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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Julius Randle has proudly repped?New York Knicks?in his time there. The power forward in his four seasons there geared the Knicks to playoffs twice. Randle was expected for immense potential from the beginning. While his initial stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans yielded satisfactory results, they fell short of resting him in the ranks of standout players. However, upon his arrival in NY, Randle underwent a remarkable metamorphosis, blossoming into a star player. Randle averaged 25.1 points and 10 rebounds this season on a 45.9% efficiency.

Despite the team’s progress alongside Randle, most Knicks fans see Randle as a step below the star player. Their relationship with the?Beyblade?has been more of a love-hate kind. One can also conclude that Knicks expect more from their star. Despite a great campaign, Randle has underperformed post-season, which constitutes dissatisfaction.

Knicks shun Julius Randle

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New York is a city full of icons. If you are strolling the city without looking at your screen, it is imminent to come across a famous face. In a recent post, @clutchpoints shared a video of a NY local coming across?Duncan Robinson. In the video shot by @MyGuySteve, he approached the Heat sharpshooter, pretending not to know him. To recreate the famous TikTok style, he playfully inquired about Duncan’s profession, to which Robinson replied, “Accounting.”?

After a brief near-hilarious exchange about his yearly income and layup/shooting skills, the video recording person wished Duncan good luck for his future. In a parting jest, he added, “Come to New York, we’d like you here. For real. Better than Julius,” Duncan chuckled warmly, bidding farewell as he walked away.

Duncan?Robinson is an elite shooter?averaging around 44% from the mark in playoffs. While Duncan is not someone to carry a team, he still has the potential to be in the major rotation. Besides his shooting, his efficient off-ball movement often creates clear paths for his teammates.

The Miami Heat have been actively exploring trades for Duncan due to their repeated Finals exits and the need for roster adjustments. Speculations arose about the Lakers pursuing him before the ’22-’23 trade deadline. He was also part of the Heat’s plan to acquire Bradley Beal, who ultimately joined Phoenix to form a super team.

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Julius Randle and Duncan are both subjects of trade discussions among fans seeking upgrades. However, the Knicks organization has recently expressed its stance on Randle’s trade availability.

The Knicks reveal demands for a Julius Randle trade

The Knicks’ ongoing interest in retaining Randle is noteworthy. However, with just two more seasons with his contract, the team finds itself in a constrained timeframe to orchestrate a deep playoff run. His post-season generations haven’t helped their cause either. In an appearance on ESPN’s podcast, an NBA insider deciphered the situation where Knicks would consider trading for Randle.

He said, “I don’t think there’s a world right now where the Knicks would move Julius Randle.” He added, “I mean, it would have to be for like [a Joel] Embiid or a player like that that’s going to change your franchise Day 1 as soon as he steps in the building.”

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The Knicks finally have a formidable core with Jalen Brunson, Randle and RJ Barrett. Their retention and addition of role players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo will raise the team’s overall potential. While it is possible that the team’s playoff outcome could have been altered had Randle performed better, the lack of interest in trading him indicates that the front office maintains faith in his ability to improve in future postseasons.

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Would the Knicks benefit more from trading Julius Randle, or does their foundation in Randle have the potential to extend beyond the second round and make a legitimate championship run?