Lakers News: Latest on Nick Young Injury, Julius Randle's Role and More

Though some might step back and wonder about making the playoffs in the Western Conference, the young Los Angeles Lakers have started to hit notable speed bumps on a lengthy journey. 

Notably, head coach Luke Walton has had to draw up game plans without key players due to injury and while getting as creative as possible on an odd road schedule. 

Most recently, the Lakers concluded a wild four-game road stretch in which they mustered one win. In the finale Saturday, the depleted, exhausted roster took on the Memphis Grizzlies and came up shy of the mark, losing 103-100.

The Lakers got an eye-popping and game-high 40 points from veteran Lou Williams off the bench—another sign the team's depth is much better than usual this year. But the absences of D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young have forced Walton to reach deeper than usual with guys such as Jose Calderon.

Russell's injury isn't anything new after the team shut him down to let him heal. Young, on the other hand, strained his calf at the end of November and has a complicated return timetable.

The Lakers got good news Saturday on this front, as the Los Angeles Times' Tania Ganguli captured:

Were this a year ago, fans would have met Young's fast recovery track with something close to a shrug. 

But in many respects, this isn't last year. Young has been incredible under Walton's guidance, killing off any speculation the team might move on from him and let the young guys take over. Through 18 games, he has averaged 13.3 points and shot 45.8 percent from the floor and 41.8 percent from deep—the highest shooting marks of his career.

Granted, those averages will regress, but it speaks to the job done by Walton and how much every player—young and old—believes in the system.

That's why it has to be frustrating for Walton to battle the four-game trip the NBA threw at him. It doesn't sound like much until one looks ahead and realizes after four games through next Sunday the Lakers begin a seven-game stretch away from home.

Given the injuries and youth of the roster, it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear Walton nail the schedule down as the biggest hurdle his young team faces to close out the year, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (via the San Bernardino Sun).

“You can always get your body to turn on as a player as the game goes. But to win in this league, you have to be locked in and focused. When the schedule gets grueling, for me the biggest challenge was having that same type of mindset night in and night out,” Walton said.

Such a trip is where veteran leaders such as Young would come into play—both in performance on the court and leadership on and off it.

But difficult schedule or not, the Lakers facing a trial by fire in this regard has seemed to be a staple of this season. The team has won more games than most would have been brave enough to predict to this point, but injuries, schedule woes and problems facing any other team were going to stand as make-or-break issues for a team that has to forge ahead no matter what.

During these struggles, Walton has chosen to turn to forward Julius Randle.

Walton talked at length about Randle recently, as captured by Serena Winters of LakersNation.com:

Indeed, the last thing these impressionable Lakers need is a volatile presence in a leadership role, especially when someone such as Young has even cooled his antics.

Not to suggest Randle has been out of line, but the sooner he cleans up issues like the one Walton mentioned above, the sooner even the veterans will turn his way for leadership. He's doing his part from a numbers standpoint—through 19 games, the Kentucky product is averaging 12.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor.

With Russell out and rookie Brandon Ingram not ready to assume a leadership role by any means, it is clear Randle will remain Walton's top target in this regard. After an injury derailed his rookie season, Randle is beginning to blossom in what amounts to his sophomore year. As such, Walton pointing out something like this shouldn't go ignored.

Expect the Lakers to ride Randle in the leadership and production role for the next week and beyond into the ugly seven-game road trip.

Maybe thoughts of the postseason are premature, but there is no longer a stink of dread around the Lakers before such a stretch. It is a continued testament to the job done by Walton, who has helped the Lakers clear their first serious hurdles of the season with plenty of room to spare.

Bigger hurdles await. Walton and the young Lakers, though, seem poised, if not a little tired.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.