“I just part ways and end the relationship” - Kendrick Perkins critical of Julius Randle, believes the New York Knicks should trade him before his value drops
The New York Knicks paid Julius Randle last off-season because of his excellent production throughout the 2020-21 regular season, but he hasn’t maintained the same level of performance so far this year. Former NBA player now EPSN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes the Knicks should move on before Randle’s value drops even lower.
Last season, Randle had a fantastic year, winning the Most Improved Player award and being chosen for both the All-Star team and the All-NBA team. The Knicks achieved the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, primarily due to Randle underperforming.
So far this season, Randle has taken a step back, prompting Perkins to encourage the Knicks to consider trading him. Perkins, on his podcast, “Swagu & Perk,” said at 15:00:
“If I am the Knicks, this is what I do. RJ Barret has really surprised the hell outa of me. He has been balling. I part ways, I find a trade, right now for Julius Randle before his stock goes down, and I can get back stuff that I want, and I just partway and end the relationship.”
This would be a drastic measure from the Knicks front office after signing Randle to a four-year $117 million contract extension last season. Trading that contract is not impossible, but it has yet to go into effect and keeps him under contract until the 2024-25 season.
Obi falls to the ground- Randle looks and walks away. Two other Knicks run to help him up. This is the shit we’re talking about. https://t.co/reVlKXbWU4
The other issue has been Randle’s leadership. He has argued with fans and isolated himself from teammates while also refusing to help them up. These videos could be misleading as we don't know what goes on in the Knicks locker room, but it doesn’t look good.
Should the Knicks trade Julius Randle?
It remains unclear if the Knicks are actively looking into trades involving Julius Randle. On one hand, he seems like he could benefit from a new environment and role on another team. On the other hand, his recent lack of production and possible locker room issues have diminished his trade value.
One thing to note is that the Knicks also have an extremely promising young player in RJ Barrett. Barrett has had an up and down season, but has been trending up as of lately. Throw in young players like Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin, and moving on from Randle might be more tempting than it seems, especially if they get another star in return.
The #Knicks and #Kings might not just get together on the court as they did last night:
amny.com/sports/knicks-…
The most consistent trade rumor, and increasingly likely trade, would be with the Sacramento Kings and De’Aaron Fox. The Knicks have lacked at the point guard position for a better part of the last decade, and Fox would be a straightforward fix. The Kings have enough guards and could easily part ways with one in a deal to stabilize their frontcourt. The Knicks might need to add in a first-round pick, but it would be worth it for a player of Fox's caliber.
It's tough to predict Julius Randle's fate, but swapping Randle for another star will get might be enough to get this Knicks team back into the playoffs for the second year in a row.