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Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle will miss brotherhood

By Kenneth Teape

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JULY 13: General Manager Dell Demps and Julius Randle #30 of the New Orleans Pelicans pose for a photo during a press conference on July 13, 2018 at the the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JULY 13: General Manager Dell Demps and Julius Randle #30 of the New Orleans Pelicans pose for a photo during a press conference on July 13, 2018 at the the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle said he will miss the brotherhood created in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Lakers saw a lot of overturn on their roster this summer. The rebuild they have undergone in recent years paid off, as Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka upgraded the roster.

The front office put the organization in a position to be players in free agency and they capitalized. LeBron James was the big prize, as he agreed to a four-year, $154 million deal. However, to even be in a position to sign him, sacrifices had to be made.

Multiple fan favorites were traded to make it happen. First, it was D’Angelo Russell getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets to rid themselves of Timofey Mozgov‘s contract. Prior to the trade deadline, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The biggest blow, however, came this offseason.

The longest tenured Laker, Julius Randle, left in free agency. Randle signed a two-year deal worth about $18 million with the New Orleans Pelicans. It was a deal that disappointed plenty of fans, as Randle looked to be coming into his own during the 2018-19 season.

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Things got off to a rough start, as Randle did not like coming off the bench. After some discussions with head coach Luke Walton, Randle bought it and things began to click. The result was a career season for the former Kentucky Wildcat.

Randle would be the only Lakers player to play in all 82 games last season. He tied for the team lead with 16.1 points per game, also leading the team with 8.0 rebounds. Randle’s performance on the defensive end also improved as he fully embraced his small-ball center role before being re-inserted into the starting lineup at power forward.

Randle leaving was something that disappointed a lot of people. Fans didn’t want to see him leave. Teammates did not either, as Lonzo Ball said that he was hurt by Randle leaving. From the sounds of it, the feeling was mutual.

When talking to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Randle revealed that he will miss the brotherhood he developed during his time in Los Angeles.

"“The Lakers stuff, it didn’t really bother me,” Randle said. “I moved on. The tough part is the brotherhood and bond you establish with the players and the other guys. Nobody knows what you go through other than the guys in that locker room. All of us were young. I was an older dude in that locker room and I was 22, 23 on my fourth year in the NBA. You go through wars with these guys and grow with these guys.“When J.C. (Jordan Clarkson) and Larry (Nance) got traded (to Cleveland), it hurt me.”"

Randle was the last man standing from the first wave of the Lakers’ rebuild. With Randle no longer on the roster, the longest-tenured Lakers are now Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac, who are both entering their third season with the team.

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While it was disappointing to see Randle leave, it was a decision you could see coming. Once the Lakers signed James, and then JaVale McGee, the writing was on the wall.

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