It won’t be long before Lakers fans are uttering phrases like “there’s always next year,” but the front office has to think about the rest of this season as well. The loss of Julius Randle to injury is a difficult pill to swallow, and there will be some expectant fallout in the short and long terms.
With that in mind, here is a look at the latest news from Los Angeles.
Potential Roster Moves
Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders pointed out some of the potential roster moves the Lakers could make if the injury situation doesn’t get any better moving forward:
Los Angeles already lost Steve Nash and Randle for the season, which means two of those maximum 15 roster spots are dedicated to injured pieces. One more injury means the Lakers could temporarily carry 16 players with a hardship increase, which would certainly help.
Adding a 16th player to the roster wouldn’t make the difference between a playoff spot and the lottery for this struggling Lakers team, but it would improve depth. The last thing Los Angeles needs as it tries to evaluate potential trade chips or long-term assets is more injuries.
Even in what could be a lost season, injuries are difficult to deal with because there is more to basketball for a rebuilding franchise than just the immediate wins and losses. Player evaluation can only be done if the players are on the floor.
Julius Randle Upside?
The Lakers drafted Randle with the No. 7 pick in the NBA draft, but he only played 14 minutes in the season opener before going down with a devastating injury. The Kentucky product fractured his tibia and is lost for the season.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
