What Would It Take For New York Knicks to Trade Julius Randle?

Julius Randle's future has long been a talking point in New York Knicks circles and those conversations only intensified upon his departure from CAA.

Julius Randle regained his All-NBA form this past season for the New York Knicks after a lackluster campaign in 2021-22. During the Knicks' resurgent season, Randle averaged 25.1 points and 10 rebounds en route to both the All-Star Game and Third-Team All-NBA honors.

Even with the good news rolling in Randle's future has long been a talking point in Knicks circles: last month, Randle ended his long relationship with Creative Artists Agency, switching representation for the first time since his NBA entry with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014. CAA has been associated with Knicks president Leon Rose, who amassed his own prestigious client list as an agent before joining the New York front office in 2020.

Randle moved on to WME, whose clientele also includes superstars Joel Embiid and Luka Dončić. The transfer has led some to believe that a trade could be in the near future for the Knicks big man. Michael Saenz wrote about the possibilities and scenarios ripe for a Randle trade in his latest for Fansided.

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle finishes over Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

"With two years at most left on his contract after this season, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Knicks to at least explore his trade market," Saenz wrote. "He’s unlikely to re-sign in New York beyond this contract, especially if the Knicks have their sights set on adding a superstar player, and there’s a fair chance he ends up opting out of the final year of his contract after next season."

Even if Rose is feeling raw over his departure from CAA, last season's success probably makes a trade less likely, at least for the time being. The odds would probably drop to near zero if Randle is able to duplicate, or even build upon, last year's success. Either way, the Knicks have a multitude of options when it comes to the star forward, and a lot of those options may depend on his play this next season. 

Randle and the Knicks (1-0) will be back in preseason action on Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).