Julius Randle makes telling ‘wanted’ comment after Knicks trade

Julius Randle shed “blood, sweat and tears” for the Knicks before being shocked by his trade to the Timberwolves, but the power forward already feels his new team brought him “a breath of fresh air.” .

“That's very important. You want to be in a place where you feel like you're needed,” Randle said. “And I feel like I'm needed here. I feel like everyone has really accepted me.”

Randle spent five roller-coaster seasons with the Knicks, developing into the franchise's best player since Carmelo Anthony.

He earned three All-Star appearances, two All-Star appearances, and reached 17th place on the team's all-time scoring list.

However, while Randle was also eligible for a deadline extension, some within the organization felt he might not be a good fit alongside Jalen Brunson.

Just two days after Randle was honored at a groundbreaking ceremony at South Bronx High School (a ceremony attended by the Knicks' front office), news broke that Randle had signed Donte DiVincenzo of Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I was very impressed. You spend a lot of time in a place called New York and you went there five years ago with a goal in mind to accomplish great things. There's so much blood in that organization and that uniform. , sweat and tears have been poured into it,” Randle said. “So it's always going to be a shock at first. But for me, afterwards, when I woke up the next morning, I was really, really excited. It was a breath of fresh air.”

Randle was also excited to be reunited with Minnesota coach Chris Finch, who led the All-Stars as an assistant in New Orleans in 2018-19. Randle said Finch simplified the game in a way no other coach before or since, including Tom Thibodeau, did.

“When I left Finch in New Orleans, I wanted to leave Finch with me in New York because he's such a great coach. I always thought he was a genius. He's a great communicator. He's capable. He knows how to get the best out of his players,” Randle said. “I felt like he broadened my game and made me a really well-rounded player. I think playing there and to this day, it's the most I've ever felt. It was an easy game because he's really good.”

Randle added that his surgically repaired shoulder is “fine” and “healthy.” He could become a free agent in the summer.

“I want to be here,” Randle said.

DiVincenzo only played one season with the Knicks, but he became a fan favorite and made one of the biggest shots in recent franchise history, a 3-pointer that destroyed the Sixers in Game 2 of the first round.

With the acquisition of Mikal Bridges, DiVincenzo was likely to come off the bench next season, but one source said DiVincenzo accepted the role and had no intention of leaving the Knicks.

“When you look at the big picture, I wasn't thinking about which teams were interested in me. When I was in New York, I was totally there. I wanted to be there. And this When things like that started happening more and more, I realized this was an opportunity. And when it became a reality, my heart went completely straight to Minnesota,” DiVincenzo said. . “And I immediately thanked everyone from when I was in New York. There's a lot of love there. But once I realized that this is real and that it actually happened, my heart… I moved to Minnesota, and I'm 100 percent excited to be here.”