Lakers Rumors: Three lineup changes that need to happen in second half of the season
By Keith Rivas
Keep Julius Randle far away from the starting lineup
So what if he gets upset that he’s not getting the minutes he wants?
The team needs to really put their foot down in situations like that and make it clear that they are going to do whatever is best for the overall progression of the organization regardless of what emotions might try to flirt and find their way in.
Like Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle is likely gone by the deadline; but if not, they’ll probably let him walk in free agency.
It’s here that Los Angeles is at a true fork in the road, so to speak, and how they go about this will have a domino effect directly on everything else.
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That being said, the first issue that may arise if they don’t trade him is the fact that the chemistry of the team hangs in the balance. All it’ll take Randle is knowing that they’re not going to send him somewhere else when they had the chance and they’re not going to let him star in the purple and gold.
So what better way to get your point across than to stage some sort of protest? By not acting, LA is asking for whatever the consequences end up being here.
They can justify keeping Julius Randle on the bench because of the fact that Kyle Kuzma is playing extremely well to fill that hole in the starting linuep and Larry Nance Jr. can handle the responsibilities of a reserve for now.
Randle can still absolutely be a game-changer in the second unit, but what’s the point of letting him get his way and keeping him in the starting five when the team already knows he’s not at all in their future plans?
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It just wouldn’t make sense to me, and that’s why the Lakers are much better off with a trade when it comes to what to do with him.