Julius Randle and the Knicks can work out an extension any time between now and the end of the season. The All-Star forward is set to make $28.9 million this season, has a player option for next season ($30.9 million) and could sign a three-year extension right now.
Except that remains on the back burner for both Randle and the Knicks, reports Ian Begley of SNY.TV.
If the Knicks sign Julius Randle to a big extension, he can no longer be moved prior to the 2025 trade deadline. Players like Randle who sign big extensions can’t be traded until six months after the date of the agreement (more on that below). Beyond that, I don’t have a concrete update for you. We reported last month that an extension wasn’t at the forefront for either Randle or the Knicks. Randle has been eligible for an extension since Aug. 3. The Knicks and Randle can agree to an extension at any time between now and June 30. Based on how things have played out since Aug. 3, it seems like neither side is in a rush to get something done.
This is a case where both sides are happy to let things play out and then make a decision.
Randle suffered a shoulder injury in late January that ultimately required surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of last season and the playoffs. Randle played well and was a vital part of the Knicks’ 12-2 January surge after trading for OG Anunoby, before both suffered injuries (Anunoby returned before the end of the season).
How things look with a core of Jalen Brunson, just-acquired Mikal Bridges, Anunoby and Randle will go a long way to determining the next steps — New York should look like a contender that threatens Boston at the top of the East, and the front office will want to keep that core together. For Randle, if he’s putting up All-Star numbers again, the value of that next contract goes up (signing now, coming off an injury, is not when his leverage is highest).
It’s all something to watch in New York. With Brunson’s extension kicking in next season (even at a reduced number), and extensions for Randle and Bridges looming in the coming years, this roster is going to get second apron expensive very quickly. Some tough decisions could be looming.
All of that can be kicked down the road a little. The Knicks should be healthy entering training camp and Leon Rose’s Knicks have been something the franchise has not been for decades: patient. They can let all or part of this season play out, then make a decision. That seems to be the plan for everyone involved in Randles’ extension, but things could change quickly if the sides can find a number they agree on.
