Only a season ago Julius Randle ranked among the least efficient shooters in the NBA.
Now he’s in the 3-point competition.
Randle was announced Thursday as a replacement for Saturday’s contest at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, where he’ll shoot against Dame Lillard, Jayson Tatum, Tyler Herro, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Kevin Huerter and Lauri Markkanen.
Randle replaced Portland’s Anfernee Simons, who injured his ankle in a game Tuesday. Randle’s selection at least partially made by convenience since he traveled to Salt Lake City anyway as an Eastern Conference All-Star.
It’s Randle’s second All-Star appearance in three years.
Randle ranks 10th in the NBA in total 3-pointers but is only connecting at a 33.8% clip, the least efficient of the eight competitors. That’s still an improvement from his 30.8% shooting from beyond the arc last season.
Randle shot a career-high 41.1% on 3-pointers in 2020-21. He’s the first Knick in the 3-point contest since Steve Novak in 2013.
Dating back to Trent Tucker in 1986, no Knick has finished above fourth in the competition.
Randle’s one of at least three Knicks headed to All-Star Weekend. Quentin Grimes is playing in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night after being drafted by Joakim Noah, one of the four coaches.
Jericho Sims is one of four Slam Dunk contest participants. His teammate Obi Toppin won the title last year.
Jalen Brunson is a top candidate for an All-Star injury replacement if either Jaylen Brown or DeMar DeRozan, who both sustained injuries recently, are unavailable.
MSG LAYOFFS
MSG Networks, the local TV home of the Knicks and Rangers, recently laid off in the neighborhood of 20 of its behind-the-scenes employees, including longtime producer Jeff Fillipi, the Daily News has learned.
Fillipi, a multi-time Emmy winner, had been with MSG Networks since 2005 and was elevated to Senior VP of Production and Programming.
The layoffs occur as Regional Sports Networks struggle across the country due to cord cutting and high expenses of broadcasting live sports. The owner of 19 Bally Sports regional networks, for instance, is on the verge of bankruptcy.
MSG Networks is still profitable, according to an earnings report released last week, but its operating income dropped $10.3 million, or 29%, in the last three months of 2022 compared to the previous year. As a result, MSG Entertainment announced a “cost reduction program” that “included targeted headcount reductions.”
In response to the challenges facing the cable TV model, MSG Networks is planning to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service this year.
An MSG Networks spokesperson declined to comment for this story.
MSG HIRE
The Garden tabbed a familiar name for its PR boss.
Jeremy Watkins, the son of James Dolan’s longtime PR adviser, was named Senior VP of Communications of MSG Sports on Thursday.
Watkins, who was serving as a consultant to MSG, replaces Patrick Rees, who lasted less than a year in that executive role. Rees followed Patrick Sandusky’s stint of about 1 ½ years.
Barry Watkins, who is Jeremy’s father, ran MSG communications for two decades and was the company’s Chief Communications Officer.
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