Julius Randle gave the Los Angeles Lakers every fighting chance to keep him in purple and gold, but the second-most accoladed franchise in the league had other plans in mind. It took Randle some time to come to odds with his relationship with the franchise, ultimately resulting in the Lakers renouncing his rights and allowing him to be an unrestricted free agent.

Randle was still hopeful he could secure a deal with the Lakers after breaking out and becoming the undisputed starter at the 4 this past season. But that didn't come to fruition, as LeBron James' signing would spell the end of Randle's four-year tenure in La La Land.

Per William Guillory of The Athletic:

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“What he went through with the Lakers was hard for him. He wanted to play great there. He wanted to be a Laker,” said Kenny Payne, an assistant with the Kentucky Wildcats, for whom Randle played before declaring for the NBA. “It took a while for him to accept that things just weren’t going to work out and there was nothing he could do about it.”

The reality wasn't easy to accept, but it ultimately became bearable after Anthony Davis reached out to partner up in New Orleans. Randle signed a two-year, $18 million deal to join forces in The Big Easy.

Randle will take over as Davis' new partner in crime after DeMarcus Cousins' departure, now able to forge his future in a new place while still keeping his playoff hopes alive and well.