Ok well we've been baffled thus far in trying to figure out what the hell the Warriors are trying to accomplish for the upcoming offseason. On the surface it appears to the the FO going into panic mode and just using up the cap space on the remaining 2nd/3rd tier FAs. But you have to assume Nellie is giving the OK on all of these moves if not directing what Mullin to do altogether. My take as to what the FO is thinking: - Last training camp Nellie had his heart set on Monta learning to play PG. That plan was destroyed when Monta got injured in training camp but you have to imagine that Nellie still hasn't given up on that, it takes a lot for him to give up on one of his crazy ideas. Perhaps Nellie knew all along Baron was leaving in the near future, Monta showed some considerable improvement as far as passing and decreasing turnovers. As I've posted before Monta averaged 22.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.6 TOpg, 1.9 spg on 53% FGs after the all-star break. Perhaps Nellie and Mully decided that once Baron left and Brand seemed unrealistic, its time to make Monta our #1 guy with Jack right behind him and throw in another 20 ppg scorer to pick up some of the load. I get the feeling that we're going back to Monta-at-PG this season and he'll get some help from Jack as point forward, Belinelli perhaps, and a cheap veteran FA PG/combo guard (Dooling and Delonte West have been linked to us). - Regarding the Maggette deal. Hes overpaid at 9 mils/year but does replace that 22 ppg that Baron left behind. I think Nellie sees him as a 6th man to be honest. Nellie was the one who put Stackhouse at 6th man in Dallas- Mags is a very similar player, drives to the rim a ton, gets fouled a ton, his shooting was actually very very good last year. He'll come off the bench but get starter minutes and starter touches. Mags fills a couple big holes for our team- 1) reliability outside of Jackson at the swingman positions, 2) half-court scoring, 3) FT shooting. Hes got one of the highest points per shot averages in the league. Hes a very efficient scorer and hes a guy who, like Monta, is gonna force his way to the rim instead of chucking constantly. - Regarding the Turiaf signing. Another huge need for the W's was depth, size, experience, defense/rebounding at PF/C. Turiaf gives us a proven answer to the Millsaps, Carl Landry's, etc. Hes a guy who can play defense on Boozers, give us 6 extra fouls, have some shotblocking presence, he actually has a decent jumpshot and finishes well around the rim. He gives us a legit banger behind Beans which we've never had before and he seems like a classic Nellie dirty work guy. - These two signings make me think Al Harrington is being shopped more than ever. Nellie doesn't seem to like him, Al doesn't seem to want to be here (though apparently hes very good friends with Maggette), and I don't see where he fits in with Jack, Mags, Turiaf, Wright, Hendrix at SF/PF. Nellie has been trying to force him to be a great versatile 6th man but to no avail. I think we'll move him, preferably for a guard who fits next to Monta (Hinrich?) -So who is the starter at the PF spot? I'd guess Wright. I think the FO believes that hes a big part of our success, the sooner hes ready to contribute in the NBA the sooner we can turn this thing around. Wright's had a year under his belt, he was getting relatively consistent playing time toward the end of the season and producing, hes had another offseason. We might get a better idea in summer league how ready he is to contribute. Like Monta at PG, I think the FO believes its time to just throw him in the fire and let him learn on the fly but also have some support behind him (Turiaf, Beans, Hendrix?) - Is it just me or does it seem like Azu doesn't fit in anywhere here? In all likelihood we're going to use up all of our cap space. After that Monta and Beans take up most of the space inbetween being over the cap and being at lux tax. With Monta, Mags, Jack, and Beli I don't really see any place for Azu. - Perovic is another guy who could be gone. Why the hell isn't he on the summer league roster? Maybe hes playing for his national team? Again though, I just don't see a place for him behind Turiaf, Beans, Wright, Hendrix. - Seems like we're also targeting a backup combo guard type, Hu mentioned Keyon Dooling, Anthony Carter, and Delonte West. These are big combo guards who fit next to Monta but also are definitely not starters. So with all of this being said if we can trade Al for a guard who can man the point (Hinrich maybe, Jamaal Crawford maybe?) then I think they'll start next to Monta, Jack, Wright, and Beans with Mags as 6th man, Turiaf as the backup 4/5 and Beli and perhaps Hendrix getting some run, oh and throw in a cheap veteran combo guard off the bench. If we can't swing Al for a PG then its probably Monta at PG with Jack at SG, Mags at SF, Wright at PF, Beans at C. So what do you think we're trying to accomplish this offseason?
