SPANISH HARLEM – With training camp only weeks away for the New York Knicks, the media coverage will increase to an all time high. This could be the biggest Knicks season since the Pat Riley days with Patrick Ewing. As we approach Media Day on September 30th, with training camp to follow, I will engage in some topics from the fans and media that intrigue me the most. Today, it’s Julius Randle again and the possibility of playing the center position.
Losing Isaiah Hartenstein was a difficult pill to swallow for most fans, myself included, because he meant so much with his ability to pass from the top of the key, help defense that was second to none in the league and when you take into account his offensive rebounding, you have a match made in heaven for Tom Thibodeau. He will be missed but I think Randle can match Hartenstein in the rebounding and passing aspects, with a drop off in help defense and blocks.
I can see Thibs using Randle in the same way he used Hartenstein on offense. We all forget that when healthy Randle can pile on the assist because of his ability to generate double teams. My feeling is that he can match the passing needed to assist Jalen Brunson in the offense and playing small ball with Randle at center can be a nightmare for other teams.
When we think of Randle, defense is not something that stands out for him, but he isn’t a terrible defensive player. He is an exceptional rebounder and can turn it up on defense here and there, but he needs to be more consistent and more engaged when playing the center position in Thibs defense for the trust to be there. I don’t see Randle playing center for long stretches, but he can be an option during periods in the game that implore a small lineup to match up with what other teams are doing.
Overall, I think it’s fair to say that fans are intrigued by the possibilities of Randle at center for short stretches and something that Thibs should a give fair shot to see what type of chemistry can develop. I hope we see it early and often in training camp and preseason games.
That’s it for now, please come back tomorrow for Action Jackson Sternberg.
