Julius Randle couldn’t be more different in second Knicks season

Julius Randle’s answers on Zoom are short. He’s not auditioning to be a thoughtful orator like he was last season — his first as a Knick.

Is Randle disappointed media and fans have viewed him as a trade chip for a star? A turnover-prone scoring forward who dribbled too much last season and didn’t make his teammates, including RJ Barrett, better?

Randle certainly took umbrage. And that may have been further exacerbated by the notion his minutes may be in jeopardy because of the drafting of another power forward at No. 8 overall, Obi Toppin.

Indeed, Randle has seemed a touch surly with his one-to-three-word Zoom answers. Maybe he just doesn’t like Zoom.

But on the court, Randle is speaking volumes. He’s been a monster — a much-improved, slimmed-down, smarter wrecking ball.

With the Knicks off to a 1-2 start and embarking on a four-game road trip starting Tuesday in Cleveland, Randle has enjoyed three golden games — averaging 23.7 points, 10 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

All-Star numbers.

Knicks forward Julius Randle dribbling against the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sunday. NBAE via Getty Images

Randle is still listed at 250 pounds, but his work in Dallas during the pandemic has appeared to reduce that figure.

“Go into the summer, improve and come back better,” Randle said when asked about his season’s first three games.

In the Knicks’ season-opening loss Wednesday against the Pacers, Randle posted nine assists. The coaching staff believes if Randle didn’t get in foul trouble late in the third quarter, the Knicks may have pulled out the game. They fell apart after he departed.

In the stunning 130-110 Garden rout of the Bucks on Sunday, Randle gave Giannis Antetokounmpo all he could handle. Randle’s final count: 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

Toppin? The rookie missed his second straight game and could be out another two weeks with a calf strain. Even when he played, Toppin looked like he had a lot to figure out about how to score inside like he did at Dayton.