Knicks’ Julius Randle earns $1.2 million bonus for All-Star selection

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle is receiving a $1.2 million bonus for earning his second All-Star selection of his NBA career. It was the right choice by voters, all things considered.

Through 52 starts this season, the nine-year wing is averaging career highs of 24.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Plus, he’s shooting 45.8% from the floor and 34.1% beyond the arc.

According to a few NBA betting sites, the Knicks have 19th-ranked odds to win the championship. Some sportsbooks are giving the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks better odds of qualifying for the playoffs.

On Jan. 15, in the Knicks’ 117-104 win over the Detroit Pistons, Randle scored a season-high 42 points in 41 minutes of action. Along with tallying 15 boards, four dimes, and one block, the wing shot 15-of-24 (62.5%) from the field and hit four 3-pointers.

Moreover, Randle became the first Knicks player to record at least 40 points and 15 rebounds in a single game since Patrick Ewing in 1996. The Hall of Famer notched 41 points and 16 boards in a 100-97 win versus the Seattle SuperSonics on Jan. 19, 1996.

Randle’s four-year, $117.09 million contract he signed with the Knicks in August 2021 includes a 15% trade bonus, 2025-26 player option worth $29,462,400, and multiple incentives.

If the Kentucky product appears in at least 65 games and/or earns an NBA All-Defensive First or Second-Team selection, he will be eligible to receive another bonus.

In addition to Julius Randle, other East All-Star reserves include Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday, and Tyrese Haliburton.

New York’s Jalen Brunson did not make the All-Star team. However, the fifth-year guard was still a worthy candidate. He’s averaging career highs of 22.8 points, 6.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 34.6 minutes per game through 49 starts this season with the Knicks.

Brunson is also shooting a career-best 85.3% at the foul line. Not to mention, he’s logging 46.9% shooting from the field and 39.4% outside the arc. His player efficiency rating (20.1) and usage percentage (27.1%) are career highs as well.

Although Brunson has yet to receive his first All-Star selection, he’d probably much rather see the Knicks in the playoffs. With the former Dallas Maverick and Julius Randle healthy in the Big Apple, it’s possible.

Fifty-two games into the 2022-23 season, New York is 27-25 and ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks have not made the postseason since losing against the Hawks in five games during the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.