Would Julius Randle and the Los Angeles Lakers benefit from coming off the bench?
Final thoughts
If the Lakers continue to bring Julius Randle off the bench when he returns from his back injury, they will see a more balanced rotation that allows them to stagger their best players and could be best for the team.
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This move would give Randle more responsibility and make him the focal point of the second unit. Having him run a lineup for extended minutes is more valuable to his development than making him the third scoring option in a starting lineup. Randle needs minutes where he can work on his game and I don’t see much room for this when he’s not a top-two option.
It remains to be seen if Randle even warrants being a top option on an NBA team, but this move will give the Lakers a chance to see how he plays with extended responsibility. The bench drastically needs Randle’s production and he will still be able to close out games despite not starting, which he did in the two preseason games against the Kings and Jazz.
Of course, Randle needs to get his back healed before anything comes to fruition. His preseason play did nothing to stop the hype around how he’s looked with his improved physique, so hopefully we see him on the court soon.
Next: 2017-18 NBA season previews, predictions and power rankings
Randle and the Lakers failed to reach an extension, making him a restricted free agent when the season concludes. In what is essentially a contract year, I am looking forward to seeing how Randle plays this season, whether it is off the bench or back in the starting lineup.