Julius Randle signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason in free agency, but made sure to have a player option on the second year. Heading into the offseason, there were some wondering if Randle would hit free agency or stick around for one more season. Well, Randle has made his decision.
According to a report from The Athletic's Shams Charania, Randle has decided to decline his player option and will test free agency this offseason.
Pelicans‘ Julius Randle is not picking up his $9M player option for next season and will enter unrestricted free agency, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Randle is coming off his best NBA season (21.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 34.4 percent from 3-point range on 195 attempts).
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2019
This decision doesn't come as much of a surprise, especially with Zion Williamson coming in this offseason. He is likely going to take over the starting job even if Randle decided to stay. New Orleans is also about to head into a bit of a rebuilding process after their blockbuster trade of Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Article Continues BelowDuring the 2018-19 season with the Pelicans, Randle had a very solid year. He ended up averaging 21.4 points per game to go along with 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Randle shot 52.4 percent from the field overall and knocked down 34.4 percent of his three-point attempts.
Randle has been improving each and every season. He has become a lethal scorer and can play solid defense as well. Many have compared him to Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, although he isn't quite at that level just yet.
Another intriguing aspect of Randle as a free agent is the fact that he is just 24 years old. He can be a weapon for a contender or a team that is rebuilding.
Expect to see quite a few teams show interest in Randle this offseason. He is one of the more intriguing players on the market and should see a raise from the $9 million he would have been owed next year in New Orleans.