I had a difficult time watching the Warriors game...

by R-Man on Jul 12, 2009 11:14 AM PDT Comment 27 comments

...because of the nagging feeling of regret.

I want to be the first to say I like Jason Thompson, and I appreciate his effort and hustle. I also want to say that Jason has an NBA body and he will probably will be a solid pro for 10-15. That being said, I think we made a mistake not drafting Anthony Randolph.

Last night, Randolph showed that he could become an All Star. He is long, quick and now has a smooth jumper. He was lethally efficient scoring last night. He showed he could drive, post up and shoot the J. He blocked shots and grabbed rebounds.

Jason, on the other hand, plays hard, fights for the ball in traffic and gets his hand on it, but ultimately plays much closer to the ground. Lots of rebounds went to other players that were close to him. When Randolph went after a rebound, he snatched out of the air and it was his, end of story.

My fear is that Jason will be a solid starter; Randolph, a star.

Randolph could have been ours. We chose the safe pick over the gamble, and it looks to me like the Warriors are going to reap the benefits.

Imagine our squad with Randolph, Evans, Hawes and Martin. That would be an exciting and athletic group. Not to mention that Randoph and Evans would help tremendously in the defensive and rebounding departments.

Again, I'm not trying to bash JT; it's just hard to imagine him turing out as a better pro. I realize that it's only one game and it's just a summer league game at that, but I saw much of the same things in the second half of last year. Despite likeing what I saw from Tyreke, I was left feeling depressed.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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I'm with you.

Randolph is a stud. I think you could be a contender with him as the best player on your team.
Reminds me of KG in his early days.

With that being said, I really like JT. I mean, it could’ve been worse. We could’ve had Hibbert or something.

by sdfd on Jul 12, 2009 12:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If he grows up

Randolph played like a kid with a 10 cent head last year. Now he is young and he may mature nicely. But let us remember that Donté Greene pured in 40+ points in a summer league game last year. Perspective and context, you know?

JT looks like a much tougher player than Randolph, and we’ve been crying for toughness around here for the past few years. I’m still pleased with the selection. Remember also, JT earned all rookie honors last year, not Randolph.

You may very well be right and time will tell. But if I had my choice today, I would still take JT.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Jul 12, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Randolph isn't what I'd call a finesse player

He’s skinny, but he doesn’t play skinny (if that makes sense). I thought he was agressive with his post up play.

I don’t think JT gives us more toughness, but I agree it’s only one game; however, I’m basing the observation on the last 2 months of the 2008-09 season as well as the summer league games.

Agreed, AR may have a 10 cent head and he has had problems with Don Nelson, but his talent is hard not to notice.

by R-Man on Jul 12, 2009 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and Austin Daye may be great too, he has similiar body type and skill set

you rolls the dice and you takes your chances…

It is Summer League. It isn’t about stats – this is a glorified intrateam scrimmage to test out the team’s new draft picks, see where last years’ picks are, and check out some possible diamond, or cubic zirconia in the the rough to help fill out the roster.

I thought it interesting that the the Warriors stats for the game are 3 guys in double figures (23, 25, 29) and everyone else with 2 or 3 points. How does this help the ’dubs?

by betweentheeyes on Jul 12, 2009 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

correction: Warriors had 3 in 20 point game stat - 24, 27, 29

by betweentheeyes on Jul 12, 2009 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you're a bit off on the Daye comparison

Randolph is a tremendous athlete. Daye is not. I’m not mad at Petrie for missing Randolph, because I wasn’t particularly enamored of him when he was drafted. But I certainly am now. The kid is electric.

by furious.d on Jul 12, 2009 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anthony Randolph 29 35 7 11.86 3.26
Austin Daye 6’ 9.75" 6’ 10.75" 192 7’ 2.75" 9’ 2" 5.5 25.0 11’ 3" 28.0 11’ 6" 12.11 3.55 NA 15

I would fill in the blanks on the comparison of the 2008 combine results and this years’ (2009) for each of these extremely tall, remarkably thin, impressively talented young men, but after I looked up these measurements, and started to write down their corresponding values I came to realize that it fully truly and unhesitatingly doesn’t make one corn kernal in a piece of feces difference. Neither is a Sacramento King.

by betweentheeyes on Jul 12, 2009 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But, unfortunately, one is in our division

And he’s the guy who gets six inches higher when jumping, did the bench press seven times instead of none, is quicker sprinting and with the ball, and took the test when he was two years younger.

But you’re right that it doesn’t matter how Daye turns out, as he’s not in our conference and certainly wasn’t worth the #4 pick.

by furious.d on Jul 12, 2009 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love JT

He was definitely my favorite King last season. But I have to say that if I had my choice today, I would not still take JT. I’d definitely take Randolph.

Sure Donte scored 40 in a Summer League game, but Randolph’s great performance in the VSL isn’t exactly an anomoly, he was an absolute monster in the last ten games of the regular season (and his per-40 numbers were great all season). It’s also worth noting that Randolph is three years younger than JT and a year and a half younger than Donte. As for the Don Nelson thing, I remember him having problems with another talented young PF once upon a time and that guy turned out to be okay.

