Julius Randle leadership an issue?

One source believes locker-room leadership has started to become an issue. Randle is not a born leader, self-admittedly the quiet type, as is Derrick Rose. Other leadership candidates would be hard-pressed to be the team’s motivational speaker: Kemba Walker, banished from the rotation; Evan Fournier, the struggling French newcomer not known as an orator; Taj Gibson currently out of the playing mix. It’s up to Randle to lift this group out of the doldrums and one source said the forward can occasionally be a loner in the locker room. Randle, for certain, is moody with the media.
Source: Marc Berman @ New York Post

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Marc Berman @NYPost_Berman
#Knicks could use 2020-21 version of Julius Randle – as a leader too #Bucks #NBA nypost.com/2021/12/11/kni… – 8:13 AM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
feel like it’s late enough that i can admit i want to be a Cavs fan this season but i will fall on my orange & blue shield before i ever bend the knee.Z. call me Randle Tarly. – 4:26 AM Fred Katz @FredKatz
RJ Barrett says on the late possession when he kicked to Randle for an open 3, he was gonna stop, turn and go up, but then he saw Randle open and decided to kick out. Called it a “phenomenal” look for Randle.
“I’m taking that shot every time at the end of the game,” he says. – 10:35 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Julius Randle has his 3rd game this season with less than 10 shot attempts.
He had 1 such game the whole of last season. pic.twitter.com/KdiDchwCU0 – 9:55 PM Fred Katz @FredKatz
Final: Raptors 90, Knicks 87.
Knicks fall to 12-14 on the season, now 12th in the East. Next up: the Bucks on Sunday.
• Toppin 19 & 10
• Barrett 19 & 6
• Randle 13-14-5
• Trent 24 pts
• VanVleet 17-6-11
Knicks shoot 36 percent from the field, 27 percent from deep. – 9:52 PM Fred Katz @FredKatz
Randle missed the shot, but I’m surprised Barrett pulled up short of the rim there. He had all the momentum and Knicks didn’t necessarily need a 3. Not like he read Randle and found him. He stopped, then looked back to make a decision. – 9:49 PM Brian Geltzeiler @BGeltzNBA
RJ Barrett needs to attack the basket front the restricted area to tie the game. Kicking out to Randle for a three there was not the prudent decision… – 9:49 PM Fred Katz @FredKatz
Man. Raptors played that perfectly. Siakam hounded Randle and they timed the double team perfectly. – 9:47 PM Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Siakam gives Randle nothing in the post, Fred picks off, Scottie to the races. Very nice – 8:28 PM Steve Popper @StevePopper
Robinson out of the game and the Knicks go with Obi-Randle frontcourt. – 8:14 PM Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Raptors now up 30-10 and could be even more. Ball’s moving nicely, attacking at will and creating open looks. Really like the way Siakam has held his own on Randle post-ups. – 8:00 PM

More on this storyline

“When you look at the team, there really isn’t an outspoken leader,’’ one NBA source said. “You look at every team in the NBA, they have an outspoken leader. Is there an outspoken leader or is everyone being too respectful to each other and not wanting to voice their opinion?’’ Tom Thibodeau isn’t shy about voicing his opinion on anything but sometimes a winning group needs more than the head coach in the players’ ears. Thibodeau actually prefers leadership by example more than speeches from his core players. “We want a team of leaders,’’ Thibodeau said after Saturday’s practice. -via New York Post / December 12, 2021 Fred Katz: Tom Thibodeau said in his postgame press conference that “there may be more changes coming,” but he did not specify what. Doesn’t necessarily mean lineup changes. Could mean schematic stuff, too. But it’s something to watch for. -via Twitter @FredKatz / December 4, 2021 Fred Katz: Julius Randle: “We gotta look ourselves in the mirror and decide what we want the season to be. I know what I want it to be. I know what the guys want it to be. But we have to commit to it.” -via Twitter @FredKatz / December 4, 2021