Los Angeles Lakers power forward Julius Randle has a very unique skill set as not many players his size can handle the ball the way he does.
Additionally, Randle has worked hard this summer to transform his body to get in better shape so he can fit with the style of play that head coach Luke Walton wants to play with Lonzo Ball at point guard.
Randle would be the first one to admit that he wasn’t in the best shape this past season, so it is nice to see him committing to being in shape this year, as if he is getting up and down the floor bigger defenders will not be able to keep up with him.
One other area of weakness in Randle’s game is his outside shooting, as he is just a career 27.3 percent shooter from deep in limited attempts.
In a recent interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Randle said that he has also been working on his three-point shot this summer and when asked how his shot feels he had a one-word answer that should leave Laker fans feeling encouraged:
“Comfortable. As long as I’m stepping into it and not thinking about it I feel great.”
The Lakers traded for center Brook Lopez, one of the best three-point shooting big men in the league, this summer, so him spacing the floor should allow Randle to operate where he does best, the paint.
But if he proves he can knockdown shots from outside he will be a matchup nightmare as defenders won’t be able to sag off him the way they have in years past.
Randle is heading into a contract year as he will be a restricted free agent next summer, so this will be a big season for him in deciding his future with the Lakers.