Report: Lakers concerned with how Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell handle criticism

D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle are both unquestioned when it comes to talent, but the Lakers are more concerned over a certain serious area.

Heading into the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers face a critical stretch that could have a great impact on the future of the franchise.

Much of this lies on the shoulders of their young core that is yet to show that they can carry the team to success following a fourth consecutive losing season. In light of that, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report is reporting that the Lakers still have plenty of internal questions surrounding both D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle.

“There is still a lot to like about both Russell and Randle as well, but there are also ongoing questions about how well they take criticism, according to team sources. Lakers head coach Luke Walton entered the season asking Russell to be less of a know-it-all and more of a leader for the group, while he hoped Randle would emulate Draymond Green in using every perceived slight as motivation. Though both players improved their games, neither advanced as far as Walton had hoped. Russell was inconsistent with his professionalism, and Randle often lost messages given to him if they were delivered harshly.”

In his first two seasons as a professional, Russell faced many questions concerning his maturity and leadership skills. In fact, he has yet to take a significant jump in that department. Although his performance improved, the lack of consistency on the court along with the team's struggles tested his leadership ability throughout another grueling season.

Randle also saw improvement in his individual game, but that didn't translate to reliable play on a nightly basis. There were often games where he struggled to stay focused and energized on the court that led to head coach Luke Walton coming down hard on the former first-round pick.

Randle was one of the team's bright spots, but his lack of ability to respond to criticism didn't allow for him to take his game to another level. He has shown to possess a unique skill set that could draw some comparison to Draymond Green as he posted three of his four career triple-doubles this past season.

What this report indicates more than anything else is that the Lakers have their fair share of concerns for the two first-round selections that could grow to the team possibly looking to trade them away if there no improvements in these areas.