Weird, Anthony Randolph is a month younger than Babbitt. One is bashed (A.Randolph) for inconsistency and the other is praised (Babbitt) for what he has the potential of doing in the future...
Barrett always jocks the white guys. He's had a love affair with Przybilla for a couple years now. I've heard him bring up his wife Noelle (I know her name because he repeats it over and over on air) and son Anthony so many times it makes me want to gag. Seriously. Turn it to ESPN.
+1 I've loved his talent for a while now. A couple of years ago, he was probably Golden State's closest thing to an untouchable asset. I still think the talent is there, he just needs to be properly focused in. I'd take on that risk for a mid-first round pick.
I LOVE taking a chance on this guy....I've said it before and I still think so...he is one of the highest risk/reward guys that seem to be available.
Oh, Magic Randolph...people pumped him up to be way more than he could. Could still be a decent player though.
It's comforting to know that he could still be something, considering he's reached the fairly old age of 21. Late career revival, perhaps. He's left that 20 year old of limitless potential long behind him, but maybe he's still got something left.
AR was my 1A hope over 1B Batum at #13 in the 2008 draft. While flashing a lot of potential at GS, he fell out of favor with Nelson because of poor rotations on D and wanting to be a jumpshooting PG on O. Nellie wanted him to play like a traditional Big... bang, board, and set picks. With a lack of PT in his second year he first sulked and then tore ligaments in his left ankle that ended his season. He was shipped off to NY in the Lee sign and trade and hasn't been able to crack their rotation. If he's thought to be physically and mentally good to go, I'd love to add him to the Blazer mix for the price of a mid 1st. Dude is just the slightest shade smaller then LA in height/length, can handle the ball, and would seem to project well at the high post. STOMP
part of this business is taking calculated risks on players, especially if they've shown talent and flashes, but may be in a bad situation or fallen into some coachea dog house. Plus A Randolph is not an "expensive chance". IMO he is low risk and high reward, no brainer IMO.
I posted this about AR a few months ago in a different AR thread in the Portland forum: And here's another post I made in another PDX Anthony Randolph thread that has more to do with the path of his career: Obviously the dude has great talent and its always good to upgrade your talent but I just don't think NBA coaches, scouts, etc. believe in the guy much any more. Hes got tremendous talent and unique skill but Nellie and D'Antoni both got tired of him fast. He demanded a trade his rookie year (he was something like 18 years old and demanding playing time). Hes been cast out of rotations routinely by Nellie and D'Antoni. There were a hell of a lot of rumblings about his attitude while he was in GS and he was always super emotional, perhaps bipolar even, that you could plainly see just during games. Perhaps maturity over time will change him and maybe he needs a guy like Nate coaching him but hes already gone through a couple of good coaches who had a style that suited his game very well and tried to coach him up and discipline him the right way and he didn't respond well. Nate may be a fit personality wise but Nate's system seems all wrong for AR whose advantages can only be seen if you let him get creative and flashy. Like I said before, why doesn't Denver want him? They're blowing it up. You'd think they want a guy with a ton of potential instead of a mid-late first round pick who will most likely be a role player or a bust. How could a guy with that much talent be cast off so quickly by Nellie and D'Antoni. Once more, the talent is there but it seems like a lot of NBA people have given up on the guy. Hes still very young and could turn it around quick but there are big time red flags with him.
BTW heres a big mix of his rookie year: [video=youtube;5CDefTdwIx0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CDefTdwIx0[/video]
He does the same thing with Brandon Roy. Its a middle class cultural thing. Not a racist thing. He identifies with these guys.
Use him as a PF. Gets all of Cunningham's minutes and more (Camby/Aldridge get more rest). No reason to play him anywhere else.
