Los Angeles Lakers: How are recent former players doing?

2. Julius Randle

Magic’s failure to re-sign the 2014 Lakers No. 7 draft pick remains one of his most curious and puzzling moves and the one that may haunt the team the most.

Last season, Julius tied for the team lead in points (16.1 per game) and led the Lakers in rebounds (eight per game) while playing excellent small-ball defensive center. He was an unstoppable beast in the paint and overall shot 55.8 percent from the field. Many observers considered him to be the team’s MVP.

This year for New Orleans, Randle has continued his solid play, scoring 18.3 points while grabbing nine boards a game and shooting 55 percent. Still only 24 years old, it is unlikely that he has yet peaked.

Early last season the Lakers declined to exercise their team option on Randle, wanting instead to see how well he played. When the season ended, he was still under club control as a restricted free agent, but they allowed him to walk away for nothing in return.

It’s been said that they let him go because he no longer wanted to be a Laker. But his request to go elsewhere only occurred after the team refused to show him the respect he deserved by failing to make him any legitimate offer.

Since they could have signed LeBron James regardless of whether they re-signed Randle, their pursuit of him wasn’t the reason that Julius is no longer a Laker. But, since he shares the same agent, Aaron Mintz, as Russell and Paul George, perhaps some bad blood between the Lakers and Mintz might have factored into things.

In any event, Randle has a player option for next year. If the Pelicans don’t offer him an acceptable extension, he may again enter free agency in July.