Julius Randle has had a tough time this season gaining the trust of his coaching staff and earning consistent minutes. He makes his fair share of mistakes, and sometimes plays a little out of control instead of playing within himself. However, when given more minutes, he has shown the ability that made him a lottery pick, and has as much potential as anyone on the roster. He has gotten better throughout the season, and the Los Angeles Lakers would be wise to keep him on the roster.
Randle had to adjust to coming off of the bench for an extended stretch, as his coaches were looking for a way to shake up the lineup. He did not seem all that pleased with the change, but continued to play hard whenever on the court. His desire to get better is apparent, and he is always competing despite his team’s poor record. When given time, he has produced decent numbers and is a key building block for the future.
Randle had a strong run of games right before the All-Star break, and seems to have a better understanding of his role with the team. He battles consistently on the glass, and is now averaging double-digit rebounds on the season. He has improved his decision-making, and is becoming more confident with his outside shot. Randle still needs to work on his defense, but this is a problem for most younger players.
There are certainly some very good players on the trading block, and the Lakers do need to start looking at options to improve their roster. They have some intriguing assets that may interest other teams, although their best trade pieces are their young core with whom they should be building around. Randle has shown a lot of promise, and the Lakers should continue giving him consistent minutes to finish out the season. He has a lot of growing to do, but he looks like he could be an impact player in the future.
