Lakers Rumors: Mavericks the latest team to express interest in Julius Randle

The Dallas Mavericks appear to be the latest ball club interested in obtaining the services of Julius Randle.

With the trade deadline getting closer and closer, the smorgasbord of NBA and Los Angeles Lakers rumors are not going to fade away. It seems like the Los Angeles Lakers tend to be involved in the vast majority of these rumors, and recent speculation proves that theory. The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly taking a close look at Lakers’ power forward/center Julius Randle.

Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report recently unveiled the buzz surrounding Randle, courtesy of an original report from Basketball Insiders. This same report exhibits that the Mavs deem the Lakers’ big man to be a “preferred” name on their radar.

The Mavs’ interest in the former Kentucky standout is certainly understandable. Randle has been on a tear for a good stretch now, in part due to head coach Luke Walton’s decision to start him.

SB Nation writer Christian Rivas recognizes this. Prior to Wednesday’s contest against the Orlando Magic, the 6-9, 250-pound athlete has been incredibly productive since his role changed. Let alone that, the purple and gold have started to see more favorable outcomes over that span as well.

"Since Randle was inserted back into the starting lineup, the Lakers are 8-8. As a starter, Randle is averaging 15.9 points on 54.8 percent shooting from the field to go along with 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game."

It is not to say Randle was doing bad prior to this switch in the rotation. That is the furthest thing from true. While Larry Nance Jr. was initially favored over Randle to start the season, the latter has generally outperformed Nance.

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While it is no secret that Nance Jr. can handle his own defensively, Randle has proven this year he can do the same. Moreover, Randle’s energy has come in greater spurts on offense, making Walton’s decision more sensible.

Without a doubt, Randle is playing some of the best basketball of his young career. He has particularly been playing well since Walton coined him as the Lakers’ primary “bully.” It is an appropriate title since Randle’s is never afraid to bang around other bigs in the post.

The Orange County Register’s Bill Oram alluded to Randle’s physicality in a recent article he wrote. In it, he reproduces Walton’s thoughts about the above mentioned “bully” label.

"“He has been great,” Walton said. “And the bully is to, it is more just (to be) our aggressor so that we have somebody who is physical on our team, who stands up (for the team) when we get pushed around.”"

According to what Rapp points out, this very demeanor is why the Mavs are so high on the Lakers’ fourth-year asset. Dallas is currently in the bottom third of the league with respect to rebounding. Trading for Randle would surely make things better for them in that department.

Earlier in January, ClutchPoints contributor Alex Vejar revealed that players like Nerlens Noel would possibly be swapped for Julius’ services. However, Noel may not make complete sense for L.A. because he has been slower to recover than expected from a thumb injury.

Of course, in terms of Los Angeles, letting Randle go would grant them with the greater financial flexibility this summer. President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka have consistently asserted their desire to go after the league’s top free agents when that time arrives.

It is worth bearing in mind that the big man has roots in Dallas. This fact makes the Mavericks’ evident interest even more intriguing.

Earlier in the year, Randle acknowledged that he has been heavily linked to trade rumors akin to these. Via what SportsDay reporter Brad Townsend transcribed, Randle grasps that he cannot do anything about the trade talk.

"“At the end of the day, I can only control what the player can control — and that’s my energy and effort going out there, being a professional.”"

Randle is right in his assessment. Albeit trade talk can be distracting, he is not a member of the Lakers’ front office. With that in mind, all the young man can do is continue to put forth his best effort on the court.

Taking that into account, the Lakers’ management should think twice about trading their fourth-year player. While he is not a complete product, Randle at times has been the purple and gold’s best player this season. Over the last few weeks, it is safe to say that stance has further solidified itself.

Randle is by no stretch of the imagination a legitimate star. However, he has brought it on both ends of the floor this season more than perhaps anyone on the team. His play suggests that he is playing with a chip on his shoulder, too, which is an added bonus.

Next: What Could The Lakers Do At The NBA Trade Deadline

The Lakers’ desire to acquire elite talent this summer is understandable. On the other hand, doing so will clearly require sacrifice to some extent. In this case, sacrificing Randle is becoming increasingly difficult due to how impactful he is.