This is fast reply, but think the Warriors thought they were going to get Brand. Brand, Mags and Turiaf would have been a fantastic coup after Baron opted out. Of course, they didn't get close to getting Brand so I gotta think they have a Plan B course of action. I don't think they're done dealing or going after free agents yet.
I think everyone needs to stop looking at the Maggette signing as a Baron replacement. Think of him as a Pietrus/Barnes replacement. A PG to be signed (hopefully) is a Baron replacement. Turiaf is like a Patrick O'Bryant replacement. As I mentioned in another post, the salaries of Pietrus/Barnes = Maggette and the salary of POB = Turiaf...give or take a mil.
Here's a new Nellie interview by Tim Kawakami. Nellie confirms Monta IS the PG, Jack will be the SG, Mags at SF, he says Al is 'probably' our starting PF, Turiaf is our backup 5, Randolph is looking good in SL practices. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Doing work for tomorrow’s column, just got off the phone with Don Nelson–one Warriors’ official who is talking–and got his quick takes on adding Corey Maggette, possibly adding Ronny Turiaf, and moving Monta Ellis to point guard (which apparently is a lock)… Highlights: -Maggette figures to be the starting small forward and Nelson says he’s moving Stephen Jackson to the off-guard spot. -Monta Ellis is the point guard. -If Ronny Turiaf’s offer sheet isn’t matched by the Lakers, he’d fit in as the Warriors’ back-up center. -Nelson says that Anthony Randolph is showing a lot in the summer league practices. Now… The quick Q & A (Nelson is in Las Vegas with the summer league team, which is practicing before Friday’s first SL game)… -Question: What are your thoughts on adding Maggette? -NELSON: He’s a good player. That helps. Plays the ‘three’ spot, allows me to move Jack over to ‘two’. And he rebounds a little better than Jack. -Q: So you’ve liked Maggette for a while? This wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment signing? -NELSON: You’ve got to like that guy. Gets to the foul line and he rebounds. -Q: But Maggette dribbles a lot, too. He goes one-on-one, isolation. Is that good for your style of offense? -NELSON: That’s fine. We’ll go to his strengths. -Q: Do you need some more three-point shooters? -NELSON: You could always use a three-point shooter, we’ve lost a few of them. We’ll deal with what we have. -Q: So Monta is definitely your point guard? -NELSON: Monta’s at the point… I’d like to carry three point guards, so we’re looking around for a back-up point. -Q: Does Monta need to change his game as the point guard? -NELSON: Just got to get better every year, you know? Made a nice step this year, I thought. -Q: You always did say Monta’s future was at point guard… -NELSON: I’ve never given up on him making plays, being better than that. I figured it’d be a matter of time. He’s still got work to do. But he was better at the end of the year. He turned it over a little bit, but at least he has better vision now. He was pretty single-minded when I got there. -Q: OK, who’s your starting power forward at this point? -NELSON: Probably Harrington. -Q: Would you ever play Maggette at the four? -NELSON: No. -Q: Let’s go to that other power forward. Did you think you had a real shot at signing Elton Brand? -NELSON: Yeah. -Q: How disappointing was it when Brand decided to go to Philadelphia? -NELSON: Well, it would’ve been nice to have him. He’s more like the aircraft carrier you can really build around. But he’s going home, just like Baron did, so… Good for him. Hope he’s happy. Great guy, by the way. -Q: Who… Elton or Baron? -NELSON: Both of them. -Q: Have you spoken to Baron since he left? -NELSON: Oh yeah. We spoke several times on the phone. He came over to the office to say good-bye. We had a cigar together, sat in my truck for about two hours and talked. -Q: I guess Baron must not feel wonderful going to LA without Brand… -NELSON: You have to ask him about that. -Q: Do you think you need to make more additions to the roster? -NELSON: