Entering the season, we have to give some New York Knicks fans credit. I was one that really wanted to wait and see how the team would mesh with Julius Randle and a shoot-first guard in Jalen Brunson. How would the Knicks fit all of their guards into the picture? After first exceeding expectations in 2021 with a playoff appearance, the team fell short in 2022. This year, for at least a strong portion of fans the Knicks smashed their glass ceiling.
For only the third time since 2000 and for the first time since 2013, the Knicks advanced to the second round of the playoffs. They definitively beat down the Cleveland Cavaliers- the same Cavaliers that stole a piece of Knick fantasy in Donovan Mitchell. They did so with one of the guys that was rumored to be involved in those discussions in RJ Barrett.
The Knicks ultimately entered the Eastern Conference Semifinals on cloud nine! However, there were two glaring issues that had worried the Knicks: Julius Randle’s ankle and the output of Jimmy Butler. Both worries were ultimately the nails in the coffin for New York’s great season. Suddenly, Knick fans are essentially ready for drastic changes.
3. Julius Randle Should NOT Be Traded
Stephen A. Smith and even Newburgh City Mayor Torrance Harvey were in social media feeds calling for Randle to be exiled from New York. Suddenly, fans are done with him again.
To better the team’s chances at going beyond the second round in the playoffs, certainly anyone should be traded for a certain return value. As of right now, there is no indication that trading Randle will better the Knicks chances. With all the good and the bad, there are not many 25-point scorers that also average 10 rebounds and four assists, while also coexisting with a new star in town.
Randle isn’t perfect- he has his flaws as an NBA player. However, the greatest trait is that he cares! He paid attention and pretty much participated in every single minute of every game. We shouldn’t scare away great players, we should seek for more. The answer isn’t Damian Lillard. As the playoffs revealed, the Knicks are better with a healthy Randle.
2. RJ Barrett Had a Breakthrough!
All season long, RJ Barret was unable to find any real momentum as a third option for the Knicks. Although he averaged similar numbers to the season prior, that was the problem for many fans. Barrett also had a tendency of disappearing in the fourth quarter and was often too passive. Suddenly, some are calling for the team to trade him. Even Knicks executives reportedly “don’t know what to do” with Barrett.
At the end of the day, the team would be raving if they drafted a 22-year old prospect who was averaging nearly 20 points per game and showed up big during the games Barrett did. Although it took awhile, Barrett finally showed an ability to coexist with Randle and Brunson. This can be built upon. It’s not time to give up on the future of the franchise, but instead, it’s time to keep meshing and building around this core of players. Unless Barrett is able to bring in a game-changing piece that makes sense, he should not be thinking about suiting up for another franchise next year.
1. Jalen Brunson is a STAR!
Many Knicks fans held their breath after signing Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract. For some, it was about the manner in which the Knicks went to go get him. For others, it was concerns about a potential overpayment, especially considering much of Brunson’s value came from one playoff performance with the Dallas Mavericks. Brunson took those concerns and quickly turned them to relief and admiration.
Brunson has turned into what fans were hoping they would get if they signed Kyrie Irving and more. Brunson has quickly turned into one of the biggest bargain free agent signings of recent memory and has given the team a clear direction. He was able to coexist with and has begun to mesh with Barrett as well. The team is in good hands moving forward and will be a team with some of the greatest depth in the league.
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