Lakers’ Julius Randle relishes playmaking role

One thought pops into Julius Randle’s head immediately after he grabs a rebound.

“Push it,” Randle said. “Make a play for somebody or myself. I’ll take what’s open.”

The opportunities seem endless. Randle will show off his handles and charge into the lane for a fast-break dunk or layup. Or Randle will bring the ball up the court, draw a double team and then zip the ball to an open Kobe Bryant, D’Angelo Russell or Jordan Clarkson. Or Randle will hold onto the ball and take a mid-range jumper along the elbows, at the top of the key or in the post.

That helps explain Randle posting 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting, nine rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes of the Lakers’ 126-83 victory over Maccabi Haifa on Sunday at Staples Center. This did not just mark Randle representing one of many Lakers players padding his stats against a team that lacks NBA-caliber talent. This also marked Randle’s third consecutive double-digit effort in preseason play.

All of which left Randle stoic about what he has done on the floor thus far after appearing in only 14 minutes last year during his NBA rookie season before fracturing his right leg.

“That’s who I am. That’s just what I’ve always been in doing everything on the court and affecting the game in different ways,” Randle said. “That’s just naturally what I am.”

Not very typical for a 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward to play that way.

“True,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said, smiling.

But Randle said played this way as early as fourth grade. He played the same way at with his high school team (Prestonwood Christian Academy) his AAU team (Texas Titans) and his college team (University of Kentucky). The Lakers have wanted Randle continue that pattern. So much that Lakers coach Byron Scott told him this summer, “Every time you gets a defensive rebound, I want you to push it.”

Randle immediately listened. He has shed 20 pounds this summer so he can keep up the conditioning instead of gasping for air as he did during last year’s training camp. So when Lakers center Roy Hibbert asked Randle if he has his legs back after a brutal first week of training camp, Randle responded, “I’m 20 years old. I’m good.”

“It’s dangerous, man,” Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell said about Randle’s playmaking. “He was successful in putting the ball through the hole. He puts himself and everybody else in a position where he’s always open and he’s open. If he feels like passing it, that’s what he does. But a lot of times, he has that basketball.”

But when Randle had that basketball, sometimes he became reckless with it. He committed five of the Lakers’ 22 turnovers, which Scott attributed generally to “carelessness.” In Randle’s case, a few patterns have emerged.

Rarely does the southpaw ever resort to his right hand. Even when a defender forces him to his right, Randle often penetrates to the left side of the basket so he can either dribble with his left hand, take a left-handed jumper or a left-handed layup.

As much as the Lakers rave about his versatility and playmaking, Randle occasionally forces things inside. That prompts him either to commit an offensive foul, commit a turnover or throw up a contested shot.

Hence, Randle’s self-criticism amid his flourishing development.

“I’ll keep making the simple plays and easier plays, and keep rebounding better,” Randle said. “I’ll take the open shot when it’s there just to keep it going. Once the season goes along, you’ll see more stuff you can work on.”

But for now, the Lakers will gladly take what Randle does with the ball after every time he grabs the rebound.

Said Scott: “I expect him to play at the way he’s playing right now, even at a higher level.”

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