NBA Rumors: Knicks May Consider Pairing Julius Randle With Victor Oladipo Before 2021 Trade Deadline
The New York Knicks have had an impressive start to the 2020-21 NBA season, thanks to the emergence of Julius Randle. However, in order to at least have a chance of ending their playoff drought this year, they may still need to make another major move to give Randle more support on the court. One of the players who they could target before the 2021 trade deadline is veteran shooting guard Victor Oladipo of the Houston Rockets.
In a recent article, A. Sherrod Blakely of Bleacher Report discussed whether the Knicks would be buyers or sellers this season. Though they are currently in the middle of a rebuilding process, Blakely revealed some league officials believe New York is interested in adding another high-impact player to their roster. He also mentioned Oladipo as one of the names to “keep an eye on” for the Knicks before the 2021 trade deadline.
“Randle needs help, and it’ll likely come in the form of an experienced, high-scoring guard. That’s why Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo will be a name to keep an eye on. The former All-Star has had a slew of injuries in recent years but is among the more talented two-way players when healthy. League sources say the Knicks are among the teams interested in Oladipo and will be closely monitoring the impending free agent’s play leading up to the deadline and beyond if he’s not moved by then.”
As of now, the Rockets have yet to make Oladipo officially available on the trading block. However, if they continue to struggle to win games and find themselves out of the playoff race, they may finally consider moving him and focus on the development of their young players. Once the Rockets start listening to offers for the veteran shooting guard, the Knicks would likely make an immediate call to their front office to try and bring him to New York.
Oladipo would be an intriguing target for the Knicks. He may have gone through plenty of ups and downs in the past two years but this season, he’s already starting to show a glimpse of his old self. His potential arrival in New York could significantly improve their performance on both ends of the floor.
Aside from having another very reliable scoring option next to Randle, he would also give them a decent playmaker, rebounder, floor-spacer, and a great perimeter defender. This season, the 28-year-old shooting guard is averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
If Oladipo meshes well with Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Elfrid Payton, the Knicks could have a better chance of reaching the playoffs this year. However, before giving up precious trade assets to acquire him from the Rockets, they would first need to get an assurance from Oladipo that he intends to stay in New York beyond the 2020-21 NBA season. Oladipo is currently in the final year of his contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent in the 2021 offseason.
