After four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Julius Randle left the historic free agency franchise in July 2018. Randle was considered a talented part of the young Lakers core at the time, but he didn’t want to play LeBron James’ Shadow.
James agreed to sign with the Lakers in the summer of 2018, and Randle knew his time to shine in Los Angeles was over, which led him to ask the team to let him become a free agent and look for a future elsewhere in the turns on.
“When LeBron James committed to the Lakers on the first day of a free agency in the summer of 2018, Randle asked the franchise to allow him to become an unrestricted free agent,” wrote Rick Nation O’Donnell of SB Nation.
Randle was once part of a young and promising core in Los Angeles that consisted of players who reached new heights with other teams.
Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson are Randle’s former teammates who have only improved since they were traded by the Lakers. Ingram became an All-Star in his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans, while Clarkson is arguably this year’s leader in the Sixth Man of the Year award.
As for Randle, he excelled in his second season with the New York Knicks. The University of Kentucky product is having an outstanding year with Tom Thibodeau, as the Knicks have become legitimate playoff candidates at the Eastern Conference.
Randle currently has the highest career average of 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds, with 5.6 assists per game. He also became a consistent threat beyond the arc, reaching his career record of 40.6% from the depths.
There is no doubt that Randle is making a strong case for making his first All-Star Game this season, while taking the Knicks back into the playoffs for the first time since 2013.