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The New York Knicks got bounced out of the NBA playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round itself. Their exit ended their relatively successful season on an underwhelming note. The Knicks will now focus on the off-season, as the franchise looks to bolster the roster in key areas and go into the 2021-22 campaign with another postseason run in mind.
Pros and cons of the New York Knicks offering Julius Randle a contract extension in the summer
Julius Randle will be eligible for a four-year, $106.44 million contract extension with the Knicks that begins during the 2022-23 season. Randle is entering the final year of his existing deal, which has a $19.8 million non-guaranteed salary for next season.
In this article, we will make a case for and against the New York Knicks offering Julius Randle an extension in the upcoming off-season -
Pros
Julius Randle is just coming off a career year of putting up averages of 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Randle was stellar throughout the regular season, making the All-Star game and is also a favorite to be selected for one of the All-NBA teams.
Randle has been a central part of Tom Thibodeau's system, and the New York Knicks will certainly benefit if the former LA Lakers forward continues to ply their trade for them beyond next season.
Another argument which goes in favor of Julius Randle is his penchant for improvement. Randle has always shown flashes of his talent. But in Thibodeau's first season, he did not put up career highs in offense-related statistics.
Three-point shooting is another area where he has made a remarkable jump, and Randle is also the favorite to win this year's NBA Most Improved player award.
Also Read: Three LA Lakers players whose fate in the off-season is dependent on the 2021 NBA Playoffs
Cons
Julius Randle's performance against the Hawks could not prevent the New York Knicks' first-round exit. This suggests that the front office is better off waiting a year before they splurge the cash on the former New Orleans Pelicans man.
In his first playoff series appearance, Randle averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. However, he a shot an extremely poor 29.8% from the field, averaging 4.6 turnovers per game.
Another point that goes against Julius Randle is that his ceiling looks like a second or even third option on a playoff team. Signing him to a four-year, $106.44 million contract extension doesn't seem like the wisest of ideas.
The New York Knicks are set to have an important off-season to negotiate ahead of them, and it will be intriguing to monitor how they go about it, especially Julius Randle's situation.
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