I look forward to rooting for JT for years to come, and I think he was a value where he was picked, but Randolph was an absolute steal.

by furious.d on Jul 12, 2009 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Furious.D & R-Man speaking gospel

Randolph is a star waiting to happen. JT is going to be a nice pro. JT reminds me of Joe Smith, a guy with a ton of solid, fundamental skills that will contribute to teams for a long time. Randolph on the other hand, looks like a guy that could dominate beginning this year and it’s not just because of summer league.

by Just_Puked on Jul 12, 2009 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bingo

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

by R-Man on Jul 12, 2009 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Randolph had huge problems with nellie from the get go and for a good chunk of last season

but he was a beast in the last 10 games. I’m guessing what we are seeing from him is not a fluke. I followed Randolph closely last season and felt for a while that we had drafted the right player, Randolf was very immature and at times seemed like a head case but as the season drew to a close and due to injuries and nellie’s rest a vet program, Randolph got a lot of burn and produced.

I still like JT and am a bit confused by what we are seeing in Vegas. The thing that really gives me comfort is that as Randolph becomes a star in the NBA he likely won’t be on the dub’s roster past his rookie contract.

"We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good." - Charles Barkley

by Bluejohn on Jul 13, 2009 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

looking at the two (JT and A Randolph) from the distance of three years away..

I see JT as a powerful power forward – getting bigger/stronger – in a Horace Grant kind of way.
I see Randolph as a multi-talented lanky big, in a Lamar Odom/Harvey Grant kind of way.

Which is better? Depends on what you need at the time and type of team you have. No “draft buyers remorse” at this point, on either. Time will shape each of them more completely.

by betweentheeyes on Jul 13, 2009 6:51 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

We differ here...

I think AR is going to be way better than Harvey Grant.

I think JT is a Brian Grant/Dale Davis type of 4. Lots of hustle and heart, but not an all-star.

Randolph is more like a Garnett/Wallace type. Long and athletic with skills of a guard. I don’t think he will be as good as Garnett, but he has that type of a frame.

by R-Man on Jul 13, 2009 7:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love JT

But he earned all-rookie honors, started more than half the season and still isn’t dominating in summer league. I expected to see some muscle on the block, some post moves but all i saw where fade-away J’s and long 2’s. I expected him to clean up on the boards and have the offense run through him 100% of the time. I feel evans well impact our team more than JT will….and JT’s been in the league for a year and has had 4 years of college….

by shadowchicken on Jul 12, 2009 9:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You can't expect a 2nd year player to possess all the skillsets, no matter how many yrs of college.

With the absence of Hawes, JT is forced to move to the starting Center position. The mid range jumper, the drives along the baseline, the offensive put backs off the missed shoots, are the traits of a good PF. The low post moves for a PF are an added bonus, but are more commonly the skills found in your center. And, although JT can fill in at center, he is not nor do I believe ever will be a center.

I’ll probably get slammed for this, but JT is not as yet a great rebounder. He lead the team in offensive rebounds last yr, true. But, he doesn’t go up and grab rebounds. He doesn’t have great hops nor the skill to get position. He gets a lot of tip ins off of missed shots. Until he learns how to fight for position and anticipate where the balls is going to come off, he’ll never be a double digit rebounder. But, that’s ok, because it will happen. It’s all about learning and getting better.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Jul 12, 2009 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol..

lol i understand that i can’t expect a 2ed year player to have all the skill sets, but he is playing against guys who haven’t played in the NBA at all. I just kind of expected him to set up on the block, get the ball and have show a move or two. Grab more boards than he did, simply because he has played against NBA players before….I just expected more that all

by shadowchicken on Jul 12, 2009 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know you understand

I get a little wordy and preachy sometimes, alright most of the time. I really wanted to say he’s showing good PF moves. and the low post moves will come in time.

One thing on the rebounding I forgot to mentions is that last year he didn’t have much competition from our guys for rebounds. Reke had 10 the last game and Donte & Brockman are aver almost 7 per game each. Sometimes there just isn’t enough to go around. The team had 80 rebounds in the 2 games. And, alot of guys are steppin up.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Jul 13, 2009 12:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't be depressed.

The Summer League box scores are no cause for depression. Our boy Quincy has played great so far for the Raptors and we all know how much that’ll translate to October play.

I remember thinking about Randolph before the draft last year and thinking how similar he could be to a springier Lamar Odom. I like him but I don’t love him yet. I see him as just as much a project for the Warriors as Donte is for us.

by CDinSD on Jul 12, 2009 11:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Its not just one game...

by R-Man on Jul 14, 2009 8:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He just dropped 42 points on the Bulls.

Here’s the link.

by R-Man on Jul 14, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t judge ceilings/floorings by Summer League.

by bignerd on Jul 13, 2009 3:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

at least Thompson is playing

Unlike Spencer. I don’t know a lot about AR, but I think I would rather have Randolph than Hawes. Let’s not criticize Thompson, who at least is willing to keep working on his game and plays well with others. Who do you think Greene, Evans, Casspi and whoever else is gonna look up to, regardless of ability, Hawes or Thompson?

I feel very strongly about this!

Trade Spencer and Casspi for Randolph? Agh! Randolph hasn’t proven anything for real yet. Maybe I shouldn’t be so judgmental.

by Ice_9ine on Jul 13, 2009 3:40 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

id

rather trade hawes and noci or beno but not casspi hes good

by madmavmathews on Jul 14, 2009 8:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting thing about your keyboard.

If you push the shift key, it makes capital letters. And if you look closely, you’ll see keys with comma, period, apostrophe, and other nifty punctuation.

What they won’t think up next!

The draft lottery has reinforced my belief that there are not enough bad words in the English language.

by LeaguePassAddict on Jul 16, 2009 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs