NBA: Randle Will Be Key Piece To Knicks Success Under Fizdale

The New York Knicks are pretty unpredictable this coming season with head coach David Fizdale expected to weave some magic. Part of that could be a high-octane offense, meaning some small ball basketball could be in the offing.

The Knicks are blessed with a bunch of young players who can start something special for the Gotham-based squad. Among the curious and underrated new faces include Julius Randle, the 7th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. The 24-year-old center-forward had a breakout year with the New Orleans Pelicans last year although his full potential has yet to be unleashed. That could happen this 2019-20 season under the watch of Fizdale.

Though he is considered a center-forward, it remains that Randle is a bit undersized. He stands only 6-foot-9 but is one of the bulkiest players with heft. That seems to be enough to convince Fizdale in playing him at the center position, clearly hinting that the Knicks may be playing some small ball basketball.

"You guys like to put (positional) numbers on these guys. I just like to put them out there. Now this year I feel like we’ve got so much versatility I can mix in different lineups,” said Fizdale to Ian Begley of sny.tv. “But if you want to say position-wise he’s a five, I can put him out there with Marcus Morris at the four and put a lot of pressure on a defense that way.”

The thing here is that Randle is flexible. He can play the small forward, power forward or center position, a privilege that the Knicks have at their disposal. That also backs the fact that the former Kentucky Wildcat can further improve his craft and show critics why he was one of the underrated stars last summer.

Last season, Randle averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He also owned a decent clip from the field at 52.4-percent, numbers that can soar depending on how he responds to the Knicks' system.

Randle is aware that he needs to do more than just score for the Knicks. In a report from the New York Post, he admits that his biggest goal is to make the players around him better.

“Scoring 20 points, that’s not the hard part for me. I want to make everyone better and be an extension of the coach,’’ said Randle who signed a three-year $63 million last June.