How often do you think Nikola Mirotic and Julius Randle get into fights? Keep in mind that Mirotic has previously shown a willingness to spar with other power forwards who he deems to be in competition with, even if those bouts didn’t always end in a favorable outcome for the Montenegrin Monster.
Mirotic and Randle are almost diametrically opposed; the sweet-shooting Mirotic is the theoretical perfect PF to place next to Anthony Davis, while Randle is more of a bruising power player who at one point thought he was “sweet-shooting” but clearly doesn’t think so any longer. Given their vastly differing playstyles, any locker-room fights are not only fought on a personal level, but they’re fought on a philosophical level as well. With every punch that Mirotic aims at Randle’s droopy, froggish face, he’s implying “AD thrives when surrounded by shooters.” And with every counter-punch that Randle directs at Mirotic’s face, a face which is no longer protected by the cushioning effects of a large beard, Randle is saying “AD thrives when he isn’t shoehorned into the stereotypical five-man role.”
For now, there may be an uneasy peace between the two players, given that Mirotic was out for a considerable amount of time, but just one wrong word or sidelong glance from either of them could spark an all-out brawl that could send one, or both, participants to the hospital.