Lakers News Feed: Why Restricted Free Agent Julius Randle Needs To Be Re-Signed

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read


The Los Angeles Lakers will enter the NBA free agency period in July with money to spend, but they will also have a number of their own players on the market. What they do with someone such as Julius Randle, who will be a restricted free agent, will ultimately set the course for the team’s future.

Randle will certainly receive lucrative contract offers after a breakout 2017-18 season, but on this episode of the Lakers Nation News Feed, host Trevor Lane dives into why the Lakers need to find a way to hang on to him.

Since he is restricted, Los Angeles will have the opportunity to match any offer, though it could get costly.

The Lakers opted not to give Randle a contract extension last season, preferring instead to keep their flexibility for this summer’s free agent bonanza when the likes of LeBron James and Paul George will hit the market.

Yet, at just 23 years old, Randle has quickly established himself as one of the top young players in the league and is a force that will have to be reckoned with for years to come.

He still has plenty of deficiencies in his game, from a shaky jumper to a less-than-ideal wingspan, but during the past season, Randle managed to overcome this issues and turn himself into a very good player anyway.

That could mean big things for his future. To listen to the show just click the player above.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com