“Lowkey spoke up” – Lonzo Ball reveals his outrage at Lakers’ ‘disrespect’ towards Julius Randle

Lonzo Ball and Julius Randle spent the 2017-18 season with the LA Lakers. Ball was the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, while Randle arrived in LA in 2014 as the seventh pick. Don Julio took his talents to New Orleans the following season after the Lakers renounced their rights to him.

In a reported interview on Monday, Ball had this to say about Randle’s role with the Lakers that season:

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Despite what Lonzo Ball called a limited role for Julius Randle on offense, the lefty forward still averaged 16.1 points per game. He tied Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram for the best scoring output on the team. Randle also topped the Lakers in rebounding with 8.0 and handed 2.6 assists per contest. Ball helped Randle have a good season behind the point guard’s team-best 7.2 APG.

The young Lakers that also included Jordan Clarkson, Alex Caruso and Josh Hart finished the season with a 35-47 record for 11th in the Western conference. Magic Johnson, the team’s president of basketball operations went to pry LeBron James away from Cleveland. Randle became a casualty when the Lakers renounced him to sign Rajon Rondo, who the four-time MVP reportedly wanted to play with.

Now with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Julius Randle was a thorn in the side of the Lakers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Don Julio averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists in the Timberwolves’ 4-1 series win. Randle shot 48.1%, including 39.3% from deep against his former team.

Lonzo Ball missed Julius Randle by a year in New Orleans

After the LA Lakers refused to give him an offer in the summer of 2018, Julius Randle signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. The forward agreed to a deal that gave him a player option after one season with the team. After the season ended, Randle signed with the New York Knicks.

Lonzo Ball’s stint with the LA Lakers lasted only a season after Randle left. The retooled roster around LeBron James finished the 2018-19 campaign with a 37-45 record for 10th in the Western Conference.

New Lakers GM Rob Pelinka traded Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks to the Pelicans for disgruntled superstar Anthony Davis. Randle had left for the Big Apple when Ball and Co. arrived in the Big Easy. Zo missed his former teammate by a season when was traded to the Pelicans.

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Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael’s background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich’s genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael’s reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael’s children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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