A Los Angeles Lakers insider has strongly advised the franchise against pursuing a trade for three-time NBA All-Star Julius Randle. Reporter Jovan Buha made his case on a recent podcast, arguing Randle's style does not address the team's most pressing needs as they build around Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler.
Buha disagrees with the idea that Randle is what the Lakers require. He believes the forward is a poor stylistic fit next to primary ball-handlers Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Lakers have three expected starters locked in: Doncic, Reaves, and center Walker Kessler. Quentin Grimes is favored for a fourth spot, leaving one forward position open. That final starter must defend elite wings like Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, space the floor, and thrive off the ball. Buha contends Randle checks few of those boxes. "He's better at guarding up than he is guarding down," Buha said, describing him as more of a '4.5' than a true wing defender.
The team needs a player who can absorb difficult defensive assignments against the West's most dangerous scorers. This includes versatile threats such as Jalen Williams and Jaylen Brown. Buha does not consider Randle capable of filling that role on a consistent basis. Instead, he pointed to a player like PJ Washington as the prototype of defender the Lakers should target. On the current roster, Ziaire Williams may have the clearest path to the starting role, with Jake LaRavia and Adou Thiero also competing. Randle's offensive preferences create another problem. He is most effective attacking mismatches and initiating from the elbows, actions that could become redundant with Doncic and Reaves dominating possessions.
Any deal for the All-Star forward would require major financial and roster maneuvering. Randle is owed $33.3 million this season and holds a $35.8 million player option for 2027-28. A proposed trade framework involved sending out players like LaRavia, Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht, and Jarred Vanderbilt. A third team would likely be needed to make the salaries and roster limits work. That's a substantial commitment for a player viewed as an awkward fit. While Randle remains a productive scorer who averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists last season, nostalgia for his Lakers origins cannot solve a defensive assignment. Brooklyn's rebuilding timeline makes him a logical trade candidate, but the fit is questionable.
The Lakers' form shows a team finding its way. The series included a 115-96 defeat on April 27 and a 112-108 victory on April 25. For Buha, the final piece of the starting lineup must complement Doncic and Kessler by defending wings, hitting open shots, and thriving away from the ball. Randle's name carries appeal, but his game may not supply what this remade roster needs most.
