Julius Randle went from the franchise scapegoat to the indisputable team leader in just one season. Scott Perry signed Randle in the summer of 2019 for a $ 63 million three-year deal, with the third year as a team option. Randle’s All-Star campaign made his contract extremely valuable and there was talk among Knicks fans about signing it for an extension.
Before the season started, coach Tom Thibodeau praised Randle for conditioning him. Randle himself said he worked very hard during the off season with longtime coach / friend Tyler Relph. Relph, in various interviews, spoke at length about the type of work Randle did on his shooting, handling, footwork and defense. And that work is bearing fruit,
Randle averages 22.4 points per game, 11.1 rebounds per game and 5.8 assists per game at the time of writing. His direction and defense have been exceptional this season, and according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Randle is only the fifth player in NBA history to score at least 550 points, 275 rebounds and 145 assists in the team’s first 25 games. And if you need more evidence to support Randle’s greatness, he’s one of four players with an average of at least 20 points per game, 10 rebounds per game and five assists per game. The other three players include Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Domantas Sabonis.