Q&A Mailbag: Should the Knicks Trade Randle To Make Way For Obi
Over the final five games of the 2021-22 campaign, Toppin averaged 27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 made three-pointers, 2.8 assists and 1.0 blocks,.
Without any breaking news to discuss, let's dig into the mailbag!
Today's query comes courtesy of "What on Tap" subscriber, Mark:
"Hey Tommy,
Mailbag question (or scenario) - wouldn't it make more sense for the Knicks to ship out Randle for a Westbrook buyout + a pick FIRST and then see what we've got with Brunson, Obi starting, Year 2 Grimes, etc? Worst case, we tread water and our '23 pick gets better for a Mitchell trade during the season.”
There were other similar questions submitted via Twitter:
If it weren't for the ongoing Donovan Mitchell saga/sweepstakes, the question marks surrounding Julius Randle would likely be the most talked about topic in Knicks land. If the Knicks don't trade for Mitchell, their 2022-23 season may be determined by which version of Randle shows up.
If it's the All-NBA edition that busted his tail and shots lights out, New York has a chance to compete for a top-5 seed in the East. If it's the "lackadaisical/thumb's down" version we saw in 2021-22, the Knicks could end up missing the playoffs once again.
Not only is Randle the 'Bockers' highest-paid player, but he also led New York in field goal attempts and Usage Rate last season. When your team's most important player refuses to fight on the defensive end and is incredibly inefficient offensively, you're gonna lose more games than you win.
As I wrote in April, I think the Knicks' best course of action is parting with Randle. If his subpar production were the only issue, holding out hope he can rebound from a rough year would make plenty of sense. However, several concerns complicate the situation. The relationship between Randle and Knicks fans turned toxic at various points last season due mainly to his lack of effort and intensity. (Telling fans to "shut the f–k up" didn't help matters).
Just as importantly, Obi Toppin played the best ball of his career late in the year with Randle sidelined. While it's foolish to make too much out of relatively meaningless contests, it was impossible to watch Toppin fully unleashed and not recognize his tantalizing upside. It's also important to remember that Toppin will be due for a contract extension of his own soon, and the Knicks need to determine if he is worth a hefty investment.
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