Actually we’ve got plenty of spaces, but they’d have to be more minimum guys… -Q: That’s counting Turiaf? -NELSON: Counting him, I think we still have enough for two or three more bodies. We’ll probably spend that on somebody like a point guard, a back-up point. We’ll still need some minimum guys. -Q: Why go after Turiaf? What do you like about him? -NELSON: He has the ability to pass a little bit, pretty good all-around player, a little bit under-sized. He may be available because they’ve got so many big guys there. I don’t know how much they would use him next year when they have everybody. He’d be the third center there. A chance they wouldn’t match. -Q: If Turiaf comes here, would he be your back-up center? -NELSON: Yeah, he would be. -Q: How does that summer league team look–with Brandan Wright, Anthony Randolph… -NELSON: Randolph looks like he’s going to be really good. -Q: At what position right now? 4 or 3? -NELSON: He is a ‘three’. -Q: Could you play him right away in the regular season? -NELSON: He’s awful young, but I’m going to play him if he has the skill to play. Sure looks good early. -Q: What is Randolph doing well to impress you so much? -NELSON: He’s just got IT, you know what I mean? Not many 6-10 ‘threes’ out there that can make plays and do that kind of stuff. Be fun to watch him grow into a player, huh?</div> http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2008...aron/#more-1143 Kensaku, I guess Monta will be our "Baron replacement". Mags fills in as the 2nd/3rd guy I suppose. Barnes/Pietrus I think will be replaced by Wright/Turiaf as far as backup PFs go and Beli/Azu as far as backup wings go.
Do you think Mullin will take a run at Josh Smith to play the PF spot on the team? His shot blocking and ability to get out in the open court would seem to fit the team nicely. do you still have the cap space now?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Run BJM @ Jul 9 2008, 01:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Kensaku, I guess Monta will be our "Baron replacement". Mags fills in as the 2nd/3rd guy I suppose. Barnes/Pietrus I think will be replaced by Wright/Turiaf as far as backup PFs go and Beli/Azu as far as backup wings go.</div> I guess so. A guy I'm really counting on is Bellinelli. I think he can be a better playmaker than Sjax is, which I'm not sure is saying a lot, but it's meant to say a lot It'd be nice to have Azu back but if we're trying going with the youth movement per Nellie, then it doesn't seem to make too much sense to bring him back. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Celtic Fan @ Jul 9 2008, 01:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Do you think Mullin will take a run at Josh Smith to play the PF spot on the team? His shot blocking and ability to get out in the open court would seem to fit the team nicely. do you still have the cap space now?</div> I doubt it. It'd be like adding another BWright and Randolph to the team. Meaning, another raw talent that's tall and athletic. I think BWright and Randolph can become what Josh Smith is/will be.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Celtic Fan @ Jul 9 2008, 04:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Do you think Mullin will take a run at Josh Smith to play the PF spot on the team? His shot blocking and ability to get out in the open court would seem to fit the team nicely. do you still have the cap space now?</div> Nah, we don't have the cap left at this point. Only like 6 or 7 mil I think and it sounds like the organization is confident in Wright and Randolph so Smith would be redundant.
I like what Don Nelson said about the team. He pretty much likes all the players that I like. I hope Randolph pans out early, but you never know. Nikoloz Tskitishvilli looked pretty good in summer league play and he was one of the biggest busts of 2002. Monta Ellis can be a pretty good passer. Again, look for some really good basketball chemistry between him and Biedrins. I think they got something going when it comes to the two man game.
