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Don’t Forget About Julius Randle

by


Summer league was successful in accomplishing a few things. One was showing off the Lakers’ young talent and how the returning young guys had improved while giving us a first glimpse at the skill of the newly drafted kids. A second was allowing us to somewhat forget about Julius Randle.

I know. I know. This is an exaggeration. No one really forgot about Randle.

But I do believe there has been a bit of “out of sight, out of mind” going on with Julius. After all, we got to see Larry Nance, Jr. play really well before his hand injury. Nance flashed an improved jumper, an emerging “grab and go” game off the defensive glass, and a sharpening of his already strong defense. Nance’s development was happening in front of our eyes while Julius’ was going on in private workouts.

That is no longer the case, though. Randle has joined the Team USA training camp as part of the Select Team. He’s practicing, going through drills, and scrimmaging. He’s out there for everyone to see and is looking like an improved player. Or, at least he is in the short glimpses the public has been exposed to. For example, here he is working in one-on-one drills:

And here he is pulling the trigger on a long jumper in a scrimmage setting:

https://vine.co/v/5Z2twMg5xZz

Oh, and here he is running a nice P&R with D’Angelo Russell:

https://vine.co/v/5ZvVMirhdYi

I understand the caveats. These are short clips and really don’t show us much. Especially when considering these are controlled practice environments and not actual games.

But, I will say, these are things Randle will need to show during training camp, the preseason, and regular season this year. And the fact that he is showing them now — even if just in practice — heartens me and offers encouragement. Especially since some of these things — especially the confidence in taking the open jumper and the screen setting + hard rolls to the rim — are things we have noted he could improve on.

While Russell and Ingram — the two players selected #2 overall in their respective drafts — are most often referred to as the future of the Lakers, Randle should not be forgotten or dismissed. He remains super talented and possesses a unique skill-set for a player of his size and strength. We all understand improvement is needed, but at just 22 years old, I am a firm believer we will see strides made this season.

Lastly, while I truly believe in the potential of Russell and Ingram and think they can be a duo who propels the organization forward, it is Randle who I think can elevate the Lakers’ young core from potentially “great” to potentially “special”. I know I am higher on Randle than some, but when he really finds his game I see him as an ultra-productive PF who possesses an inside game with perimeter skills. Players with these skill-sets are just so rare and offer the type of positional versatility which enhances team building.

We will see if he can ever fulfill this potential, but some of the flashes of improvement this summer are a good start.


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Comments

  2. KenOak says

    I love watching Randle play. I’m with Darius on this in that if he can just show some improvements on defense and on his jumper….he can really be a special player in this league. And, why not? I’m just excited that our young core is getting to learn from and play against some of the best players that the NBA has to offer.

  3. FredP says

    The last game of the NBA finals was on June 16th.  It is one month later.  If Randle has already shown this much improvement, he may start being special as early as next season.  The growth of the young players this early in the offseason is very encouraging.

  4. smokedaddy says

    How’s this for a possible comp- Charles Barkley. Great strength, great speed and explosiveness, great hops, good passers for their position. great rebounders. Now, Barkley was a tremendous force of personality and also had a very good outside shot, which Randle does not quite have yet. Both are short for the PF position but have the bodies to really push around their opposite numbers or explode past them. I am trying to remember how long Chuck’s arms were but I know he was shorter than Julius by a good couple of inches. His rookie year, Charles was 22 vs 21 for Julius, averaged about 14 pts/game (vs 11 for Julius), shot 54.5% (vs 43% for JR), averaged 10.5 boards and 3 assists vs 11 and 2 for Juilius. They both sucked on D.  Both played 28 min/gm. So, yes, Chuck was better, mainly because his team ran the floor and he was a great, explosive finisher. But not that much better and he was a year older.

  5. MT87 says

    There were a lot of games last year that I watched just in case Randle took a defensive rebound coast to coast.  He is an exciting player with a ton of potential but he really really really needs to find his 3pt range if he is going to be a long-term starter.  Thankfully, the video coming out of Vegas is really encouraging on that front.

    Julius Randle’s shooting is probably the largest factor in how big a step forward this team can make next year.  He could totally fill Draymond Green’s role in the office playing pick-and-roll with dlo.  I really want to see Randle getting the ball at the three point line choosing how to attack a four-on-three.  He has the passing and the handle, he just needs the shooting in order to force the defense to rotate so he can attack closeouts and use his vision to find people instead of always running right through a set defense.

  6. MT87 says

    smokedaddy Totally agree on the comparison to Barkley, especially to the way they rebound and attack in transition.  Last year had some really unique circumstances (Kobe, Scott) that I think leaves some uncertainty about how well Julius and Dlo both could have played if everything had been a bit more sane.  I’m hoping Randle gets more opportunities to look like Barkley under Walton’s tenure.  I expect the whole team will be much more efficient this year without Kobe stopping the ball and soaking up the lion’s share of the shots.

