Breaking: Julius Randle to undergo season-ending surgery

The New York Knicks announced on Thursday, April 4, that three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. The franchise has set a re-evaluation date five months from now, next September.

After having two lackluster postseason runs in which he averaged just 17.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 3.7 APG on 34.4% shooting from the field and 28.3% shooting from three, there was an immense amount of pressure on Randle to come through and have a good, if not great, postseason this year. And through January, it looked like it could come to fruition.

Randle, who had reinvented himself and changed his game into one that was more predicated on driving and getting into the paint, was in the midst of another terrific season, averaging 24 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 5 APG while shooting 47.2% from the field, was his highest mark since becoming a Knick.

Sadly, for Randle, the Knicks, and the fans though, any hopes of the forward making a triumphant return for the postseason and, likely any hopes of a deep playoff run, have been put to rest with the unfortunate news that the All-NBA forward would be undergoing season-ending surgery on the shoulder he injured against the Miami Heat on January 27th.

Randle, in an attempt to come back this season and help the team out, was reportedly doing everything he could during what was a relentless rehab process to avoid needing surgery. Specialists though warned Randle and the team of worsening the injury and even potentially permanently damaging it were he to return without a procedure.

Getting the surgery now should allow for a full recovery and a return around the start of the 24-25 season, but it remains a colossal hit to a Knicks team that had hopes of potentially making a deep playoff run after getting out to a 12-2 start with both Randle and OG Anunoby.