Will two of the young guns in the Lakers fold get their old starting roles back?
Sophomore Julius Randle and rookie D’Angelo Russell were relegated to the reserve in what was part of another experimental move by head coach Byron Scott.
Kobe Bryant Tells Lakers They Still Can Makes Playoffs This Season
The original plan was to demote the two for 10 games and that all ended last Friday. To date, there is no word on what Scott plans for Randle and Russell long-term, though Scott did say via the LA Times that he would go through the numbers of both players and compare their performance to the duo’s first 20 games.
"Sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole story when you're looking at young guys," he told the publication. "A lot of it is going to be how I feel they've come along the last 10 games or the last couple weeks."
LeBron James' Christmas Schedule Eerily Similar To Santa Claus
Looking at how the two players performed, it seemed that the adjustment turned out to be good for Russell. He showed better scoring and passing results coming off the bench, though it's still unknown if he will remain in that situations going forward.
On the other hand, Randle has suffered from the move. His performance dipped, particularly in scoring though he did play with a handicap recently (sore ankle).
Both Russell and Randle started out with Scott’s experiment earlier this month (via SB Nation), which was a bit of a surprise, though Scott says that both were cooperating.
Seeing the Lakers at a woeful 5-25, it remains to be seen whether the two young players will continue with their demotion or be reverted to starter status.
For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
