It would sure be nice to still have Julius Randle right about now.
Julius Randle was spectacular in his lone season in New Orleans, averaging 21.4 PPG on 60% True Shooting (four percentage points above the league average) in 30.6 minutes per game.
The problem with this signing is not what the Pelicans did do. It’s what they didn’t do. They didn’t guarantee Randle’s services for more than a year. And as a result, he flocked to New York in the offseason after a richer opportunity presented itself.
In the 2018 offseason, New Orleans brought Randle in on a two-year, 18-million dollar deal that included a second-year player option. (which he, of course, exercised in order to sign with New York).
Yes, hindsight is 20/20, and we don’t know if Randle comes to New Orleans at all if that player option isn’t included; but even with those factors in mind, you’re getting a former lottery pick in his age-24 season. As a small market team, you need to do everything you can to lock him down on a multi-year deal.