New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) rests on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
NBA analyst Greg Swartz from Bleacher Report suggested that the Dallas Mavericks trade for Julius Randle from the New York Knicks. The proposed deal involves:
Randle dislocated his right shoulder on January 27 against the Miami Heat and missed the remainder of the 2023-24 season. He is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Knicks on August 3, potentially worth up to $181.5 million over four years.
In the 2023-24 season, the 29-year-old Randle played 46 games, averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists with shooting percentages of 47.2% from the field, 31.1% from three-point range, and 78.1% from the free-throw line. Randle joined the Knicks in 2019 after a stint with the New Orleans Pelicans and has career averages of 19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks. He was drafted seventh overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Swartz noted that if the Knicks decide they can’t afford Randle or prefer a smaller lineup featuring Josh Hart as a starter, the Mavericks would be an ideal trade partner. He suggested that a Mavericks lineup of Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Julius Randle, and Dereck Lively II would be the team’s most talented since 2010-11, complemented by a strong bench.
In the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavericks lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. Meanwhile, the Knicks were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the second round in seven games.
