By: WEI TANG – Sports On Air USA Correspondent
NEW YORK — When the New York Knicks signed Julius Randle to a four-year $117 million contract extension last August 2021, the hope was that the two-time All-Star would carry them to title contention.
But eight games into this 2023-24 NBA season, the Knicks haven’t seized the momentum of last year’s postseason run and wield only an average 4-4 win-loss record and are looking like anything but a championship threat.
One of the reasons for the slow start of Randle, the former New Orleans Pelicans power forward who signed as a free agent in New York in 2019.
Through eight games, the 6-foot-8 Randle is struggling mightily, shooting just 31.6 percent from the field (43-of-136) and a mere 25.9 percent from long distance (14-of-54).
Obviously, the effort isn’t up to par with what Randle did last season when he averaged a more robust 25.1 points while hitting 45.9 percent of his field goals (658-of1432) and 34.3 percent of his threes (218-of-636).
So, what is wrong with the Kentucky alum and the No.7 overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft that also featured Jordan Clarkson in the second round?
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The New York Post, that Randle, 28, is dealing with an injured ankle and is only about “70 percent healthy.”
Although he had undergone arthroscopic ankle surgery during the offseason, Randle is reportedly against the idea of load managing his minutes.
“I have my own science. I just put way too much into my body, for me personally, to cheat myself out of being available for my team,” Randle told reporters last season.
So there. Mystery solved. Apparently, Randle isn’t at full speed yet.
