Julius Randle has been on fire as of late, while flashing signs of how dominant he can become. Randle's relentless style and his bruising, physical play have given the Lakers a much needed commanding presence in the paint. Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton has finally realized that the front court duo of Randle and center Brook Lopez is the Lakers best option to start each game. Bringing rookie Kyle Kuzma off the bench continues to look like the right move, although Kuzma did have success in the starting lineup earlier this year. With Larry Nance Jr. now in Cleveland following the Isaiah Thomas trade, Randle, Kuzma, and even reserve center Ivica Zubac will enjoy an increase in minutes played, role, and usage. Following the trade, Julius Randle has been on fire while playing like a man amongst boys.

For the Lakers, the Thomas trade was significant for several reasons, with Randle's subsequent explosion near the top of the list. 

The Isaiah Thomas Trade

On the afternoon of the trade deadline, the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers agreed to a very noteworthy and somewhat surprising deal. The trade can be viewed as a "win-win" for both teams since both organizations were able to accomplish their goals and solve the problems that they wanted to.

	Los Angeles Lakers	Cleveland Cavaliers
Acquired	G Isaiah Thomas, F/C Channing Frye, 2018 1st Round Pick	G Jordan Clarkson, F/C Larry Nance Jr.
Gained	Desired salary cap room for max free agents	Team chemistry
	Accomplished scorer	Interior depth
	Veteran presence	Two young dynamic players
	Cleveland's 2018 1st Round Pick	Team defense
	Another stretch big man
Lost	Two young dynamic players	2018 1st Round Pick
	Interior depth	Accomplished scorer
	Two fan favorites and well-liked teammates	Salary cap flexibility (did not have much to begin with)
	Rotation chemistry	One of their stretch big man
Who It Benefits	Randle, Kuzma, KCP, Ball, Ingram, Hart, Zubac, Thomas	LeBron James; entire team
Grade	B+	B

Grading The Trade

Los Angeles Lakers: B+

The Lakers made out well in this trade, which makes sense, considering they probably had more leverage than Cleveland. The Lakers could have waited until the off-season to make a trade while the Cavaliers did not have the same luxury. 

The loss of Clarkson and Nance Jr. briefly hurt this young team at first, but that can be expected. Younger players are much more likely to be significantly impacted by the loss of a teammate and friend. However, the Lakers didn't do this trade to benefit themselves on the court this season. Los Angeles was able to free up around $13 million in cap space for the upcoming summer, which finally puts them in position to offer two max-salary contracts in free agency. The trade itself had offsetting salaries, but Frye and Thomas both have deals that are set to expire and come off the books. This was a big goal for the Lakers, and they were able to achieve it without touching their core, and while adding a draft pick.

The acquisition of Cleveland's upcoming first-round pick has flown under the radar, considering how great of a pickup it was for LA. The new front office led by Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have shown two things: they know how to hire scouts, and collectively this organization can find solid players late in the draft. Even though the Cavaliers draft pick will fall towards the bottom of the first round, it is still very valuable to the Lakers. They could also hypothetically include the pick in a trade that brings a star to LA.

Channing Frye will not play very much; his role will be limited to a stretch big man off the bench and a positive veteran locker room presence. Frye now plays for his former college teammate in Head Coach Luke Walton. Last season, Frye played with Richard Jefferson, who was also a mutual teammate of Frye and Walton at Arizona.

Isaiah Thomas doesn't seem very likely to be a Laker beyond this season, but a slightly realistic chance remains. For now, Thomas gives LA an accomplished and elite scorer who will bring close to nothing on the defensive end. In the first few games following the trade, the Lakers have been worse on defense, but Thomas hasn't been the culprit. Following a dominant win in Atlanta, it is clear that Thomas and rookie Lonzo Ball are definitely capable of being on the court at the same time. This was an issue raised by many in the national media, but those watching Ball play know that his selfless style will mesh with nearly everyone. 

For now, Ball, Thomas, and Kuzma will all come off the bench, which has instantly become one of the most talented in the league. For Luke Walton, there is little reason to change a starting lineup that has played so well together as of late. Ball may soon re-enter the starting lineup, but recently it has looked like this:

• PG Brandon Ingram
• SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• SF Josh Hart
• PF Julius Randle
• C  Brook Lopez 

Julius Randle has made the most significant individual improvement since the trade. With the concern of being dealt at the deadline no longer on his mind and Larry Nance Jr. out of the picture, Randle has been freed and is now playing his best ball of the season. Without Larry Nance Jr. in the frontcourt rotation, Randle can now play more minutes at the power forward position, and more minutes overall. Not surprisingly, this has led to a spike in production for the former Kentucky Wildcat. In seven games since the trade deadline, Randle is averaging nearly 38 fantasy points per game on FanDuel. In the seven games prior to that, Randle averaged over five fewer fantasy points per game. In recent wins against Dallas, Sacramento, and Atlanta, Randle looked unstoppable and downright dominant in the paint and on the offensive glass. Against the Mavericks, Randle was able to go for a triple-double, as no Dallas defender could slow him down.

This is most likely the start of big things to come for Randle, who looks more and more worthy of a contract extension from the Lakers. It used to appear as if the writing was on the wall for Randle, with a trade being a sure thing according to multiple rumors. Circumstances seem to have changed now that the Lakers have increased their cap space and Randle's minutes and role on the team. For Laker fans, the latter has been a long time coming; for Luke Walton, it's better late than never.

Cleveland Cavaliers: B

The Cavaliers essentially had no choice but to try and revamp a roster that was severely lacking youth, athleticism, and defensive effort. Cleveland was the busiest team at the trade deadline, making several acquisitions that give them a much better chance this season. 

Players dealt away:

• G Dwyane Wade
• F Jae Crowder
• G Isaiah Thomas
• G Iman Shumpert
• G Derrick Rose
• F/C Channing Frye

Players acquired:

• G George Hill
• G Jordan Clarkson
• G/F Rodney Hood
• F/C Larry Nance Jr.

The new makeup of the Cavaliers roster looks much more capable of advancing far into the playoffs than the opening day roster did. The new trio of guards are all effective outside shooters and can all drive to the basket. They represent an upgrade on the defensive end over the players who were dealt away. Larry Nance has fit in very well with his new team and offers excellent interior depth to help compensate for the Kevin Love injury and Tristan Thompson's ineffectiveness.

Because both LA and Cleveland were able to get multiple assets they coveted, this trade is a win-win. For Cleveland, they benefit on the court much more this season, but concerns are on the horizon when it comes to the salary cap. The Cavs are way into the luxury tax and way over the salary cap, which doesn't exactly leave them very flexible in the coming off-season. They have basically taken an approach that values the present far more than the future. When a team can't guarantee how long LeBron James will stick around, they are best suited to go all in and chase a championship. For example, the massive 3-year $60 million contract of George Hill is, in fact, a small price to pay to give LeBron a better shot at his fourth ring. 

For the Lakers, the team will have to wait to reap the benefits of this trade until the off-season arrives. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were ecstatic to make this trade and cannot wait for the next phase of their plan. Most Lakers fans share that sentiment and are eager to see what the near future has in store for this franchise.