One of the Knicks’ biggest splashes in free agency this summer is signing the former lottery pick Julius Randle to a lucrative deal to shore up the power forward spot.
The New York Knicks are signing unrestricted free agent power forward Julius Randle to a three year, $63 million contract. Randle most recently played for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The deal was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and confirmed by Ian Begley. It includes a third year team option.
Free agent Julius Randle has agreed to a three-year, $63M deal with the New York Knicks, CAA agents Aaron Mintz and Steve Heumann tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
League source confirms the Knicks and Julius Randle have reached an agreement. @wojespn reports that it’s a 3-year $63 million deal.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 30, 2019
The three-year, $63 million deal Julius Randle agreed to with the New York Knicks contains a team option on the final year, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 30, 2019
Randle landed on New York’s radar in the weeks leading up to free agency. The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears mentioned of mutual interest between the parties in a profile of the team’s front office.
He averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists last season in 73 appearances for New Orleans, shooting 52.4% from the floor, 34.4% from three, and 73.1% from the free throw line. For advanced metrics, Randle was a 55.5 eFG% and 60 TS% shooter at a 27.3 USG%, per NBA Stats, and a 21 PER player.
Randle struggled on the defensive side of the ball last season, but paired next to Mitchell Robinson, one can imagine, the former Los Angeles Lakers seventh-overall pick would have flaws masked on that end while given the opportunity to shine as an interior and post player on offense. Randle is a strong rebounder and bullyball bucket-getter—an archetype New York severely lacked last season on its course to the league’s worst 17-65 record.
Randle’s deal does not prevent the Knicks from signing more high-level free agents, especially not one max-level player, like the rumored interested Kevin Durant. Durant, who ruptured his Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, is expected to miss all of the upcoming season; however, his incumbent team, the Golden State Warriors, are prepared to offer him a five-year maximum contract worth $221 million. Teams like the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Los Angeles Clippers could offer something in the four-year, $164 million.
The Knicks have also been rumored to be interested in free agents Kawhi Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, Terry Rozier, George Hill, and Robin Lopez.
Stay up to date with Knicks free agency news by following The Knicks Wall on Twitter and reading about free agency here.
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