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

BBL IQ looks good as well. Knows where he is on the floor. Looks like he has a 'plan' on where he wants to be on the floor for his shot and is thinking on offense - and he's not even played an NBA game yet....If I remember right, Sir Charles developed his outside shot (specifically 3 ball) much later. Trying to figure out why it feels like every drive to hoop for Randle leads to layup as opposed to dunk...and lay-up leads to odd looking shot. Is that the 'small arms' concern or is he jumping off the wrong foot?

 

I think you're right on two counts there. i think it's less about wingspan and more about lack of lift and lack of confidence in the off hand. he gets wrong-footed because defenders already know to try and push him off his dominant hand. the one time he threw down in traffic was coming from the right off the wrong foot.

ultimately, though, he just isn't an explosive leaper. that's ok, imo, as long as he can convert those lay-ins and duck hooks through contact. early results there are fairly promising.

 

Randle has looked ok to me this preseason. Sometimes it seems like he rushes on the offensive end and tries to force things instead of letting things happen. I think part of it is his lack of confidence in going to his right hand. He seems to love backing down and then spinning to his left. Defenders know that he doesn't go right, so when they shut down his left after the spin, he seems to just force up a shot OVER the top of his defender. His first step is real quick and he uses his body well.

 

Well, I haven't heard anything come out about other rookies maybe outside of Parker, but Randle has looked the most NBA ready to me.

A little polish, a little guidance, a lot of opportunity, he'll make a name for himself this year.

 

Vinnie.... I was good natured teasing a couple days ago as I thought I remembered "Vin Miller" as being a pro player. Is that correct? Was he a Laker, or is this someone else entirely? Just did a quick search "Vin Miller basketball" and nothing coming up.

On another note here is new Bresnahan article on Randle today. Kid seems like his head is in there very right place. And at bottom mentions Keith Appling and Jeremy Tyler were cut yesterday.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-julius-randle-20141021-story.html

"The rookie had reasons to fall further into an exhibition-season abyss.

His shot was way off, his turnovers were high and his coach kept saying he "looked lost" on the court while wondering aloud about his physical conditioning. Not to mention the blisters that had cropped up on his feet and the second-half seat on the bench he was given for apparent lack of hustle during an exhibition last week.

But Julius Randle finally offered a glimpse of what the Lakers saw before drafting the power forward seventh overall in June.


Related story: Julius Randle excited, not frustrated despite slow preseason start
Eric Pincus
He had eight points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 20 minutes of a 98-91 victory Sunday over the Utah Jazz.

In no way did Randle vault into an early rookie-of-the-year conversation with Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins. Especially after the guy ahead of him on the Lakers' depth chart, Carlos Boozer, had 19 points, nine rebounds and six steals against the Jazz.

But for the first time in three weeks of the exhibition season, reporters crowded around Randle's locker to talk about his strengths, not his shortcomings.At which point, Randle revealed that Coach Byron Scott's teasing, prodding or poking had not affected him. Nor had his own play dragged him down.

"I'm not frustrated at all," Randle said. "I work too hard. I know eventually I'll have success and I'll figure things out.

"Instead of being frustrated and down, when my name is called, [I'm] excited, ready to go, ready to bring that energy, bring good vibes."Randle has five more weeks of being a teenager, so plenty of room has to be given here
Kobe Bryant isn't known as a softie with younger players, in case anybody forgot his infamous Andrew Bynum parking-lot rant in 2007. He seems to like Randle but offers a curt perspective on the rookie's opportunity with the Lakers.

"He can't mess it up. Seriously. You mess this up, you have to be an idiot," Bryant said.

Though Bryant actually used language more colorful than "mess," his sentiment wasn't far from Randle's own words.


"Having a coach like Byron, learning from greats like Kobe, [Boozer], [Steve] Nash, all those guys and on top of that playing for the Lakers organization," Randle said. "I'm in the perfect situation. I can't mess it up."

Nash still sidelined

Nash shot around for about 20 minutes before Sunday's game but didn't play.

"Just like most coaches would do, you just kind of pencil him out until you know he can play and then you pencil him back in," Scott said.

Because of recurring back problems, Nash hasn't played quality minutes since the exhibition opener.

Two players cut

The Lakers on Monday waived guard Keith Appling and center Jeremy Tyler, bringing their roster down to 17 players. Appling, a rookie out of Michigan State, had two points and two assists in 20 minutes of exhibition play. Tyler, a three-year NBA veteran, averaged 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in three exhibition games.

 

See his avi:

Vin (Scully) - Dodgers
(Bob) Miller - Kings
(Chick) Hearn - Lakers

 

Got it. I did a half a** job looking earlier but not nearly close enough. Knocks on own head, "hello...McFly"

 

I think Randle could benefit a lot from working out with Kareem in terms of his offensive post game.

 

Randle seems to have pretty good instincts. He just needs to develop that right hand.

 

As we saw Sunday, when Randle is in control, he gets to where he wants, and he doesn't need to force up a shot.

I said it before, but the two things Randle needs to push him to the next level are 1. becoming consistent with his mid range jumper 2. footwork.

If he can really get that jumper down to a T, he'll really expand the offensive options he has. With his quick first step and handling ability, that'll cause a lot of defenders to second guess themselves. Footwork will keep in control and get him easier shots instead of relying on powering through every time, perhaps draw a foul or two and not the other way around.

 

And Hulk swat draft pick above him out of air!!!

 

Haha, lakerfan2 answered your question already.

 

Vin Baker was the guy I was crossing wires with just remembered. Didn't recall him being a Laker. Don't think he was.

 

Until he develops a jump shot and the ability to go right he's just going to be ok.

 

LO never really used his right hand until he got to LA.

 

Yah!! Julius be needing to develop the right hand as soon as possible. Hey Kobe's his guy from childhood, right? What would Kobe do? Kobe would stay after practice, come in before practice, work all summer long ....... on his weaknesses.

I think he'll get there with the right, just "handle" better with the right, going to the right, and footwork through practice, see above ^^^ so he can get in nice and close to use the "right" and not so hard to put it in the hole then.

 

-I've been dying to see him with his back to the basket, see what he can do.. But it never happens. The few times he's actually posting and calling for it, they'll swing it the other way or Wes Johnson starts trying to be someone he's not.

-The other times, he'll just square his man up and do his dribble drive spin move again and again. Would love to see other counters and variations.

 

Not sure Randle is a post up player, his strength is that quick first step of his in the mid post. If he becomes consistent on that midrange jumper, if he faces up in the mid post, defenders are going to have a hard time deciding what to do with him.

He's played a lot more in control recently, but can still get to where he wants. Problems I'm seeing when he drives is that he has his head down, if he keeps his head up, he could easily find the open man cause he draws a lot attention.