Julius Randle Discussion: Beast, Ox, Monster, Lotus Flower

A lot of concerns raised here are are absolutely legit. Needs to learn to play better D, needs to just take the jumper time to time and mix it up, needs better effort on the boards, needs to stop charging out of control into a crowd in the paint and using the same moves over and over. That interview shows his frustration, he wants to be where he was coming out of college right now, but he's still working his way back. He wants to be great, and he's trying to hard, which to me is better at least than him not trying enough.

But as also has been said, he missed a year, no basketball, it's going to take time. It would have taken time had he not been injured, now it's even more time. Clarkson, for example, didn't look anything like he does now, last summer league, he got time. Not trying to make excuses, trying to be patient and realistic. Training camp, preseason, these will be more of a test for him. And I believe the starting spot will not be given to him, and having to earn it will help him.

Right now, from what I have seen of Bass over the years, he is better and more reliable than Randle right now. Not by a ton, but he is, in large part because he's a vet, and he probably deserves the starting spot. Also if Randle isn't ever going to take jumpers, he's not a better fit next to Hibbert. Bass has a pretty money 15-18 foot jumper. I think you need that playing next to Hibbert. Starting lineup as of now should be Russell/Clarkson/Kobe/Bass/Hibbert. I'm not sure Russell is ready to start either, but it would seem to be by default as we don't have another PG that I can't think of. I also think he'll do fine learning on the job with the chemistry he and Clarkson are building, and with Kobe out there helping him along as well.

 

Not to further take this off topic, but I wouldn't like to see Nance starting at the 3 at all. He can't shoot. He's a 3rd string, hustle guy at the 4 off the bench, or maybe the 3 off the bench, but not starting IMO. Clarkson also isn't a PG, I'd like to see him be allowed to play SG and be the scoring guard he is. I like Kobe at the 3 just fine, I like Young there as his backup, maybe even Anthony Brown, guys that can shoot. I don't know who that leaves as our backup PG, I guess maybe Lou as a scoring bench PG like Nate Robinson, Isaiah Thomas, Eric Bledsoe (?), Barbosa, Patty Mills, Augustin, and some other. Or we sign a real backup PG, which probably isn't likely. Maybe Jabari Brown can play some too.

 

Reasons why we are locking old threads: http://lakersball.com/threads/lb-technical-updates.1092/#post-57573

Link to new thread: Julius Randle 2015-16 Discussion