To begin his young career, Julius Randle has shown the unique ability as a power forward to rebound and push the basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers. For basketball fans, it is reminiscent of Lamar Odom when he played for the Lakers from 2004-2011.
Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, the Lakers have their point guard of the future in Lonzo Ball. As a result, head coach Luke Walton currently wants Randle to find a point guard after he rebounds according to Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet:
Can Julius Randle still dribble ball after taking defensive board? "For now, no. If you're a 4 or 5 man, find a point guard," Walton said.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) September 28, 2017
While Randle's ability to go coast-to-coast is exciting, he still needs to improve his decision-making. Although Randle averaged 3.6 assists in his third season, Ball's pass-first mentality will allow him to fill the lanes in transition for easy opportunities.
Unlike the first three seasons, Randle has gotten in tremendous shape during the offseason. While the fourth-year forward has shown flashes of potential, his body transformation should allow him to play at a high level for longer stretches. As a result, Corey Brewer believes Randle will have a breakout season.
If Randle can take the next step, it will be interesting to see how it affects the decision-making process. It is no secret the Lakers are attempting to clear the necessary cap space to sign two max contract players in next year's free agency.
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