So at this point the lineup maybe looks like this? PG: Ellis / Watson / Belinelli SG: Jackson / Bellinelli / Ellis SF: Maggette / Azubuike / Jackson / Randolph PF: Harrington / Wright C: Biedrins / Turiaf I don't know, looks very weird to me. A lot of talent but fits together strangely IMO. And still no real stars (star potential though). I really don't want to see Harrington starting at PF again, but Nellie has already lost a bunch of 3-point shooters, will he let Harrington play just for that?* Will Wright get buried on the bench again? I give this team 40-45 wins, max, and probably less. And I'm still very skeptical Nelson will play the young guys except Monta. That includes Biedrins, who should be playing over 30 minutes per game. I wouldn't say this team is a disaster, but it's very shaky and has a ton of question marks. *EDIT: Last year the Warriors played "live by the three, die by the three", but it seems to me they died by it more often than lived (shot themselves right out of many games, poorer chance to rebound, starts opposing team's break, kills momentum).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HiRez @ Jul 9 2008, 08:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>So at this point the lineup maybe looks like this? PG: Ellis / Watson / Belinelli SG: Jackson / Bellinelli / Ellis SF: Maggette / Azubuike / Jackson / Randolph PF: Harrington / Wright C: Biedrins / Turiaf I don't know, looks very weird to me. A lot of talent but fits together strangely IMO. And still no real stars (star potential though). I really don't want to see Harrington starting at PF again, but Nellie has already lost a bunch of 3-point shooters, will he let Harrington play just for that?* Will Wright get buried on the bench again? I give this team 40-45 wins, max, and probably less. And I'm still very skeptical Nelson will play the young guys except Monta. That includes Biedrins, who should be playing over 30 minutes per game. I wouldn't say this team is a disaster, but it's very shaky and has a ton of question marks. *EDIT: Last year the Warriors played "live by the three, die by the three", but it seems to me they died by it more often than lived (shot themselves right out of many games, poorer chance to rebound, starts opposing team's break, kills momentum).</div> Yeah, it does look weird. I think we still haven't solved the post player problem of getting a player like an Elton Brand. 20/10 consistency + defense is what we needed... now we'll be lucky if we get defense or 20/10 and crap defense (like Shareef Abdur Rahim player or Antwan Jamison). Consistency would be good, but not if the other team can trade baskets with our best scorer. Point guard is still a question mark, but I think Ellis will learn quickly or he will suffer the wrath of the huge contract he's about to get. Talk about pressure.... On opening day if he averages as many turnovers as assists or teams find out the best way to play him is to leave him open on the 25 foot line, I bet fans will start giving up on him. I think he'll do fine and I advocated him starting at point eventually, so now I gotta suffer the result if it's bad. I expect Steve Francis/Gilbert Arenas type impact at some point (maybe without the defense and definitely without the ego) and possibly some new things I've never seen from him. Maybe he'll be more of a midrange player utilizing screens sort of like Chauncey Billups. That would definitely keep adding to his high % game because it's a closer in shot, there's no contact, and there's always spaces for a guy who can shoot off the dribble quickly and accurately. I don't think 3 point shooting will be that much of an issue. We lost Baron Davis. Big deal, he was a crappy 3 point shot and he took them in volume no matter how badly most coaches would advise against that sort of play. I'd rather see how Marco Belinelli works out first before I start complaining about lack of 3 point shooting. What if Marko is the next Mike Miller or Ray Allen. Problem solved. Plus, we can always get some cheapy FA's that other teams may discard. What about Marko Jaric or possibly some backup point that we get that's a 3 point launcher. I'm more interested in seeing how this team can move the ball better without having a true post player. It's so much easier when the team has a guy that will just go in and try to get deep position in the paint which draws in defenses away from where you could run possible plays. It's so much easier than having to attack from the outside in all the time. Drive and kick was the only thing we could do and it was just so lame and predictable how defenses would zone up on us and then collapse on all the passing lanes if a guy managed to penetrate the zone... If we could force man-to-man coverage and learn how to attack the zone properly without having to rely on 1 on 5 tactics, I think we'll do fine. I think one of those keys is to improve our inside scoring situation and move the ball around so we can take good 3 point shots. We can take the 3 any time so it is important to try and run something. We'll be okay in the long run, but there's a lot of gambling right now for this season. Especially because Mags for Baron isn't really an upgrade over our situation... We lost our best go-to player and guy that actually makes others better. The true x-factors will have to be our overall guard play and what our bigs can do for us this year.
