Knicks Sign Julius Randle; Team To Meet Another Former Laker

Julius Randle is the first player the Knicks will sign after missing out on Kevin Durant and the team is set to meet another former Laker.

The New York Knicks may have lost their opportunity to land the biggest name in the free agency market but the team seems to already have a plan B. Just hours after Durant announced that he will sign with the Brooklyn Nets soon, the Knicks have signed former Laker and Pelican Julius Randle on a three-year $63 million deal with a team option in the final year.

According to New York Post, the Knicks have first become interested in Randle for several weeks now and likes the forward’s athleticism but there are some issues on his defense and basketball IQ.

An NBA scout told The Post that he sees Randle, a former lottery pick, as more of a Sixth-Man type than starter on a good team.

“He is a beast, plays hard but can only get to so far due to how he sees the game. I’m not sure about his basketball IQ and perimeter shooting. And he’s not the most conscientious defender,” NBA scout said.

Reggie Bullock, another former Laker is set to meet with the Knicks. David Aldridge of The Athletic noted on a report, that Bullock is "ready to commit to a strong offer from New York." However, Aldridge also said that the Lakers and other teams have interest in the 6’7’’ forward, who is meeting the Knicks in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The Knicks are looking to add Bullock on their roster through free agency and sources claim that the team also want to add more 3-point shooters this summer.

At this point, New York seems to be starting to get over the KD drama as reports stated that the team has shifted their focus on short-term deals instead of landing a max level player, Bleacher Report noted.

Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic provided some insight into a potential Knicks Plan B.

"The Knicks are not expected to chase after top-of-the-market free agents, though some, like Kemba Walker and Nikola Vucevic reportedly already have agreements in place. They never showed enough interest in Tobias Harris be considered for a meeting with him, a league source told The Athletic. They are expected to shift their focus to short-term deals to improve a barren roster and attempt to be more competitive in 2019-20, without compromising their cap room in the long-term," Vorkunov revealed.