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Revisionist History: What would we change about this NBA season?

By HP Basketball Network

Dec 7, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) dunks the ball during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Bucks 125-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) dunks the ball during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Bucks 125-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 28, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) shakes hands with guard Jeremy Lin (17) after an injury during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) shakes hands with guard Jeremy Lin (17) after an injury during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Revisionist History: What if Julius Randle’s tibia didn’t self-destruct?

By: Drew Corrigan (@Dcorrigan50)

Losing a player due to injury sucks. Losing a rookie to injury sucks even more (see: Jabari Parker). But losing a rookie to injury on OPENING NIGHT is the worst of them all. Julius Randle only played 14 minutes in his rookie season, scoring two points, before his tibia decided to snap. He’s so far from all of our minds, that you might have forgotten he’s in the NBA. Seriously, who has spoken about Julius Randle recently? It’s a shame.

The Lakers have been so painful this season that I’d rather fold my clothes than watch them play basketball. Julius Randle changes that. He’s a new, fresh, exciting face that had a lot of expectations. Instead of watching Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly try to play basketball, there would be Julius Randle developing in front of our eyes.

He wouldn’t result in that many more wins for the Lakers, but it would have been something for the fans to at least cheer for this season. Jordan Clarkson has come on late, but before him, there was Kobe’s corpse surrounded by dust. We would have seen Kobe and Randle play together and Kobe mentoring Randle on the court. Then, after the Kobe injury, we would have seen how Randle handled being a go-to option on offense.

In a lost season, sometimes the most exciting part is seeing how a rookie handles himself and if he puts the onus upon himself to try to will a bad roster to victory. There would have been 82 NBA games under Julius Randle’s belt. He could have been in the ROY race. Maybe the future for the Lakers doesn’t look so bleak if Randle shows the domination that made him a lottery pick at Kentucky. Remember that Randle broke the double-double record at Kentucky–previously 20, a mark shared by Boogie Cousins and Anthony Davis–with 24 in one season.

I don’t even like the Lakers, but Julius Randle would have been fun to watch. The kid is a special player and would have proved it this year, along with making the Lakers a little more bearable.

Next: I shouldn't have watched the Knicks

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