Julius Randle already has proven he can be an inside-out scorer. The Knicks’ highest-paid player hasn’t proven he can be a leader, defender or even a winner.

Armed with a whopping three-year, $63 million contract, the Knicks’ expected starting power forward spoke candidly about his new role as a leader during Monday’s media day.

“My biggest goal is make everyone around me better,’’ Randle said. “Scoring 20 points, that’s not the hard part for me. I want to make everyone better and be an extension of the coach.’’

It was not too long ago Randle was not talking about leadership but trying to change an image as a Lakers draft bust.

The 2014 lottery pick out of Kentucky resuscitated his career last season with the Pelicans, who struggled through a controversy-laden 33-49 campaign amid the cloud of Anthony Davis’ trade demand.

“I embrace it,’’ Randle said of his new role. “You have to have compassion for guys. Not being a leader by saying, ‘You do this, you do that.’ Guys can look at you and say you lead by example.”

The Knicks lost their leader from last season’s 17-65 club, Lance Thomas, who was not re-signed and jumped to the Nets.

“He was very vocal today,’’ Knicks coach David Fizdale said of Randle after Tuesday’s initial practice. “He does a lot by example. The way he works, the way he goes about getting in early, staying late, coming back in at night. Just even in our conditioning tests, he ran extra next to Mitchell [Robinson] to help pull him through. He’s not talking, he’s just doing.”

As solid a character guy as Thomas is, his game never matched up to that status. It is a better conduit to have Randle as the Knicks’ general because he’s also expected to be their best player.

Nevertheless, Randle has never been in the playoffs in his five seasons. His most successful team — the 2017-18 Lakers — finished 12 games under .500. He’s also not known as a defender.

“I’ve heard it before, but I’m not here to take what other people have judged guys on,’’ Fizdale said. “I’ve got to coach him to be his best. And that’s all I care about, making all these guys the best defensive players they can be.’’

Randle’s biggest priority is bringing along Robinson, the Knicks’ second-year starting center. A frontcourt of Randle-Robinson could be intriguing: a great defender paired with a standout offensive force.

In the FiveThirtyEight website’s new DRAYMOND defensive analytic — based on opponents’ shooting data and named after Warriors defensive stalwart Draymond Green — Randle ranked 190th of 292 eligible players. Robinson was second.

“Mitch has no clue how talented he is, how good he can be,’’ Randle said. “Me being a leader of this team, I’m definitely going to push him to max his potential. I’m extremely excited to play with him day in, day out. He’s so long and athletic and gets into guys on the defensive end.”

While Robinson has not developed anything beyond an alley-oop/putback game on offense, Randle drifted to the outside slightly more to make 34.4 percent of his 3-point shots last season after failing to shoot above 30 percent in his first four years.

The 6-foot-9 lefty had been known as a beastly inside guy and Fizdale said Randle will play some center. After averaging 21.8 points and 8.7 rebounds last season, Randle wants to continue shooting a little more from deep.

“[Fizdale] wants it to be even more part of my game,’’ Randle said. “Heading into summer, it’s something I worked extremely hard on to keep improving. Last year was a great opportunity for me to display my shooting ability and along with that came confidence. It definitely will be part of my game. But I know what my bread and butter is and what makes me who I am as a player.’’