Lakers: Julius Randle Ascending Into a Playmaker

Lakers forward Julius Randle finally gave a glimpse into what he’s capable of as a player

Julius Randle is really good. His outing for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Denver Nuggets all but confirmed this notion.

Playing 34 minutes, Randle showcased his well-rounded play, registering an impressive stat line of 13 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists. This marked the first triple double of Randle’s career and also served to symbolize a noticeable improvement in his game.

Reputed as a “bully-ball” type of player who thrives in the paint, Randle’s finesse and passing abilities were also on full display against the Nuggets. As someone who has struggled to create for others for the majority of the season, Randle’s newfound playmaking abilities provided a welcome change. Perhaps this is the player many envisioned when comparisons to Draymond Green were made during the beginning of the season.

Though Randle did not come close to his season high total in points (23), this was arguably his best game as a professional. For starters, Julius got his teammates, particularly teammate Jordan Clarkson, involved early.

Take this beautiful lob pass to Clarkson as an example. Randle recognizes that Clarkson is cutting backdoor and appropriately delivers the on-point pass:

The second angle of the pass shows the degree of difficulty that Randle had to encounter while delivering the lob. Yet, more impressive than the pass itself is the fact that Randle decided to throw it in the first place. The fact that Julius made a concerted effort to locate his cutting teammate should be encouraging news for fans who were concerned about the youngster’s court vision.

While his inherent passing abilities have always been present, Randle’s lack of willingness to give up the rock has limited him from flaunting that skill in his arsenal. On Friday, however, his desire to share the ball was manifest, as he recorded five assists in the first quarter alone.

Already an established rebounder, one of the young Lakers forward’s best strengths is his ability to grab the rebound and initiate the fast break. Typically, these opportunities end with him trying to score at the rim. On this play above, however, Randle recognizes the trailer (Clarkson) and delivers a clever between-the-legs pass, knowing that there was no defender in the vicinity.

Once again, this enhanced court vision marks an important evolution in the youngster’s play.

With all of that being said, Randle is still the freight train that Lakers fans know and love:

He is capable of attacking the defense and imposing his will on the offensive end at any time, as evidenced by how he simply outmuscles the teeth of Denver’s defense on the above play.

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Overall, Friday night’s performance denoted a stellar, comprehensive performance from a player who was long overdue for one. It served as a reminder that, though his game is still extremely raw, Julius Randle has all of the tools necessary to be a well-rounded force in the NBA.