Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players from last season we wish stuck around

2. Julius Randle

The last remnant of the Kobe Bryant era, Julius Randle, had a magnificent 2017-18 season. Opposing defenses couldn’t stop him in the paint, due to his brute strength and determination. If that wasn’t his breakout season, surely this season could have been.

The emergence of Kyle Kuzma apparently made the front office view Randle as expendable. I think they were wrong. I love Kuzma, but why not keep both?

Randle could rebound, go coast to coast and finish in transition with ease. He was also above average when it came to passing the ball and getting assists. Imagine LeBron James and Randle coming full steam downhill in transition. If I were the defender in that situation, I would run away.

Also, in the few games against New Orleans this season, I noticed Randle knocking down a couple of 3-pointers. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he’s shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc this season, far better than the 22% he shot from that distance last season.

My last point on why I wish they kept Randle around is that he would have been the only Lakers player to have played alongside Kobe Bryant AND LeBron James in the Purple & Gold. That’s a lot of basketball knowledge he would’ve gained from two all-time greats.