In an era where perimeter players are dominating the NBA, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has established himself as the best big man in the league. Despite the distractions, Cousins is averaging 27.3 points and 11.4 rebounds in 56 appearances.
One player who hopes to be in the conversation of the best big men in the league is Julius Randle. After only appearing in one game in his rookie season, Randle is averaging a double-double with 11.7 points and 10.1 rebounds.
Following the win over the Lakers, Cousins had high praise for Randle according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
DeMarcus Cousins: "I love Julius' game. He's very talented, very versatile. When he puts his game all together, he's going to be a problem."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 16, 2016
In response, Randle had the following to say about Cousins’ comments:
Julius Randle said those comments from DeMarcus Cousins do mean something to him, always good to have that respect from your peers
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 16, 2016
While Randle is having an impressive sophomore season, he will head into the off-season looking to improve his jump shot and finishing with his right hand. Once Randle improves his game, the seventh overall pick from Kentucky has an opportunity to establish himself as one of the most versatile players in the league.
Along with Randle, the development of D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle will be crucial in the team’s rebuilding process. While they have shown their potential after the All-Star break, it will be interesting to see if this sample size is enough to land top free agents with ample cap space.