Julius Randle Says He Didn't Request Knicks Trade Despite Speculation

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has shot down rumors he's planning to request a trade from the organization in the offseason.

After the Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls on Monday, WFAN's Craig Carton reported that he heard Randle told team executives "he's done. He wants out." Marc Berman of the New York Post added sources around the NBA felt the 2021 All-Star was acting in a "James Harden type of way" with an eye toward forcing a trade over the summer.

"That's just not true, bro. It's just not true. It's just as simple as that," Randle told reporters after a 125-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.

It's been a frustrating season for the Knicks. One year after finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 41-31 record to earn their first playoff berth since 2013, they own a 34-43 record and are on the brink of elimination.

One more loss by New York, which has five games remaining, or a win by the Atlanta Hawks would eliminate the team from play-in tournament contention.

Randle's dip in performance has played a role in the Knicks' struggles. Here's a look at his stat lines from the past two seasons:

• 2020-21: 24.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 6.0 APG, 45.6% FG, 41.1% 3P
• 2021-22: 20.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, 41.1% FG, 30.8% 3P

His contract would likely make a trade difficult, whether it's because he wanted out or if New York was looking to move on in the coming months.

Randle signed a four-year, $117.1 million extension in August that starts next season.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked after Wednesday's game whether the forward "wants to be here" and didn't provide a direct answer.

"Yeah. So as a coach, you coach the players that you have," Thibodeau told reporters. "And you love them all. And I do. If you play for me, I love you. It's really that simple. The challenge for us is to bring the best out of each other."

So a summer of rumors may be on the horizon for Randle and the Knicks, but getting a deal done could prove difficult.