Julius Randle was sidelined late in the regular season with an ankle injury that limited his playoff appearances and required surgery on Friday, but Nick’s star is set to return to training camp in September.
“Julius Randle underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle yesterday,” Knicks said in a statement Saturday morning. “He plans to resume basketball activities later this summer.”
Randle, who missed the final five games of the regular season with an ankle, has had limited effect as well as missing two-and-a-half playoff berths due to a relapse.
But after the season ended at the hands of Miami, he refused to use the injury as an alibi.
“No, I’m not one to make excuses,” Randall said.
Randle’s first injury, ironically, came on March 29 against the Heat during the regular season.
Late in the first half, he got up to rebound a botched 3-point shot, but he fell on Miami center Bam Adebayo’s leg, and the team ruled it a sprained ankle and he was out of the game.
With the Knicks already secured a playoff spot, Randle missed the final five games of the regular season.
He returned to the lineup in Game 1 against Cleveland in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoff series, contributing 19 points and 10 rebounds.
But Randle aggravated the same ankle injury in Game 5 against the Cavaliers, missing the second half of that game and the first two games of the Knicks’ second-round series against Miami.
Before the ankle injury, Randle started all 77 games with the Knicks, averaging 25.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, .459 percent overall shooting percentage, and .343 3-point shooting percentage, making him the Knicks’ only All-Star. was elected.
Randle was heavily criticized for his struggles during the playoffs, but was clearly affected by an ankle injury.
He averaged 16.6 points and 8.3 boards in the postseason, and his efficiency dropped to .338 percent shooting and just .235 percent shooting.
“Obviously disappointed. I wanted more. I expected more,” Randle said. “The season is the same. There are good moments, there are moments to learn. You just have to evaluate and move forward and think about what you can do as an individual to help the team move forward.”
The next step in moving the Knicks forward after Friday’s surgery is for Randle to get healthy during the offseason.
After the Game 6 loss to Miami, he alluded to the same thing.
“Yeah, every time I get there. Right now, I don’t really think about what we have to improve in the offseason, whatever it is,” Randle said. “I am recovering now. Spend time with my family, reevaluate everything and move on.”
Randle, 28, earned his second All-NBA and All-Star selection with the Knicks after one season with the Lakers and four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Of course it’s a huge honor. It’s proof that with a group of players like ours, that doesn’t happen,” Randle said at the time. “I’ve said it all year long, but it takes faith in the front office, the coaching staff and above all my teammates. They trust me to go out every night and play at a high level. I just thank God, it’s such an honor.”
