Brian Windhorst: Julius Randle is ‘extraordinary tradable’ due to his contract

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes that New York Knicks forward Julius Randle is “extraordinarily tradable” because of his salary in his current contract.

“Because of that $29 million salary, he’s extraordinarily tradable,” Windhorst said. “And the Knicks still do have a couple of extra first round – not extra – there’s no extra any more. The Knicks do still have a couple of first-round picks that they can move.”

According to Spotrac, Randle is set to make just under $29 million in the 2024-25 season, and he has a player option in his deal for the 2025-26 season. The two-time All-NBA forward could opt out of his deal after the 2024-25 campaign to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Knicks were the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, and they made the second round of the playoffs before losing to the Indiana Pacers in seven games.

Injuries to Randle, Mitchell Robinson, O.G. Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic and eventually Jalen Brunson (broke his hand in Game 7 against Indiana) derailed the Knicks’ season.

However, Randle’s injury occurred in late January against the Miami Heat, yet the Knicks still earned the No. 2 seed without him.

Then, this offseason, the Knicks re-signed Anunoby and traded for forward Mikal Bridges, potentially putting Randle’s future with the franchise in question. If the Knicks don’t extend Randle ahead of or during the 2024-25 season, it’s possible he could decide to hit free agency.

A three-time All-Star, Randle is an important player for the Knicks. He’s one of the team’s better scorers and playmakers, finishing the 2023-24 season averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Still, the Knicks likely could use Randle’s salary to help them match other salaries in a potential deal since he’s making nearly $30 million. Not only that, but there’s a chance New York has a need at the center spot in the 2024-25 season after Isaiah Hartenstein left the franchise for the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.

The Knicks may wait and see how Randle fits into the roster now that Bridges is in the fold in the 2024-25 season before making any kind of deal. Having Randle, Bridges, Brunson, Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo certainly will make the Knicks an intriguing offensive team with a lot of switchability on the wing.

However, if Randle struggles or the Knicks don’t believe he is the right fit, it appears his contract makes him an easy player to move.