After a strong few games to start to the season, Julius Randle’s effectiveness has been as up and down as you might expect from a 20 year old player who, while technically in his 2nd season, is essentially a rookie. Players at his age rarely come into the league and dominate, instead they rely on the best parts of their game to try to work their way through and hope it is enough to remain effective against an unforgiving league that feasts on players’ weaknesses.
Randle is no different, using his quick first step and off the dribble work to get into the paint where he can finish over, around, and through opponents. Some nights, this works wonderfully. Other nights, especially when facing disciplined defenders with length, not as much. Based on this early trend, the obvious next steps to improving his chances against defenses loading up on his drives is to develop a reliable enough jumpshot to make defenders think twice about sagging off him to wall off the paint.
To Randle’s and the Lakers’ credit, they understand this quite well and are formulating a plan to do just that. From the OC Register’s Bill Oram:
Next summer Randle will be asked to unlearn the shot he has always had and start focusing on things as fundamental as forming an “L” with his elbow.
“I’m just not sure if he knows how much work it’s going to take to do it,” Murray said.
Randle said his jump shot is more or less the one that first took shape when his playing career began in youth leagues in suburban Dallas.
“It was just learned everywhere I’ve gone,” Randle said. “I haven’t done anything where I’ve changed my shot dramatically. Little things, getting rotations on the ball, getting lift, legs, all that stuff.”
If Murray is successful with his renovation project, Randle’s wild jumper will be replaced with a carefully constructed shot. The Lakers believe it could make Randle one of the most versatile forwards in the NBA and a potential All-Star.
As Oram cites in the earlier part of his article (which is detailed and very much worth your time), the Lakers coaches and analytics team has data showing that Randle does good work with his jumper off the dribble, but his catch and shoot attempts or jumpers taken from a standstill when his man plays off him are lacking. To be the best version of himself, Randle will need to develop this part of his game.
As noted, though, this will take a ton of work. When I watch Randle shoot, I see a quick motion that has a slight hitch at the top of his release. There are times where he looks to be aiming his shot rather than shooting it with one clean, fluid motion. Breaking down this motion and rebuilding it isn’t a small task, but it can be done. The Lakers coaches cite Blake Griffin and Karl Malone as examples, but there are more littered throughout the history of the league.
The good news is that Randle is known to be a hard worker who takes to what he is being taught. If he can grasp the nuance of an improved shooting form, he and the Lakers will reap major rewards in the form of made shots or tighter defensive pressure which will open up more driving lanes. For now, though, Randle will continue to try to make incremental improvements and live off the strength of his ability to get to his spots off the dribble and finish in the paint.
Oshomha. says
An improved jumper would work wonders for him and the Lakers in the long run. We need to get him, Clarkson and Russell on the right track. And hire a really good coach.
Todd says
Clearly Randle needs work on his jumper to open up the floor for his ability to take it to the hoop. Defenders having to respect his perimeter game will open up lanes for Clarkson and Russell as well.
But, again the thought of a major building block having to re-design a major component of his game is another data point in the ‘the Lakers are several years away from competing’ reality.
Look, we’re in year three of this and we haven’t made much progress. I want to move forward as soon as possible. If that means losing a lot this year so we can lose less next year so be it.
teamn says
Good to see the use of analytics and video to help drive improvements.
Todd — I hear you on your last point. I’m just not sure anymore what year I think we’re in anymore. In some ways year one, in others, year three; unfortunately, reality may be that next year is year one (Post Kobe if you will).
Hale says
Good luck seeing a new motion lock in until late Summer/early Fall. It’s extremely difficult to set a new default. I do like how he’s seemed to incorporate his right hand a little more in recent weeks and launching 18 footers as well. I’d like to see him get more picks that allow him to get to the paint with options. If Metta in part is on the team for his benefit then I prefer that defense be what he absorbs the most.
Enough Caracter’s, Ebank’s, etc. Need someone who going to stick and thrive. The table setting will soon change and it’s up to Russell, Randle and Clarkson to set the old lion down the table since the coach won’t do so. Kind of like Holmes vs Ali.
rollins says
His shot looks okay to me. Just doesn’t go in.
rr says
Yeah, I said last week that this is actually Year 0.
As to Randle’s jumper, we will see what happens.
Tra says
While he’s at it, hopefully he can continue to improve his right hand. An improved jumper and further development of his weak hand should be packaged together. IMO, with solid coaching/teaching along the way, there’s a possibility that these 2 aspects of his game (proper shooting form and a strong off hand) could have been more advanced than they currently are. Where as the learning curve wouldn’t be as steep.
Drrayeye says
Great analysis, but I’d be happiest to see him further develop his defensive prowess right now–that can happen, game by game, this season.
Developing that shot will be measured in years.
Anonymous says
The Lakers have had Randle for 18 months now and they just deciding to rework his jump shot mechanics?
This is another example of how far the Lakers have to go. If the FO was more settled and a solid coach was in place then there would be a philosophy in place and issues such as this would have been identified in last year’s summer league.
The Lakers always seem to be a day late and a dollar short.
Vasheed says
I guess we don’t want to ruin our play off hopes by fixing his jumper now instead of next summer? =/
Chearn says
Hale-I agree that Randle’s focus this season should be at the defensive end along with “Grabbing every rebound” like Charles Barkley for easy buckets for others that provide him opportunities to explore driving to the rim and utilizing his current strong point. One step or gained skill set at a time.
