After a season of watching Julius Randle shoot in double and triple teams that he never got out of, Knicks fans had practically lost hope that the young forward would become a useful piece on the roster.
His adaptation is a bit awkward alongside Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett, so if the priority is to develop the core pieces of the franchise, as it should be, finding a new home for Randle seemed to be a necessary front office step. to take.
However, Randle is proving he can be a productive player when he focuses on the right things. His assist rate has always been relatively high for his position, but this year we see his passes reach a new level. He is averaging 6.3 assists per game, nearly double his previous season’s production. And passes without hesitation from the double teams.
Its counting stats cannot be ignored either. He averages 23.7 points per game, while shooting 55.3% from the field, including a 5-9 accuracy from center. He is also taking down ten rebounds per game.
There is no way around it, Randle was a pleasant surprise at first.