Julius Randle suffers potentially significant injury on awkward fall
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle suffered a potentially significant injury late in Saturday’s win over the Miami Heat.
Randle suffered a dislocated shoulder after an awkward fall late in the fourth quarter of a 125-109 win. The star forward was going to the basket when he got tangled up and fell to the court without much of a buffer. He was clearly in severe pain and was doubled over while clutching at his shoulder as he went to the locker room.
Hope Julius Randle is OK. 🙏
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 27, 2024
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported after the game that Randle is believed to have dislocated his shoulder, though an initial X-ray showed little damage. He will undergo an MRI later on Saturday.
The X-Ray didn’t show much damage, source said. An MRI is coming later tonight. https://t.co/KLj4nSnF2a
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 27, 2024
There is no indication of how much time Randle might miss, but one would expect it to be a few weeks even in a worst-case scenario. That is unfortunate timing for a Knicks team that has been surging of late, with Saturday’s win moving them up to fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Entering play Saturday, Randle was posting All-Star caliber numbers for the Knicks, averaging 24.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game on the season. One has to wonder if the Knicks might redouble some of their trade efforts if Randle is poised to miss significant time.