I am still unsure about what exactly Maggette's contract looks like. But I think the Warriors are playing it to be on the developing side. But they are definitely not trying to be uncompetitive. I guess the NBA is all about being competitive and nobody will develop in the NBA playing on an uncompetitive team. So I guess I kind of like what the Warriors have. I think Randolph may be the real deal. Don Nelson is really high on him. Also I can't see Don Nelson sticking around to coach an uncompetitive team and I can't see many fans sticking around either to follow another uncompetitive team. So I think there is kind of a healthy mix going here. You also never know with trades these days. There have been some peculiar deals where superstars have been dealt in the recent past such as KG, Gasol, Shaq, etc. Maybe the Warriors have the pieces to make such a deal if available during the season to continue the building process. As far as Harrington: I think he's pretty solid for what he can bring and if he's playing toward his strengths. The problem with him is that he is a knucklehead at times. Fortunately it seems like the Warriors have some players to take Al out of the game if he's not focused and producing. But what is this about Azubuike? Is he still with the team for next season or is he a free agent? For some reason I was thinking he was a free agent; but maybe I was wrong. And from that interview that was posted. I kind of chuckled thinking of Baron Davis and Don Nelson sitting in a truck smoking a cigar for a couple of hours.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clif25 @ Jul 9 2008, 06:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think Randolph may be the real deal. Don Nelson is really high on him.</div> That's true but as I recall Nelson was really high on Belinelli last summer too (saying stuff like "I may be forced to play him!") and look what happened to him. I'm hoping Randolph is the real deal but I don't take anything Nelson says too strongly. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>But what is this about Azubuike? Is he still with the team for next season or is he a free agent? For some reason I was thinking he was a free agent; but maybe I was wrong.</div> I think he is a free agent but I'm hoping/assuming the Warriors will resign him. I think Nelson likes him and I like him a lot off the bench if the cost is not too steep.
I think 3 point shooting could be an issue. If teams don't respect Ellis and Maggette's 3 point shot and clog the paint it could become troublesome. But looking at Bellini, Azubuike, Harrington and SJax they should be fine.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HiRez @ Jul 9 2008, 09:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clif25 @ Jul 9 2008, 06:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think Randolph may be the real deal. Don Nelson is really high on him.</div> That's true but as I recall Nelson was really high on Belinelli last summer too (saying stuff like "I may be forced to play him!") and look what happened to him. I'm hoping Randolph is the real deal but I don't take anything Nelson says too strongly. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>But what is this about Azubuike? Is he still with the team for next season or is he a free agent? For some reason I was thinking he was a free agent; but maybe I was wrong.</div> I think he is a free agent but I'm hoping/assuming the Warriors will resign him. I think Nelson likes him and I like him a lot off the bench if the cost is not too steep. </div> Oh yeah I forgot about that Marco Belinelli thing last summer. He was saying that Marco would start in front of Monta Ellis. Well hopefully both Marco and Randolph and everyone else on the roster has good season in the 2008-2009. Hopefully we can at least blow out the Clippers once. That would be cool
