Lakers’ Julius Randle drives by Minnesota Timberwolvesí Adreian Payne during the first half of their NBA summer league basketball game Friday, July 10, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Below is the third in a series looking at five things surrounding each notable player on the Lakers’ roster for the 2014-15 season. This post focuses on Lakers forward Julius Randle.

1. Can Randle stay healthy?

Only 14 minutes in his NBA career, and Randle experienced a rude awakening. It went beyond the typical rookie moments that include adjusting to the game’s pace, physicality or talent. Randle fractured a tibia in his right leg, an injury that required surgery and took him out for the entire 2014-15 season. He has since rehabbed from his injury, both enough to complete basketball-related drills in June and compete in the Las Vegas Summer League in July.

Randle presumably enters the upcoming season in a much better state. It sure beats rehabbing from both a surgically repaired right leg and right foot (he had additional surgery to replace a screw in screw in the fifth metatarsal). But uncertainty awaits him. Was last year’s injury a fluke, or the beginning of an unsettling pattern in which Randle will experience more injuries?

That explains why the Lakers will stay conservative with his workload both to ease his way back onto the court and to ensure he stays healthy. The Lakers intend for Randle to participate in all of training camp. But they will change that plan if Randle experiences any setbacks. Still, as Kobe Bryant can attest, no amount of treatment and rest can assure any player stays healthy.

2. Will Randle start at power forward?

The Lakers consider Randle as part of their long-term future. But that does not mean he will start for them to open the 2015-16 season. Remember, Randle entered his rookie season coming off the bench and competing for minutes behind veteran Carlos Boozer. This year, Randle will fight for playing time with veteran forward Brandon Bass and possibly Metta World Peace.

Lakers coach Byron Scott has said he hopes that Randle starts. But Scott did not state his desire out of favortism. Instead, it spoke to Scott’s hope that Randle proves worthy of the starting position amid his promising potential. But how this dynamic plays out seems unclear. Scott has usually relied more on veterans in past coaching gigs because of their experience and familiarity. Randle has not played in an NBA game in a little under a year. And the Lakers may grant Randle a conservative workload anyway because of his recent injury.

3. What kind of player will Randle become?

Every time Randle stepped on the court during workouts and Summer League, the Lakers saw various images on what his identity could become. He bruised inside the paint, using his 6’9, 250-pound frame to bully opponents anywhere he moved. He sank countless mid-range jumpers, showing he could make shots from the elbows, post and free-throw line. He became a playmaker, bringing the ball up the court and facilitating offensive sets. All of these sequences leave the Lakers encouraged that Randle could become anything he aspires to be.

How will that play out in real time? Will Randle cater to one particular skill more than the other? Will Randle vary depending on each matchup? Will Randle force the issue as he did during Summer League? Or will he offer a mix of everything in every game? This presents both an opportunity and challenge for Randle and the coaching staff in ensuring the Lakers receive the best he can offer.

4. Will his offseason work pay off?

Randle will likely run into something just as strong as a physically imposing defender. He will likely encounter a learning curve stemmed from rust and inexperience consistently playing against NBA competition. That explains why Randle spent the past year mastering other areas that could compensate for those weaknesses. He changed his diet enough to lose about 20 pounds. Randle watched endless games in person and on film before producing written reports for Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak. Laker accounts characterize Randle as never complaining about his circumstances. That experience could give Randle an added advantage he otherwise may not have gained while navigating through a grinding NBA season.

5. How will the Lakers’ veterans shape Randle’s development?

It did not take long for Randle to show off qualities that pleased the Lakers’ brass. Scott liked Randle handling his biting criticisms with ease. Bryant liked Randle’s work ethic during training camp and determination during his recovery. Former Showtime Laker James Worthy liked Randle’s eagerness to learn about the game.

Hence, it appears Randle will lean on those mentors for even further support once he steps on the floor. Scott will offer more honest feedback. Bryant will teach him new things since they will actually play together. Worthy will provide his take both as a Time Warner Cable Access analyst and an occasional visitor at the Lakers’ practice facility. It also seems likely Bass and World Peace (assuming he signs with the Lakers) will guide Randle along the way. They will compete for playing time. They will trade sharp elbows in the name of toughening each other up. They will provide Randle tips on how to defend inside.

Add all those up, and it seems Randle will have plenty of resources to help accentuate his strengths and minimize his weaknesses.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com