a team that is now prioritizing those things. All in all, a Randle trade is likelier as a financial necessity than an active stylistic basketball decision. Expect one of the centers to go, but Randle is at least a possibility.”
Randle has never been known for his defense, so he doesn't bring much other than rebounding if he doesn't consistently have the ball in his hands. The Knicks are upgrading their perimeter defense to contend with the defending-champion Boston Celtics, and the former Los Angeles Laker may not fit into those plans.
If New York does pull the trigger, where might Randle end up?
Oklahoma City Thunder
Randle would be a good fit on a contending squad that needs another veteran presence, and the Thunder fit that bill the most out of any squad in the league. Additionally, the former Most Improved Player would fit well into the lineup, via The Athletic's Sam Vecenie.
“I would also be aggressive this offseason,” Vecenie stated. “The name that I brought up on the last episode was Julius Randle. Julius Randle, to me, checks a lot of boxes playing next to Chet [Holmgren], allows you to kind of have that flexibility to go big and small. You could play him at the five [center] if Chet has foul trouble. You can play Chet with Jalen Williams at the four [power forward] lineups if necessary.”
Not only does Oklahoma City make sense from an on-court perspective, but the club has the assets to facilitate a deal. The Thunder have seven first-round selections over the next three drafts alone, in addition to five second-rounders. The club could also throw in centers Mike Muscala or Olivier Sarr in a deal, should the Knicks move on from Hartenstein.
This would help New York recoup picks after the Bridges trade, while possibly saving money on a backup center. Meanwhile, the Thunder would add another formidable scorer to balance with Shai Gilgeous Alexander's playmaking, Jalen Williams' shooting, and Holmgren's paint presence.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are another contender that could use Randle's services, especially if Paul George leaves this summer. Los Angeles isn't willing to meet George's contractual demands, so the two parties could feasibly part ways soon, via ESPN.
Replacing “PG-13” with Randle would make the Clippers younger, as George is 34, while Randle is 29. Additionally, Randle had better stats last season before going down with a shoulder injury in January. The two-time All-NBA honoree registered 24 points per game on 47.2% shooting from the field, with 9.2 rebounds and five assists. Meanwhile, George slightly lagged with 22.6 points on 47.1% shooting, with 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Furthermore, should the aging trio of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and/or Russell Westbrook leave anytime soon, Randle could help the team stay in contention. Until then, though, he would provide the Clippers with an even better scoring threat than they had in George, in addition to more production on the glass.
Even if New York doesn't deal Randle this summer, expect the club to make more moves soon as it aims to reach its first NBA Finals since 1999.
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