I don't know what Mullin's plans were this summer, but I DO know they were affected by Baron Davis. The Warriors would almost DEFINITELY have used the trade exception on draft day to make a big move. I was hoping they'd somehow swing a trade to move up and get Eric Gordon. As it worked out, Randolph was a dream situation slipping to 14. But Mully would have used the exception to swing a big deal if he knew Baron was opting out. Baron screwed them by dropping it at the last second, and that messed up their plans. He didn't even tell them in person; his agent just faxed it in last minute, lol. But after Baron opted out, Mullin and Nelly must have been rocked a bit. That was out of the blue and totally changed the shape of this team. They probably would have tried to trade the exception or a S&T package deal for a guy like Andre Miller or Jose Caulderon. Instead, they let the exception expire. That was a BIG deal. Now, they have been scrambling to patch the holes in the ship. Funny what the loss of your starting PG can do. Personally, I love the fact that Baron opted out. GS got a year's head-start on developing the young guys. Baron was terrible for development because A) He was egotistical and jacked up senseless threes despite the play that was called, and B) he had the ball in his hands 90% of the game, for the 40 minutes a night he played. He was still a great player, but not conducive to developing the young guys. Too dominant a personality and too much about himself, IMO. After Baron opted out, though, IMO, Mullin did what he could, and I like the offers to Arenas and Brand. I really wish he'd have thrown some at Smith and Iggy, too, but I don't know how the timing thing works, and maybe if he threw Smith an offer it would have turned Brand off, or something, I don't know. However, with Mags signing, I was a bit puzzled. It just seemed like GS had worked SO hard (the JRich trade, and penny pinching with other players) to create cap space, it seemed a little knee-jerk and rushed to squander it on a mediocre deal (not a superstar deal). If it DOES indeed turn out to be 7 or 8 mils a year, it's not bad. But if it's 10 a year, I don't know. I really do like Maggette's game, but I was just hoping we could get someone else for more money -- either a difference maker like Brand, Okafor, or a high-ceiling player like Smith, or Deng, or Iggy, etc. If that wasn't available, I was hoping GS would just go after a proven PG, either FA or trade, to help the young guys along. Maybe they still will. But if Bellinelli pans out at the SG, and Randolph pans out at the SF, then we are paying a bench player 10 mils in Maggette. I have heard the argument that we need to at least show we're trying to win in order to attract FAs. I'm hoping we could land Nash in 2010, and I understand how he wouldn't want to come if we were just a bunch of rookies with no wins. That's why Brand chose the 76ers. Still, I have more faith in the young guys. I think at least we could give them 1/2 season to develop (Ellis, Wright, Beans, Marco) together as a unit, and THEN do mid-season trades using the cap space. Maybe we still can trade Mags then, if needed. As far as the young dudes, I've said from the start that Randolph has more potential than anyone on this team. If you've seen extensive footage of him in college, you'll know. He is natural in his body, and plays like a guard. Except he is 6' 10", with a 7'5" wingspan, and still growing. He'll crossover and hit a fade-away jumper and look like Kobe doing it. He is something this league has seen very rarely as of yet. He is the prototype of a new generation of NBA athletes, IMO. A similar comparison, in this regard, is LeBron James. The league had just never seen a specimen like him. Combine Charles Barkley power with Michael Jordan explosion, and what do you get? LeBron "superman" James. A new type of athlete. I'm not saying Randolph is the next LeBron, lol. I was just trying to compare the new freak athletes we are seeing in the last 10 years. What I am saying about Randolph is that I think he will be better, in the long run, than any one on this roster, Monta Ellis included. I have a hunch that Anthony Randolph will be the franchise player for this team in 4 or 5 years, and I REALLY hope we have the cap room to have the option of signing him if he pans out like I think he will. It's so funny because everyone talks about how he is SO skinny and he is SO young and it will be years before he'll be ready to play. Randolph is NBA ready tonight. He's just a natural in his body. He's comfortable in his own skin. Where Biedrins was stumbling around in his shoes his first year, just trying to coordinate his hands and his feet, Randolph is totally NBA ready for the type of game he plays. Is he ready to bang with Shaq? No. Is he ready to score 20 a night? Yes.
