The New York Knicks and Julius Randle have agreed on a big contract extension.
Julius Randle has agreed to a four-year, $117 million contract extension, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/85i0fBIYpN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 5, 2021
This comes off the heels of the Knicks’ outstanding season.
Nobody expected the Knicks to be a playoff team this season.
However, they were and even held home-court advantage heading into the first round.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t get past the Atlanta Hawks in that first-round series.
The Knicks still have a huge wave of momentum.
Next season and their future is going to be intriguing.
For the first time in awhile, the Knicks have shown life.
The main culprit on the court for this resurgence has been Randle.
This contract extension is well-deserved for the new All-Star, and this is why.
3. All-Star Season
Randle has been a talented player since he stepped foot in the league.
However, no one believed that he could be an All-Star one day.
This past season was his coming out party.
He worked on his game tremendously and it paid dividends.
Not only did he make the All-Star team, but he also was an All-NBA member.
Furthermore, he won the Most Improved Player of the Year award.
First time All Star and Most Improved Player Julius Randle has agreed to a 4-year, $117M contract extension to stay with the New York Knicks. This also elevates his deal’s total value to 5-years and $140M. (Per @wojespn) #OTBNFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/rODhhh3I5k
— Off The Ball Network (@OTB_Network) August 5, 2021
Randle played lights out for a team that exceeded expectations.
This contract was well-deserved after a season like the one he just had.
2. Patience
The Knicks, over the course of their franchise history, have had a lack of patience.
They tend to go for someone, when they should wait things out.
In the past decade, we have seen it with the Carmelo Anthony trade and Kristaps Porzingis trade.
However, there is a new era of Knicks basketball.
They are still one of the popular teams in this league.
In reality, they are not lined up to win a title in the next couple of years.
The next great crop of free agents will not be for a couple of years either.
It is time to be patient and wait the process out.
The Knicks are a good team that can shock some people.
In order to beat the Milwaukee Bucks or Brooklyn Nets, they need to do things that are just impossible at this moment in time.
1. Building Block
The Knicks have tried several times to bring in big names to the franchise.
They use the arena and the aura that is New York City in their pitches.
However, it never works.
Why?
Because of the lack of talent that they tend to possess.
That is now different with Randle on board.
His numbers showed that he has the potential to do big things.
Julius Randle career year last season:
24.1 PPG
10.2 RPG
6.0 APG
2.3 3PG
46/41/81%Only one other player in NBA history averaged 20/10/5 on 40% shooting from three in a season — Larry Bird. pic.twitter.com/IunQgvOi23
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 5, 2021
If you were to put him with another All-Star, who knows what could happen with the Knicks.
They have a building block now who can help bring in other star players.
Randle is going to be with the Knicks for the next five years.
The Knicks need to stay on the path they are on now.
If they can do just that, watch out for them in the future.
The Knicks can be back as a contender.
Signing Randle to a deserving extension was the right move.
NEXT: 3 New York Knicks Who Won't Be With Team Next Season