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Los Angeles Lakers: Analyzing 2017-18 Goals from start of season

By Dominic Torres

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Luke Walton, Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers attend the Semifinals of the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League against the Dallas Mavericks on July 16, 2017 at the Thomas
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Luke Walton, Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers attend the Semifinals of the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League against the Dallas Mavericks on July 16, 2017 at the Thomas /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 11: (Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 11: (Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images) /

3. Figure Out the Messy Power Forward Situation

Hello, “Flexibility,” which was Magic Johnson’s favorite word in a press conference describing the Isaiah Thomas trade. In the middle of the season, Cleveland decided to send away their first round pick and two expiring contracts in Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye for young depth in Larry Nance, Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.

I legitimately thought that Randle was going to be the first Laker traded. The fact that Los Angeles did not extend his contract at the beginning of the season along with deciding to bench him in favor for Larry Nance, Jr. clearly upset him.

Randle took the 2017-18 offseason as an insult by Lakers management and decided to react in a nuclear bomb’s fashion. Magic Johnson added Nance as a sweetener to the trade. I will miss Nance, but Randle’s potential is fascinating.

I never expected him to average the most points on the team. Randle also was clearly the team’s MVP. The situation is still not over.

Free agency looms over his contract, and a superstar passing means that a team could force L.A. to overspend on Randle such as the Nets on Otto Porter, Jr. last offseason. Whether Rob Pelinka and co. decide to keep him at a high price will be an offseason narrative to watch.

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