After only two years in the NBA, forward Julius Randle already needs to adjust to a new head coach. The Los Angeles Lakers decided to part ways with Byron Scott last month and were quickly able to find his successor in Luke Walton.
Walton will implement an entirely different style of basketball in Los Angeles next season. The emphasis will turn to developing a fast-paced offense similar to what the Golden State Warriors are doing currently. Randle stands to benefit more than most from this drastic shift, and he’s excited about a fresh start under Walton, via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:
“I’m excited about it. It’s a fresh start for us all,” Randle said. “Luke is going to be great for us and establishing the style of play we want.”
The Lakers roster is full of young talent that could potentially thrive in Walton’s offense. Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Tarik Black may be able to take the next step in their development with a fresh perspective from Walton.
Randle believes Walton is the right man for the job in Los Angeles and seems eager to get back to work with a younger coach being more relatable with a team that is determined to develop its young talent, via Medina:
“Luke is a younger guy and had a lot of success in Golden State,” Randle said. “He’s a perfect fit for us.”
Although there’s a lot of optimism heading toward Walton’s debut as a head coach in Los Angeles, it remains to be seen if he is truly the right man for the job. A fresh perspective and an offense similar to the Warriors appears to be a step in the right direction for the Lakers. The team’s players have already seemed to have embraced the change, but there’s a long way to go before it’ll be known whether the storied franchise has taken a much-needed step forward.
