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Julius Randle’s Commitment To Playing ‘Knicks-Style’ Basketball Questioned by Former Warriors Star
Julius Randle takes great pride in being a New York Knick, but whether he will continue with the team next season is still uncertain, as discussions about his performance and fitness are ongoing.
Ever since they pulled off the sensational trade to acquire Mikal Bridges, the Villanova Knicks have been the talk of the town. Fans and commentators are curious about the type of basketball that will be played at Madison Square Garden the following season now that the team is loaded with talent at every position.
Matt Barnes, though, believes Julius Randle's strengths won't be well suited to this style of basketball.
Barnes was on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio when he touched on Randle’s fit in New York. “Will Julius buy into what he saw while he was out?” questioned the 2017 NBA champion.
The forward missed 36 games during the regular season and the whole playoffs due to a shoulder dislocation sustained the previous season. The Knicks were surprisingly 21-15 and advanced to the Conference Semi-Finals without him. Barnes is concerned that Randle may disrupt the team's current rhythm because of this.
“Obviously, this team was able to make a run, and really found their rhythm… We all know Julius is someone that demands the ball… Can he fit into this style of offense?“
Barnes also mentioned how Jalen Brunson's lack of a clear backup plan contributed to the Knicks' postseason success. Randle, in his opinion, might be that backup who regularly scores twenty points for the team. "But will he embrace the play's style?" Matt Barnes pondered.
Julius Randle played 77 games in 2022–23, his highest total since he was a member of the Lakers, and had the best offensive season of his career. But he has always played in a somewhat traditional manner. Randle doesn't do much from outside the arc and prefers to have the ball in his hands. Several media figures are questioning the former lottery pick's future in New York due to his limited playing time alongside OG Anunoby.
ALSO READ: Former NBA Star Takes Dig at Julius Randle; 'Y’all Play So Much Better Without Him'
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