Well if he is 6-10 205 pounds. Then I think I can think of a similar specimen in terms of build. How about Kevin Durant, at 6-9 215 pounds. Also maybe a very young KG (who used to play some time at SF) although he is like 7 feet tall or 7'1, I guess just had the quickness and length to manage to do so. Rip Hamilton is pretty tall too at 6'8 for a SG.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlleyOop @ Jul 10 2008, 02:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not saying Randolph is the next LeBron, lol. I was just trying to compare the new freak athletes we are seeing in the last 10 years. What I am saying about Randolph is that I think he will be better, in the long run, than any one on this roster, Monta Ellis included. I have a hunch that Anthony Randolph will be the franchise player for this team in 4 or 5 years, and I REALLY hope we have the cap room to have the option of signing him if he pans out like I think he will. It's so funny because everyone talks about how he is SO skinny and he is SO young and it will be years before he'll be ready to play. Randolph is NBA ready tonight. He's just a natural in his body. He's comfortable in his own skin. Where Biedrins was stumbling around in his shoes his first year, just trying to coordinate his hands and his feet, Randolph is totally NBA ready for the type of game he plays. Is he ready to bang with Shaq? No. Is he ready to score 20 a night? Yes.</div> It's not his body that scares me. Yes he is skinny but that's not the end of the world, he seems to be naturally stong and defended guys bigger that him in college. It's that he needs to change his game a lot to be a 3. He seems like he will be very good right now in the open court but I'm concerned about him in a half court set and on defense. He has no 3 point shot whatsoever and I don't think his midrange game is all that great. Also, people always say he has great ball handling skills for a guy his size (which is true) but he does not have a great handle for a small forward. His size is actually a detriment in that regard. He dribbles the ball so high I'm afraid smaller, quicker 3s will be able to pick his pocket. Assuming he can protect the ball, can he pass? I haven't seen him do much of that. Most of his clipsshow him on the break and finishing with a dunk, not finding an open man. I guess I've become spoiled watching Jackson create for others from the 3 spot and want our future small forward to be able to do the same. On D, he has always (from the games and clips I've seen) guarded inside guys, he doesn't really have any experience guarding perimeter players. I worry about his lateral quickness and his long arms could lead to a lot of reach ins and ticky tack fouls. Physically I agree with you, he's a freak. I think he's one of the quickest guys on the W's and in the open court it seems like he has a extra gear to blow buy guys when he has room to run. I just think he has to learn a lot before he will be able to use his physical skills.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ryan @ Jul 10 2008, 11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlleyOop @ Jul 10 2008, 02:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not saying Randolph is the next LeBron, lol. I was just trying to compare the new freak athletes we are seeing in the last 10 years. What I am saying about Randolph is that I think he will be better, in the long run, than any one on this roster, Monta Ellis included. I have a hunch that Anthony Randolph will be the franchise player for this team in 4 or 5 years, and I REALLY hope we have the cap room to have the option of signing him if he pans out like I think he will. It's so funny because everyone talks about how he is SO skinny and he is SO young and it will be years before he'll be ready to play. Randolph is NBA ready tonight. He's just a natural in his body. He's comfortable in his own skin. Where Biedrins was stumbling around in his shoes his first year, just trying to coordinate his hands and his feet, Randolph is totally NBA ready for the type of game he plays. Is he ready to bang with Shaq? No. Is he ready to score 20 a night? Yes.</div> It's not his body that scares me. Yes he is skinny but that's not the end of the world, he seems to be naturally stong and defended guys bigger that him in college. It's that he needs to change his game a lot to be a 3. He seems like he will be very good right now in the open court but I'm concerned about him in a half court set and on defense. He has no 3 point shot whatsoever and I don't think his midrange game is all that great. Also, people always say he has great ball handling skills for a guy his size (which is true) but he does not have a great handle for a small forward. His size is actually a detriment in that regard. He dribbles the ball so high I'm afraid smaller, quicker 3s will be able to pick his pocket. Assuming he can protect the ball, can he pass? I haven't seen him do much of that. Most of his clipsshow him on the break and finishing with a dunk, not finding an open man. I guess I've become spoiled watching Jackson create for others from the 3 spot and want our future small forward to be able to do the same. On D, he has always (from the games and clips I've seen) guarded inside guys, he doesn't really have any experience guarding perimeter players. I worry about his lateral quickness and his long arms could lead to a lot of reach ins and ticky tack fouls. Physically I agree with you, he's a freak. I think he's one of the quickest guys on the W's and in the open court it seems like he has a extra gear to blow buy guys when he has room to run. I just think he has to learn a lot before he will be able to use his physical skills. </div> Good point. That's probably his biggest area to work on -- not body, or even developing skills, but learning how to use those skills, and especially how to play the SF position in the NBA. I'm not saying he'll burst onto the scene and be a rookie all-star. He's still growing and according to his doctor will reach a clean 7 feet in the next few years. But yes, I think his length and height will be a great defensive asset when guarding other SFs. And as far as his midrange game, I think he already has a face-up game, triple threat, jab-step, crossover, pull-up jumper, and drive to the rim all in his game. His game isn't forced, like when JRich tried to "learn" how to dribble over the off-season. AR is a natural and the game is in him, IMO, so his skinny long body isn't really a hindrance; it's just who he is.