Early in the preseason and during the first games, Julius acquired steals in the open court that he converted into dunks for easy points. A few games in, he started concentrating on scoring. Randle needs to comprehend that preventing the other team from scoring is just as demoralizing to the opposing team as scoring on them, and it benefits his team with added opportunities to win games.
matt says
Off topic, free agency, lakers will have over 50 million to spend on free agents 2016, their main needs starting center, small forward, and shooting guard, top free agents, my estimate price, most likely not that accurate, durant sf 25 mil, beal sg 20 mil, drummond c 20 mil, derozan sg 17 mil, horford c 15 mil, Whiteside c 15 mil, h.barnes sf 12 mil, Jefferson c 12 mil, clarkson sg 9 mil, hibbert c 9 mil, mozgov c 9 mil, noah c 8 mil, deng sf 8 mil, e. Turner sf 7 mil. ,,,no matter what happens they gotta spend it on someone.
matt says
Also to note if durant leaves okc, not many contenders have cap room, clippers, warriors, spurs, and cavs are capped,
Patrick Lanigan says
Anonymous is right. What an abomination this coaching staff is. They didn’t think that Randle’s year long injury rehab was an opportune time to have him work on his shot (or his right hand)? Good luck with teaching a player a new shooting form once they’ve already reached the NBA. I’m sure that’ll work out great…
BigCitySid says
– Just read Baxter Holmes latest piece on Kobe and the Lakers…and it’s a very sad state of affairs.My take on the piece, as per Coach Scott, is Kobe will play regardless of how bad he’s performing. As an individual w/ pride, can that be acceptable to Kobe? Time will tell.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14237963/los-angeles-lakers-coach-byron-scott-says-bench-kobe-bryant-poor-play
Bobe Kryant says
What about Kobes shot – can Tracy Murray fix it?
KevTheBold says
Maybe it’s my imagination, but since Murray’s arrival, D’Angelo’s shot is not as elegant, nor as accurate.
Too bad Cash, I mean Nash decided to abandon us; his knowledge would have been invaluable.
Robert says
Patrick/Ano: You are both correct. How in the world can we let all this time go by and only now realize that Randle’s shot needs adjustment. Incredible !
Drrayeye: Wow. I knew we drafted a “19 year old kid” who was not NBA ready at #2, but now you are telling me we drafted a multi year project at #7?
rr/Todd: Year 3 indeed, but rr is correct – effectively it is year zero. Maybe even minus one. Let’s see what the starting point is this next summer. We know we are down a pick or two in the next couple years, we know our coaching situation is up in the air, and we have multiple years left with Lou and Nick. Sounds like year minus one to me.
teamn: No – sorry to disagree, but year 1 is 2017-2018.
LordMo says
Yes friends…just not looking good in Lakerland right now. Unbelievable and inexcusable really. Had to know day one about the shot. He should have been shooting a 1000 jumpers a day from day one! My fear is we start thinking this kid is a super star player. We have yet to see if he can become a solid NBA level player. Sigh…put Clarkson back at the 1. Sign Derozan for the 2. Russell needs time and for his body to develop he looks like a kid out there right now. Demar becomes the focal of the offense with Clarkson & hopefully Randle your 3 main scorers. Add the right pieces could have something there!
The Dane says
WHY did they not start work on this while he was in rehab??? Your jumper is one of the few things you can actually work on.
matt says
Blake Griffin was a terrible shooter about 2 years ago now he’s pretty good, if randle can improve at that rate he will be a great all around power forward
matt says
Also as stated above lakers are looking good for the next free agents, if they retain the top 3 pick that makes them prime for a big turn around, a top pick and about 45 mil in cap space. Like i said before management deserves a little credit for what they are setting us up for.
matt says
Some of these other teams were impatient and signed adverage players to big contracts, only to just make the playoffs, our FO didn’t do that.
rr says
Some of these other teams were impatient and signed adverage players to big contracts, only to just make the playoffs, our FO didn’t do that.
—
This is the Aaron argument, and I have three basic issues with it:
1. Most teams, except for a few teams that already have loaded rosters, will have cap space over the next two years. With Kobe and Hibbert coming off the books, the Lakers will have more money than most of those teams, but whether they will be able to leverage it is a very open question. Also, FAs the Lakers might look at and that might look at the Lakers over the next 2-3 years—Westbrook, DeRozan, George, Griffin—are all running their odometers hard right now and are in pretty good situations where they are.
2. Average players have value, and can be used as infrastructure to draw FAs and as chips to make deals. They are not always a straitjacket.
3. The Lakers actually did commit 42M and seven combined years to Young and Williams, so it is not as if they have no questionable deals on the books.
I said last year that one way to look at the Lakers is that to get back into contention, they will have to have as many things go right over the next four years as have gone wrong over the last four. In addition to the questionable coaching hires and some questionable personnel moves, the Lakers have had four catastrophic events/mistakes affecting the core of the roster/franchise:
The Veto
The Nash deal
Kobe’s Achilles injury
Howard walking
So, they will probably need something huge going their way—like winning this year’s lottery and Ben Simmons being nearly as good as LeBron James—to get back into contention any time relatively soon. Even if they start being smart, that won’t be enough. They will need luck and timing as well.