New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle is set to miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season after electing to undergo right shoulder surgery, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Randle suffered a dislocated right shoulder in the Knicks' 125-109 victory over the Miami Heat on January 27. Very little detail was given about Randle's injury throughout the weeks, and he was initially said to miss at least three weeks as he recovered from his shoulder injury. As time progressed, the Knicks' star did everything he could to try and get back on the court pain-free ahead of the playoffs.
Ultimately, team medical staff told Randle that it would be unwise to return this season due to his shoulder instability. Randle will now undergo surgery to avoid further injury and possible permanent damage.
The good news for the Knicks and Randle is that his right shoulder surgery is expected to allow for a full recovery. Randle should be ready to play at the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.
The team announced on Thursday morning that Randle will be re-evaluated in five months following his season-ending shoulder surgery, meaning that the team will likely provide an update on his status in September.
Impact of Randle's injury
Losing Randle ahead of the playoffs is a massive blow to the Knicks and their chances of contending at the very top of the Eastern Conference. Currently 44-31 on the season, the Knicks have put themselves in a position to not only compete for home-court advantage in a first-round series but possibly move up as high as the 2-seed in the East given the struggles of the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The team is also dealing with defensive-minded wing OG Anunoby being sidelined due to ongoing elbow problems. Anunoby had an elbow procedure done in February and returned for three games in March before having to sit out again. With Randle and Anunoby on the floor together, the Knicks posted a 12-2 record and owned the league's best defensive rating during this span, according to ESPN.
As things currently stand, the Knicks are a half-game behind the 4-seed Orlando Magic and a full-game behind the 3-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings. New York owns a tiebreaker over the Cavaliers but does not own tiebreakers over the Magic and Bucks.
Since Randle initially suffered his shoulder injury in January, the Knicks have gone 15-14 and own the league's ninth-best defense during this span. Even without Randle, the Knicks have remained one of the better rebounding teams in the league thanks to Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Precious Achiuwa stepping up. In the 29 games since the star's injury, the Knicks rank seventh in rebounding.
The All-Star has since taken to social media since the announcement that he would be undergoing season-ending surgery. On Instagram, Randle posted, “The journey is the journey. Just keep going. It is what you think it is.”
All the pressure of the franchise now falls on the shoulders of Jalen Brunson, who has had an MVP-like season for the Knicks. Brunson has averaged a career-high 27.8 points per game, and recently registered a career-high 61 points in the team's 130-126 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Without Randle, Brunson will continue to be the focal point of the Knicks' point of attack on offense.
Although he didn't play in the All-Star Game due to injury, Randle earned All-Star honors for the third time in his career. He has been named an All-Star in three of the five seasons he has been in New York. At the time of his injury, Randle was averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor, his highest shooting percentage since the 2018-19 season.
Randle once again faces an uphill battle to get back on the court following offseason surgery, as the Knicks' star had ankle surgery last summer after playing through the injury in the postseason. While the team is hopeful that he will be able to return in time for the start of the 2024-25 season as a result of his season-ending shoulder surgery, time will tell if this will come true for Randle.
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