New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau does not rule out playing Julius Randle at center

Isaiah Hartenstein's departure to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Mitchell Robinson's history of injuries could cause the New York Knicks to have a problem with their center position in the 2024/25 season. Therefore, Tom Thibodeau is exploring possible solutions, and one of them seems to involve using Julius Randle as the '5', requiring him to contribute more defensively and in rebounding than he typically does. 

Thibodeau explained in an interview with veteran journalist Steve Aschburner, published on NBA.com, that the center position will likely need to be a collective effort. "We'll probably do it by committee," the coach said, suggesting that the team will need to consider various options to fill that role. The flexibility of the New York Knicks allows for experimenting with different lineups, including occasional use of Randle as a center.

Occasional Center

While the idea of Randle being the primary interior player is appealing strategically, Thibodeau pointed out that he does not plan to keep the player in that position for extended periods. The concern that the physical demands may affect his long-term performance is one of the main reasons. However, the coach believes that Randle could effectively play the center role for stretches of 10 to 15 minutes per game.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau no descarta colocar a Julius Randle de pívot