The Los Angeles Lakers need another starting forward. Jovan Buha does not believe Julius Randle is the answer.
During Thursday’s episode of his “Buha’s Block” podcast, the Lakers reporter pushed back forcefully against the idea of Los Angeles trading for Randle, the three-time All-Star who began his NBA career with the franchise.
“I vehemently disagree with the notion that Julius Randle is what the Lakers need,” Buha said.
His comments came after Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus ranked Randle as the Lakers’ top potential trade target for the 2026-27 season.
Pincus presented a reasonable case. Randle would supply strength, secondary playmaking and proven scoring to a frontcourt now built around Walker Kessler. He averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for Minnesota last season before the Timberwolves traded him to the Brooklyn Nets.
But Buha sees a poor stylistic fit around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Julius Randle Does Not Fit Lakers’ Biggest Need
The Lakers have three expected starters in Doncic, Reaves and Kessler. Quentin Grimes appears to have the inside track on a fourth spot, leaving coach JJ Redick to identify a forward capable of handling the West’s most dangerous bigger wings.
That player must defend multiple positions, space the floor and remain effective without controlling the ball. Buha argued that Randle checks few, if any, of those boxes.
“He’s better at guarding up than he is guarding down,” Buha said, describing Randle as closer to a “4.5” than a forward equipped to chase elite wings.
That distinction matters. The Lakers need someone who can absorb assignments against Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Williams and Jaylen Brown. Buha does not consider Randle capable of filling that role consistently.
He instead cited PJ Washington as the type of versatile defender Los Angeles should pursue. On the current roster, Ziaire Williams may have the clearest path to the fifth starting position, with Jake LaRavia and Adou Thiero also in the competition.
Randle’s offensive preferences create another complication. He is most effective when attacking mismatches, initiating from the elbows and using his strength to reach the paint. Those possessions could become redundant beside Doncic and Reaves, who will already control much of the Lakers’ offense.
Randle Trade Would Carry Significant Cost
Any deal also would require considerable financial and roster maneuvering.
Randle is owed $33.3 million this season and holds a $35.8 million player option for 2027-28. Pincus proposed a framework involving LaRavia, Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt, likely with a third team needed to resolve roster-limit issues.
That would represent a substantial commitment for a player Buha views as an awkward fit.
Randle remains a productive scorer with an All-NBA résumé, and Brooklyn’s rebuilding timeline makes him a logical trade candidate. His history with the Lakers adds another layer: The franchise selected him seventh overall in 2014.
Nostalgia, however, cannot solve a defensive assignment.
For Buha, the Lakers’ final starter 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.
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