Julius Randle has entered All Star conversation after rough Knicks start

PHILADELPHIA — Julius Randle has a hefty All Star incentive but, after failing to place among the top fan vote getters in the first returns, the power forward swore he neither knew about the amount of the bonus nor cared. “I didn’t even know. I swear on my sons,” Randle said. “I knew I got a bonus, something north of a million.

But you think I’m focusing on that?” The bonus is almost $1.3 million, according to Spotrac, a haul and a half for regular folks but only about 5 percent of Randle’s $25.7 million base salary. “I’m making pretty good money,” Randle said. Fair enough. Still, Randle may very well get that bonus.

He’s certainly in the All Star conversation after a rough start to the season, embracing an efficient offensive style predicated on bullying into the paint and finishing. He entered Friday’s matchup against the Sixers on a production binge, averaging 29.3 points on 55.1 percent shooting in his previous 15 games.

He also carried into Philly a 19 game streak of scoring at least 20 points. The 29 year old power forward, the oldest player in the Knicks’ rotation, is in a good space mentally on his roller coaster stint with the Knicks. “I just think I’m at a point in my career where obviously I want to play the best basketball in my career,” he said Friday.

“I want to continue to get better. I’m in the mindset of just I’m enjoying each moment. This is my 10th year in the league, and you go through phases in your career where you’re trying to establish yourself or you’re trying to prove something. And, for me, I’m only proving something to myself every night.” Of course, Randle has always been happy with the Knicks when he plays well.

Issues surfaced when he struggled — especially during the 2021 22 season and the 2023 playoffs — as frustration spilled into poor body language. But he certainly handled a potential disappointment well with the fan voting, with Randle receiving fewer votes than players such as Kyle Kuzma, Mikal Bridges and Kristaps Porzingis.

About two weeks remain until the voting is complete, and, assuming he’s not named a starter, Randle could still be chosen by the coaches as a reserve. That was always his most likely course to the Feb. 16 game in Indianapolis. After all, the Eastern Conference frontcourt starters are virtually locked up for Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.

But the fan voting is a sign of popularity. And Randle said he wasn’t bothered by not appearing on the fan voting list. Updates on the fan voting will be announced Jan. 11 and Jan. 18. The starters are announced Jan. 25. “The fans who do vote for me, I appreciate it,” Randle said. “At the end of the day, I play to win games, win basketball games, my job is to win as many games as possible, try to win the championship.

I’ve always said the personal accolades, they come with all of that. That’s really not my focus. “I’ve always been on the list though, bro,” added Randle, who has twice been an All Star with the Knicks (in 2021 and 2023). “I’m sure in a week or two, it’ll change. It’s just the nature of how these things go.

But like I said, it’s not really my focus.” Even if he doesn’t get that $1.3 million, Randle has another — and probably more likely — incentive in his contract. He gets about $1.3 million if he plays in at least 65 games and makes the playoffs. That’s looking like a parlay payout for Randle, who hasn’t missed a game this season and is excited about the open paint created by the acquisition of floor spacer OG Anunoby.

“If they do double team [me now], like our spacing is so well and guys are in the right place that if there is a double team, my reads out of the double team are a lot easier because our spacing is there,” he said..