After a successful season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Julius Randle opted out as expected. Randle is now set to hit free agency, and will no doubt have a number of interested suitors.
Best Landing Spots For Julius Randle
When Julius Randle signed with the New Orleans Pelicans a summer ago, it was essentially a “prove it” deal. Despite being the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Randle’s tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers left a little to be desired. Julius Randle did not seem to be a fit in the Lakers’ long-term plans, and thus saw his way out. With the Pelicans, it would be up to Randle to prove his worth.
Julius Randle did just that last season with New Orleans. Randle averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. In a season overshadowed by Anthony Davis trade rumors, Randle was one of the few bright spots. Randle earned the ability to opt out of his contract in search of a bigger one this summer.
According to reports, Randle will have no shortage of interested teams looking to pay for his services. With as many franchises ranging from rebuilders to contenders, it is up to Julius Randle to decide where to sign the dotted line in NBA Free Agency.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have five impending unrestricted free agents, leaving them with a potential 57.9 million dollars on the books. Thaddeus Young is among those hitting free agency, and should Indiana go after Julius Randle it would likely come at the expense of Young. As Indiana awaits the return of their star Victor Oladipo, Randle could be a great fit alongside him. The Pacers shocked the league by staying competitive and earning the fifth seed after Oladipo’s injury. Randle would be an immense help to Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis as they await Oladipo’s comeback.
Brooklyn Nets
Julius Randle would be a logical addition to the emerging young core of the Brooklyn Nets. Chances are however that Randle’s addition would be a Plan B or C for Brooklyn. As has been widely reported, the Nets are expected to be in the race for a Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving pairing in Brooklyn.
If for some reason those plans fall through, Randle fills a need in the paint that the Nets would welcome. During their first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn was consistently outplayed by Joel Embiid in the paint. Julius Randle provides size and helps next to Jarrett Allen. If D’Angelo Russell returns with the impressive young core including Caris LeVert, that is a sight to watch for years to come.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have a young star in Devin Booker, last year’s top pick in Deandre Ayton, and a new coach in Monty Williams. And yet they still find themselves at the bottom of the league and in the lottery every year. Free agency can be the time for the Suns to finally make the right moves back to relevancy. The power forward position is a hole that can be addressed in Phoenix with the signing of Julius Randle. Randle is still young enough (24 years old) to fit in the system of youth with the Suns. More importantly, he can shoulder the extra load in the frontcourt for Deandre Ayton.
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