  7. basquiatball says

    My biggest concern with developing all the young guys is that there’s so many of them it will be hard for everyone to get a fair amount of reps necessary to develop into the players they want to be. The list of young guys looking to make their name on this team. Russell, Clarkson, Randle, Ingram, Nance, Brown, Black and Zubacs will all be trying to craft their place, and the first 4 of  those guys will need a lot of touches to do it. It will be up to the coaching staff to help craft their roles in a complementary manner that benefits the whole….

    Having said that, I looked up the team’s usg%s from last year and Kobe’s 32% usg% retiring opens up a lot of touches, even with Ingram/Deng replacing him. With an actual system it may not be as much of an issue as it was last year.

  8. basquiatball says

    some times I like to say stuff then at the end explain why the stuff I just said didn’t need to be said

  9. matt24 says

    All randle has to do is fight every big in the and make everyone afraid of him, then he will be the next sir charles

  10. matt24 says

    According to Luke walton he likes to get everyone involved so the team functions better, last year was a mess and it was pretty much a rookie year for randle, this year they just gotta learn to play as a team, if randle played that well last year on the every man for himself team, imagine what he will be like when the team starts to gel and every one has a function.

  11. MT87 says

    basquiatball I liked it.  Both paragraphs are true, we just won’t find out which is more important until real games start.

  13. Altemawa says

    love this post, thanks DS.
    most of us focused on DAR and Ingram this past summer league, because Randle is not playing.
    i also feel the same way about Randle, on how he can elevate this team to another heights once he fulfill his potential. this USA select team will help him alot.
     when I saw those clips, i was more excited. with DAR/JC and Ingram taking it strong to the hoop, he will most likely find himself open. it will be wise to improve his shot from 3 or perimeter, when he goes on pick n pop plays, so he can slide inside or just drain the jumper. 
    but to have the biggest impact on our team, i think he could dedicate himself on getting the rebounds more and provide defensive leadership a la Draymond, we need someone who can consistently crash the boards, and provide some improved defense.

  15. Alexander_ says

    Barkley was whom I’ve associated Randle as well. Hope he will prove us and Darius right starting soon. As I had expected, he’s focused this summer on his core strength – his core strength! A nibble immovable wrecking ball of a man and rebounding machine with dribbling and shooting skills (under development), I expect great things from him, such as being the third all-star on the team, and possibly the first to get there. His 6’9/6’11 reach is a taller version of Chuck’s 6’5/6’9.

  16. KevTheBold says

    I’ve always been in awe of Randle’s speed, and power. It’s his decision making that concerned me.
    Now however I believe that Walton will adjust that issue. Or should I say, I hope so, and if so, he will truly become as dangerous as his potential.

  17. h david says

    thanks darius;  what a nice predication the lakers have at the power forward position and the possibilities they present when considering season long small ball play. 

    go lakers

  18. Clay Bertrand says

    basquiatball

    Insightful post!  I know what you mean and its a mild concern of mine also with everybody being able to get the quality minutes and touches they need to grow their individual games. 

    That 32% THIRTY-TWO PERCENT!!!!!) usage rate for Kobe may be the single most telling Statistic of all of last year.  Sometimes you can look at the halftime stats and there will be one GLARING item that stands out that explains the difference in the game. It can be assists, rebounds, free throws or three pointers made for example.  

    Similarly, this 32% usage explains a lot on many different levels IMO.  Kobe had a great career and huge successes but his last years were not worthy of his legacy as a whole. He was injured and had tons of mileage on his body by then.  But honestly, Kobe was so awful in his last year yet had such a high usage rate that merely NOT PLAYING this year will be like removing a large albeit benign tumor or a cyst from the Lakers offense AND defense.  

    Even with these young guys learning a new system and how to grow and play together, I expect to see a relative increase in efficiency on offense JUST BECAUSE the guy shooting 36% WON’T be used at the rate of 32% of the possessions this year.

    Not dumping on Kobe, but c’mon!!!  32% usage rate and you shoot 36% is borderline criminal!!!

  19. TommyYoung says

    Clay Bertrand basquiatball  if Kobe did not play, no one would have come to see the Lakers.  Kobe not only filled the seats at home but on the road and kept money coming in for the Laker Organization with merchandise sales….you may not have appreciated Kobe by with Lakers 20 years, but real Laker fans did

  21. LordMo says

    Needs a jumper no matter how much we wave the pom poms….
    LordMo still says the PF battle ain’t over yet I’m sure Nance will be working on his game too! He also has some unique skills and a motor…. Time will tell!