Julius Randle is playing an increasingly prominent role at the Los Angeles Lakers and shows the Front Office why he should be one of the building blocks in rebuilding the traditional franchise. There are even words of praise from Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki.
The first game after the All-Star Break was a special one for Julius Randle. The Dallas-born Power Forward played the fifth triple-double (18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) of his career in the home game against the Mavericks – in the current season it was his first.
Against the Mavs Randle always seems to be very motivated. He improved his already improved numbers this year (14.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists) in the last two duels against Dallas, he increased his score by a considerable margin (24.5,11.5,4.5).
After last Friday’s match, Dirk Nowitzki also went on to praise his opponent for his strong performance:”He plays well. We tried to take the ball away from him or lure him into a trap, but every time he catches the ball, he turns into a beast.”
And indeed, Randle delivered an impressive all-around performance at the Staples Center that night. He demonstrated how valuable he can be for the Lakers’ game – on both sides of the court.
In Los Angeles it has been known for years that Randle is a good rebounder – as in the last two years he leads his team on the boards. He is not known as a shot blocker, but this year he shows that he has other tremendously important skills in defense.
At the end of November 2017, for example, when the Lakers involved the Warriors in an OT battle, Randle showed on the biggest stage that he could switch pick-and-roll. In the said matchup there were several sequences in which he played successful lockdown defense against Steph Curry or Kevin Durant. Even though Randle doesn’t bring a big man with him, this year he is one of the reasons why the Lakers have been able to increase their team defenses tremendously.
In addition, Randle shows more and more that he can also have great influence on the offensive. He has always scored double-digit points in the last 17 games, and over the season he scores an impressive 56.1 percent from the field.
But the fact that Randle is actually part of the roster in L. A. beyond the trade deadline at all. seemed uncertain for a long time. Despite his development over the past few months, he has had a hard time in the team for a long time. His playing time fluctuated, which also had to do with the fact that coach Luke Walton thought he was able to incite him to do so.
Rand’s contractual situation does not make things any easier either. The 23-year-old’s working paper expires in the summer. By the end of October last year, the Lakers would have had to make him an offer to extend the expiring deal prematurely.
If President Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka want to hold the Lakers’ first-round pick of 2014 in Los Angeles, they can only negotiate with him again in June. Then Randle will be allowed to apply for other offers as a Restricted Free Agent.
Up until the last few hours of the last Trade Deadline, Rand’s name appeared in rumours, on the one hand as a potential countervalue for a first-round pick, and on the other hand as a “goodie” for a team that would take up Jordan Clarkson’s expensive contract. As you know, the Lakers really did thread a Clarkson-Trade at the end – but Larry Nance Jr. went in. to Cleveland.
After it was clear that Randle would finish the season in purple and gold, he spoke to ESPN reporter Ohm Youngmisuk about his future:”I love playing here. I love our coaching staff and my teammates. We are constantly evolving and have something good going on here. But the front office will do what they think is best. It’s out of my hands, but I’d like to stay here.”
Randle continues to collect arguments for this and the Lakers have also increased enormously in recent weeks as a team. Since the beginning of the year, 15 of their last 22 games have won. After a weak start to the season, the shape curve is clearly pointing upwards, even if the Lakers can no longer intervene in the race for the play-off places.
Nevertheless, the current season is a clear step in the right direction. After the four most disastrous years of franchise history in which only 91 victories were achieved, coach Luke Walton now has a young team with plenty of development potential to win games.
In the team there are again competitive situations. Everyone has to prove themselves and show that the Lakers will need him if they want to be contender again. Randle, who of course is also playing around with a new treaty, seems to have understood and accepted this challenge.
The Lakers have a positive record throughout the season when Randle is in the Starting Five. He is also one of the nine players in the league with a true shooting percentage of over 60 percent at a minimum usage rate of 25 percent – and was the only one of those nine who did not make it into the All-Star teams.
Only Anthony Davis, LaMarcus Aldridge, Enes Kanter and Karl-Anthony Towns are more efficient in offensive rebound putbacks. From the post office Randle meets 50 percent of his litters and is only behind Towns, Kanter and Joel Embiid.
The big question in the city of angels remains, however, how things will continue in summer. Beats L. A. in the Free Agency and is actually able to recruit stars like Paul George and/or LeBron James? And would Randle fit in playfully on the one hand and on the other hand in terms of salary?
With his performances in his third “real” NBA season (he only played half a game in the rookie year) Randle has certainly delivered the best arguments for an extension. If Johnson and Pelinka are not willing to give him an expensive contract, he will certainly get some offers. The Dallas Mavericks, who could bring Randle back to his homeland, are traded as a possible prospect.
There are still gaps in the 23-year-old’s game – above all, the low distance throw (22.5 percent 3FG). But he is also so talented in other areas that you can easily see a future star in him. Its combination of strength, touch and athletics is also rare in the NBA. A beast.