After dealing with the trade rumors at an all-time high, the two-time all-star player is now okay with it. Julius Randle is well aware of where he stands and the reason for his trade to the Knicks. However, Randle has evolved to be the undisputed leader and full-time face of New York Knicks basketball.

Even after all this criticism for his gameplay against Miami last season, it hasn’t left him alone for a moment since. Well, the first person on that critic list is Stephen A. Smith. Well, the ‘Joel Embiid’ trade rumors are here to support the criticism, indeed.

Stephen A. Smith and the Constant Scuffle With Julius Randle

It’s no secret that the player is often in the headlines. Not because of his gameplay, but due to his lack of ambidextrous skills, as pointed out by Stephen A. Smith. And that is the reason Smith is too quick to vouch for his trade from the Knicks.

The analyst/talk show host is a die-hard fan of the Knicks, and being from the same heartland, he has an extra fondness for the team. Apart from showering hate comments on the player, Stephen A. didn’t hesitate to call out the decisions made by the head coach last season.

Well, tonight it’s a different side of the expert with Randle just in front of him.

From calling him ‘disgusting’, to making statements that said Karl Anthony Town is much better than Randle, Smith is always criticizing his performance. However, in an interaction just before the game against the Boston Celtics, Randle confronted him.

When asked about ‘what do you need to improve on’, Randle Cross questioned the analyst himself. In the reply, it was astonishing to see Stephen A. for once not criticizing the player but rather asking him to ‘punish these guys’. Randle’s reply, “I don’t know Stephen A… What you got, Coach Smith?” startled the fans.

No matter how confident Randle might sound, the question is, “Is he worried about the recent trade rumors?”

Knicks asking for Joel Embiid in exchange for Julius Randle?

If and when Joel Embiid decides to take an exit from the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks are ready to ask for a trade. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer dropped the bomb, which is not good news for the 28-year-old player.

If we are to dig a little deeper, then the highlight is that Leon Rose is the Knicks’ president and a former agent of Joel Embiid. Although Julius Randle seems to shrug off these rumors, he needs to amp up his game this season.

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Well, the road is long for the player. In his 24 minutes on the hardwood, Randle has a total of 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Although the franchise lost to the Celtics by a 4-point margin, the defense took a toll tonight.

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What do you feel about tonight’s performance? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.