BoogieTime wrote:RipPizzaGuy wrote:BoogieTime wrote:
Bigs that don’t rim protect or space the floor at all like Randle just don’t tangibly bring enough to the table.
Randle has been a plus defender 2 years in a row now. The advanced stats also say he attributed more wins to his team than Nurkic on a significantly worse team. I would expect that number to be even further apart in Randles favor if you switched them teams. He may not be a 3pt shooter or a shot blocker, but he definitely inserted himself last year as a good defender in the paint.
Between his good passing, efficient scoring ability, plus rebounding, and improving defense, I would absolutely love to have him. I also won't be surprised if we see if develop at least some form of an outside shot, I envision him shooting 2 a game next season while averaging 30-32% or so. Not great but he definitely has shown the ability to improve his game in other areas.
He plays bully ball but not to the detriment of the team. Randolph is a black hole, when he touches the ball you know hes going to try to post you up or shoot a mid range. Randle gets inside on you, but hes also a great athlete who you can run the P&R or pass out to an open 3pt shooter.
I'm salivating at the idea of grabbing him and my guess is Mikal Bridges though Id love MPJ because we need the high ceiling.
Bigs - WCS/Skal/Randle/Koufos/Zach/Giles - good mix of vets, rim runners, and "bully basketball". Randolph gone at the end of the season, and make a decision on WCS depending on his and Giles progress.
Wings - Bogdan, Hield, Jackson, Bridges, Temple - Versatile bunch, all good 3pt shooters, Hield/Bridges/Temple plus defenders.
PG - Fox/Mason - Id like a smart vet on a 1 year deal here. Mason/Fox both dealt with injuries and I think could really benefit from having a Jose Calderon type on the team.
I respect your views, I guess we can agree to disagree. His mid range/outside game are substandard and I’m not sure I see it getting to standard, but we’ll see. Not sure about his passing (1/1 assist/turn), but his high usage/ block bully ball style may or may not fit with the rest of our lineup for different reasons. I really don’t see Randle/WCS playing together with no true shot blocking on the court, or IMO true center (WCS is a tweener who might not be here but that’s another issue). But this is all arguable, I suppose.
I’m not saying he’s not a quality young improving player. In the end, given our lack of FA viability, it wouldn’t pain me to add him if we had less other options. Just not my preferred choice and I question his style and fit for a big pay day. I also think it would be hard to land him. I don’t see the Lakers wooing two stars, despite ample space, and I think a few teams will seek his services. May also depend on where you think this team needs to improve, as those who favor Randle might be more apt to see WCS stay
I'm not saying he will become a great 3pt shooter, however I do expect him to improve. If he can become even respectable he will be a multiple year all star.
Not sure I would solely base a big mans ability to pass on A/T ratio. That said, hes had a pretty weak squad to work with. I think with better players around him that would continue to improve.
His usage really isn't all that high either. On par with Nurkic, Parker, and Aaron Gordon.. In that time Randle was BY FAR the most efficient one of the 3. Scoring 1.5 pts less than Gordon on 4 less shots per game. 3pts more than Parker on the same shots, and more pts than Nurkic on less shots.
Lets not forget hes still only 23 years old and clearly showed the ability to take a step forward this year.
I also don't think the Lakers need to grab 2 stars in order for us to steal him away. All it takes is 1, and a big offer to Randle. If Magic thinks he has a shot at Klay(we will see about the extension) or Kawhi next offseason, I could see him letting Randle walk with Kuzma already in tow and keeping flexibility open. At the end of the day I think the Kings and Mavs would be the major players for Randle if he isnt resigned by the Lakers. Dallas has the home town appeal, but the Kings are further along the rebuild process.
Curious of the available free agents, who would you like to see the Kings realistically target?
Seriously, I'd say MLE would be fair, if not a bit lower if he went under the radar at the end of last season. I doubt he did though.