Due to the recent injury news referring to Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, should the New York Knicks Pack it up and give up on competing this season and focus on the future?
The NBA playoffs are just two weeks away. Unfortunately, the New York Knicks still don’t have Julius Randle and OG Anunoby back on the court due to injury. Previously, the hope was that both players would be back in time to regain chemistry heading into the postseason. Now, according to sources, Julius Randle will be out for the remainder of the season while Anunoby’s return is up in the air.
New York Knicks Pack it up? Unfortunate News
Also, in a recent post game interview, Josh Hart hinted that the return of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby would be unlikely. Now, at least for Randle, this will be a reality.
What Could Have Been
In the end, the Knicks needed both Julius Randle and OG Anunoby to make a deep run in the postseason. In their absence, Jalen Brunson has carried the Knicks offense on his back and has barely kept this team afloat. Randle’s scoring ability and inside presence is something that the Knicks will desperately miss. He could’ve relieved some of the offensive pressure off of Brunson while also reducing the amount of double teams Brunson has been seeing lately. Sadly, that won’t be the case for the rest of the season.
On the other hand, Anunoby’s defensive presence alongside his perimeter shooting has made a huge difference for this team in the past and will be needed in the playoffs. The Knicks are 15-2 with Anunoby on the floor, which proves how much of a difference maker he is. Anunoby made a short two game return earlier last month before reinjuring his elbow in a game against the Trailblazers. There’s optimism he may return but it still doesn’t look good at the moment.
Overall, this has been an injury riddled season for the Knicks. Ultimately, even though there’s a chance OG Anunoby can return before the postseason, I believe the Knicks should let Anunoby properly heal from his surgery like Randle will be doing with his and just plan for the 2024-2025 campaign.
A Bright Future
The Knicks have one of the best rosters in the NBA and have most of their core players signed to long term deals. OG Anunoby will be a free agent this summer but the Knicks are likely to sign him to an extension. If you are in a great position to compete for years to come, why risk that for one season?
In the long run, I think it would be a great decision for the Knicks to shut down Anunoby for the season the same way they just shutdown Randle. The Knicks front office has done a phenomenal job with putting the right pieces together to compete. Let’s not tarnish that by rushing key pieces back for a playoff run that might not go far due to lack of chemistry and on court reps.
In conclusion, for the first time since the 90’s, the Knicks have a legitimate chance to compete for a title in the coming years. I’d rather make the smart decisions for tomorrow than sacrifice everything now for a minimal gain. When you have a roster as good and young as the Knicks do, seasons like these will only help the team be stronger in the future. Hopefully, this will be the case for this New York Knicks team moving forward.
Friday Night Matchup
New York Knicks @ Chicago Bulls 8pm ET
