4. Julius Randle
While not a star, Julius Randle would be a strong replacement over Saric.
His outside shooting has taken a hit in New York this season, but let his current 27.1% 3-point percentage not be troublesome to you in your consideration of this deal.
He shot 34.4% last season – with a good team, in a good offense, with a good point guard.
This season with the Knicks, he is on a poor team, with a poor offense, and poor point guard play – Dennis Smith has absolutely disappeared.
More from Valley of the Suns
- Ranking the Phoenix Suns’ 5 holiday games in 2023-24
- Zion Williamson gets compared to Phoenix Suns legend
- Suns player preview: Bol Bol can be the perfect role player
- Former Suns’ guard shows he is officially done with Phoenix
- NBA insider guarantees Suns’ rival won’t make blockbuster trade
While the Suns do lose their conditional first round pick, making it conditional helps to protect them in the event that the addition of Randle isn’t enough to carry them over the top into the playoffs.
For New York, this is a franchise that just cannot catch a break. Not only should they be big free agent power houses like Los Angeles is, but they can’t even make a great trade to force solid talent into the Big Apple.
Fascinatingly enough, they would make this deal because five of the Knicks’ top six salary earners will be free agents in the summer of 2021. Marcus Morris the only one of that group up this summer.
By swapping Randle for Tyler Johnson, they open up additional space to play with this offseason, something that they always say they are looking to do, but can never take full advantage of.
Who knows, maybe for them this will be their summer.
New Starting Lineup:
PG – Ricky Rubio
SG – Devin Booker
SF – Kelly Oubre Jr.
PF – Julius Randle
C – Deandre Ayton