“We actually have a basketball team now,” says my coworker / fellow New York Knicks fan, Zach Shobin, following the 2019 offseason. And I totally agree with him. The Knicks’ offseason was pretty solid overall—granted that we struck out on getting top free agents this summer (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, and a litany of B-List stars). Nevertheless, the front office has set up this team by holding true to their commitment to develop talent (aka the rebuilding process), maintaining the youth movement, and actually putting together what seems to be a competitive team for the 2019-2020 NBA season.
This offseason the Knickerbockers acquired Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Wayne Ellington, Marcus Morris, and Reggie Bullock. Out of all of the players we signed during free agency, I am most excited for Julius Randle. I’m looking forward to watching a player who has taken steps to develop his game, and I believe that this is his breakout season since he has a role that makes him one of the main catalysts of this team.
From his entrance to the league as a Los Angeles Laker, to his most recent season with the New Orleans Pelicans, you can see that Randle has has worked hard and evolved into an offensive threat. If you have witnessed him in action recently or reviewed his stats, it’s hard to deny this. Let’s scrap Randle’s first season as a Laker, considering he broke his right tibia during the 2014-15 season opener against the Houston Rockets. In 2015-16, Randle came back to restart his Laker career by putting together 11.3 PT/G, 8.6 RB/G, and 3.6 AST/G while shooting a 42.9 FG% and 27.8 3P% (attempting 0.4 and making 0.1) while averaging 28.2 MPG during the 2015-16. When the 2017-18 season rolled around, Randle concluded his time with the Lakers averaging 16.1 PT/G, 8.0 RB/G, and 2.6 AST/G, shooting a 55.8 FG% and 22.2 3P% (attempting 0.5 and making 0.1), while averaging 26.7 MPG.
Yes, Alex. Randle’s scoring more BUT his rebounding, assists, and three-point shooting percentage dipped his final year with the Lakers. Fair, but looking at his most recent season with the Pelicans, Randle took some major steps forward—especially with Anthony Davis sitting out for a good portion of the season.
Throughout the 2018-19 season, Randle was scoring 21.4 PT/G, grabbing 8.7 RB/G, and making 3.1 AST/G all while shooting 52.4 FG% and 33.4 3P% (attempting 2.7 and making0.9) while averaging 30.6 MPG. Seeingthese type of statistical improvements is impressive, considering that duringthe 2018-2019 season numbers, Randle was one of five players to average atleast 21 PTS/G, 8 RB/G, and 3 AST/G during the 2018-2019 season. The other fourplayers were Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, andKarl-Anthony Towns, according to Tommy Beer. That is some awesome company to have if you ask me.
Another reason why I am excited to watch Randle in the Orange and Blue is that he’s still been putting in a lot of time to continue to improve and perfect his game: he’s increasing his shooting distance, becoming more consistent with his midrange and three-point shot, getting stronger, and improving his endurance. As you can see below, Randle has been working on his craft with Chris Brickley and Carmelo Anthony:
Also, if you ask me, it looks like Randle has got his weight up since he entered the league.
The one understandable concern that Knicks fans have is that Randle could be a liability on defense. Defense is part skill and part effort…and Randle has been seen lacking effort.
Acknowledging these defensive concerns, I still think things will be different thisyear. I can see Randle putting his bestfoot forward for a few reasons: (1) he’s tired of being on the losing team and wants to be in the playoffs. The best team Randle was on was with Lonzo Ball, Jordan Clarkson, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Brook Lopez during the 2017-2018 season, and that teamended the season 35-47 and finished 11th in the Western Conference. I think the teams a have a similar level in talent, but we are in the East (a weak conference), so he has some motivation to help take the team the distance; (2) between what he has been posting onlineand how he has been handling this offseason, it seems like Randle wants to disprove the doubters who have criticized him for not being the top player he was expected to be when he was drafted 7th overall; and (3) he finally has a chance to demonstrate his talents to be a primary offensive option on a team, and I believe that he is looking to continue where he left off, his best season in the league so far.
There are valid reasons for why we should suspend hope that Randle is the catalyst that the Knicks have needed. But, there is also something about this Knicks regime under the leadership of Scott Perry, Steve Mills, and David Fizdale that has me more optimistic than in previous years. Totally understandable if you fellow Knicks fans do not feel the same, but I think weare going to be impressed with this young team. Maybe it’s a playoff team, maybe not. Either way, I do think our team is becoming more competitive and developing towards sustainable success. And, I have a feeling that Randle is one of the key players that moves us in that direction.
Knicks For Life 
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