In a somewhat shocking decision, the Lakers decided to let Julius Randle go in 2018 NBA free agency. Here are three reasons he’s a great addition to the New Orleans Pelicans.
In a somewhat shocking decision, on July 2 the Los Angeles Lakers renounced the rights to Julius Randle and allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent. The New Orleans Pelicans swooped in, and Randle quickly agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the club.
With limited cap space, and the imminent losses of both DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo soon to pile up, the Pelicans didn’t realize it yet, but finding another big man to play alongside Anthony Davis and round out the frontcourt was vital. Luckily, they struck gold with the 6’9″ forward/center.
A career 13.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game player, Randle will fit perfectly in New Orleans’ fast-paced system. He is a versatile big who can play two positions, and relieve some of the pressure off the glass for Davis.
General manager Dell Demps has made some terrible decisions throughout his tenure in the Big Easy (see Solomon Hill and Alexis Ajinca). However, you have to give him credit for making the tough decision to pass on Cousins, and consequently pick-up the young and promising Randle — even if it opened the path for the Golden State Warriors to get Boogie, but that’s a discussion for another day.
In any case, let’s take a look at three reasons Julius Randle was a such great pickup for the Pelicans.