The Los Angeles Lakers are anticipated to follow the footsteps of the Golden State Warriors this offseason and try to move some pieces to acquire an All-Star. Pretty much how Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson saw the departure of the likes of Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut from their roster to welcome Kevin Durant, the D'Angelo Russell team seems to be thinking along the same lines. In their case, it looks like a Julius Randle trade could be in the horizon soon for them to make a run for either Blake Griffin or Paul George.
Compared with D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, the progress of Julius Randle with the Los Angeles Lakers appears to be too slow for the team. While Luke Walton admitted that their rebuilding phase will definitely take some time, the impending free agency season has too many good players to not take advantage of their assets. Hence, the possibility of releasing some of their younger stars could become a reality soon.
"Along with his fellow draftmates in the 2014 class, Julius Randle will be eligible for a contract extension - his first major deal coming off of his rookie contract. Despite being eligible, Randle will most likely have to wait, thanks to the change in Los Angeles' trajectory," said Quentin Haynes of FanSided. He further predicted, "Instead of offering Randle a new extension, that money might go towards adding a premier talent in trade; maybe even adding Paul George."
This is where the Cleveland Cavaliers come in the scenario. Rumors are rife that LeBron James aims to bring new and young stars in the roster to sustain the momentum of their victory over the years. While Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson are far from retirement age, fans believe that King James wants to train promising stars to follow his lead. Does this mean that a Julius Randle trade could happen soon?
No official comment has been given regarding this NBA rumor. At this point, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking into ways to improve their performance. Just recently, their throne in East had been seized by the then struggling Boston Celtics. With Isaiah Thomas and his team surging forward, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love might find themselves missing the NBA Finals this season.
"It's a delicate time right now for our team," shared LeBron James. "A lot of people talking ... guys in the locker room. I'm not saying it's for the bad. We've got a couple guys that's shown leadership, some guys that's been in the fray before that's giving their opinions.
