Los Angeles Lakers rumors: Julius Randle to start by mid-season?

While the Los Angeles Lakers try to get Julius Randle in NBA-game shape, it’s expected that he’ll open the season off the bench.

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That’s not exactly shocking, especially after the team acquired Carlos Boozer during free agency who will understandably be given the starting nod over Randle. However, that situation may be fluid as Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott did hint that Randle could bulldoze his way into the starting lineup by simply outplaying his competition.

Doing such may not prove to be that difficult considering the lack of depth on the Lakers front line, which is why it’s very possible that Julius Randle will be named a starter for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. In fact, it could happen as early as mid-season according to Steve Kyler.

While Randle has the girth to play center in the NBA, he lacks height so he’ll need to supplant Carlos Boozer in the rotation unless the Lakers decide to get creative with their lineup. Of course, being a starter is nothing more than semantics if you’re on the floor when it counts and play a significant amount of minutes.

So while Randle isn’t likely to come out of training camp with a starting gig, he’s still likely to play a solid amount of minutes that will only increase over the court of the season.

By no stretch is it outlandish to think he can take over Boozer’s spot, especially given his talent level.