Julius Randle appears to be on board with a potential scheme change for the New York Knicks this season.
Due to a lack of depth at center, it has been speculated that the Knicks could opt for “small ball” lineups with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby as the team’s “big men.”
Not only would this allow the Knicks to play more of their talented guards and wings at the same time, but it would also provide an offensive attack that would be difficult for opponents to stop.
Of course, Randle has hardly ever played center, and it’s not a look Tom Thibodeau has tried often, so it’s unclear how often the Knicks will use it this season.
In a column of mail, SNY’s Ian Begley reports that Randle is motivated to win in New York and “ready” to accept any role asked of him.
Begley writes:
“[Randle] will accept any role asked of him on this Knicks team if it leads to victory. SNY noted earlier in the offseasonRandle is excited about this team and thinks the group can have a great career. He’s looking forward to getting back, healthy, with this team, and thinks things can be special with Bridges. He wants to win and win in New York.
While the offseason is often when players make their boldest statements about the upcoming season, if Randle is truly willing to accept any role, it would be a huge development for the Knicks.
The small format could be the Knicks’ go-to lineup in tight games. A lineup of, say, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Mikal Bridges, Anunoby and Randle wouldn’t just have shooting and creative playmaking at each position, it would also be interchangeable on defense, with three disruptive perimeter defenders.
But beyond specific lineups, the Knicks also need Randle to adapt to a specific style of play to reach his ceiling. Randle showed signs of that last year by moving further off the ball, making quicker decisions with the ball and putting in a more consistent effort on defense. Randle was playing some of the best basketball of his career when he dislocated his shoulder on Jan. 27 and missed the rest of the season.
Fred Katz of The Athletic reported that people around the team thought this was the most joyous and focused period of Randle’s time in New York.
With a talented and solid team, almost every member of the Knicks will have to make sacrifices in terms of minutes, roles and shots. For now, Randle seems to have the right mindset for that.
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