Knicks All-Star Forward Opts for Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

Following multiple months of attempting to rehab from a dislocated right shoulder, Knicks’ forward Julius Randle has reportedly opted to undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2023-24 season for New York. Randle's injury occurred on Jan. 27 against the Miami Heat. He was trying to finish a layup when he collided with Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., sending him to the ground. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Randle recently received consultation from “two specialists who warned of further injury and possible permanent damage to shoulder if he returned to play before a surgical procedure.” The loss of Randle is a massive blow to a Knicks squad that has been without two of their top-three players over the past two months, with OG Anunoby being sidelined since Mar. 16 with issues in his surgically repaired right elbow. 

Prior to action on Thursday, ahead of their matchup against the Kings at MSG, the Knicks currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 44-31 record, having lost their last three games. With seven games remaining, the Knicks are only two games separated from the Play-In Tournament as they will be faced with the task of securing a spot in the playoffs with their No. 2 option out for the season. With the two other go-to players off the court due to injuries, Jalen Brunson of the Knicks has found himself having to shoulder more of the weight for New York since Randle's injury. Brunson has scored 25 points or more in 20 games since late January. Miles McBride and Donte DiVincenzo have been the Knicks' other main sources of scoring to keep New York afloat in the standings. 

Before suffering his dislocated shoulder, Randle, 29, was having another productive season for a Knicks squad that has had aspirations of making a deeper run in the playoffs in recent seasons after being bounced in the first or second round in two of the past three seasons. In 46 games played this season, Randle was averaging 24 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, five assists, and was shooting 47.2%, which saw Randle be named to his third All-Star Game in the past four seasons. From Nov. 26 to Jan. 3, Randle had a streak of 20 straight games of scoring 20 or more points. With both Randle and Anunoby on the court, the Knicks had a 12-2 record and were the top defense in those 14 games played together. Without Randle for the rest of the season, Brunson and the Knicks will have a tough assignment to avoid another early playoff exit this postseason.