Los Angeles Lakers: 3 takeaways from preseason game No. 4

1. Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma: Frontcourt of the future?

With Nance getting the start at the 4 against the Kings, Randle was given the opportunity to be the focal point of the second unit. Randle ended up leading the Lakers in scoring with 17 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. He was efficient from the field (7-for-11) and was a force defensively, picking up three steals along with one block.

Kyle Kuzma wasn’t too far off of Randle’s production, as the rookie continued on his strong preseason play with 15 points and eight rebounds. Kuzma didn’t post his highest scoring output and his jumper was off, but his driving ability makes him a mismatch offensively. He went around all sorts of Kings’ players, including a beautiful spin move on George Hill before finishing at the rim.

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Bringing Randle off the bench gave head coach Luke Walton a chance to see his two young forwards share the court together for an extended period of time, and they played great off each other. We’ve touched on both players’ offensive potential before, but their passing and off-ball movement was a pleasant surprise.

Late in the fourth quarter, Randle cut hard to the basket, which drew Kuzma’s defender and left him open for a 3-point shot. They orchestrated some crisp ball movement around the perimeter, and even ran a pick-and-roll together. This would put opposing big men in extremely uncomfortable situations, and present a mismatch for whomever is checked by the 5.

If they can continue their defensive growth, there’s real firepower in playing these two players together. Kuzma’s jumper is off to a fast start, and Randle is taking (and making) some deeper shots. The space they create for each other along with their ability to finish for themselves or others is what unlocks an offense’s highest potential. I’d like to see these two share the court as often as possible.