Knicks' Julius Randle has ankle surgery
Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) goes up for a shot against Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) during the first half of Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 12, 2023, in Miami. Credit: AP/Wilfredo Lee
When the Knicks' season came to an end in Miami in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Julius Randle made his way to the podium and was asked if his ankle had made a difference in his and the Knicks fortunes.
“No, I’m not one to make excuses,” Randle said.
But maybe he could have. The Knicks announced Saturday morning that Randle underwent successful arthroscopic surgery Friday on his left ankle. He will resume basketball activities later this summer and is expected to be ready for training camp.
Randle had been an iron man through the season, playing the first 77 games and ranking second at that point in total minutes played. But he suffered a sprained left ankle on March 29 against Miami and missed the final five games of the regular season.
He returned for Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs against Cleveland, but struggled, averaging 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3 assists against the Cavaliers after putting up 25.1 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in the regular season. He sat out the fourth quarter of the Knicks Game 4 win and then in Game 5 he injured the ankle again, playing just 16 minutes.
He missed the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against Miami but returned to play the next five games, averaging 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
While he has absorbed criticism for his postseason play and been the subject of conjecture whether the team should move on from him this summer, he clearly was limited by the ankle and after missing Game 1 of that series against the Heat, he pushed to get back in the lineup.
“Yeah,” Randle said after Game 2 when he put up 25 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in nearly 38 minutes. “There was no way I was sitting out of that one.
“It’s not really the pain, man. It’s just the getting back on the court. For me, it was not being able to do anything for a while. Getting my conditioning back . . . the recovery after, all while trying to nurse an injury. So mentally, it’ll take a toll on you. But my wife, my family, everybody in the organization — thankfully for me, I have a great supporting cast.”
When the series was over Randle was asked about his offseason plans, but at that time it was too soon.
“Yeah, whenever I get there,” he said. “Right now I’m not really in a place looking at the offseason as far what I got to improve on or whatever it is. Right now it’s recovery, spend time with my family, reevaluate everything and move forward.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
