Like i said then, the whole team from last yr need the boot, every one from that team cant shoot worth a lick, the best shooter out of all of them have already been traded (russell)
If Kuzma works out, and probably even if he doesn't, Julius is gone. I just have that feeling that it is inevitable.
My bad..didnt mean to butt in. But hes talking about just Randle. Not the rest of the team. Except maybe Clark cause i believe hes not really a fan lol.
If you think teams need to run zone to prevent randle from being effective it means hes killing it inside, most team run zone for 2 season, one is to prevent a dominant inside presence from being effective or the other they dont respect you as a TEAM from the perimiter IMO. So if team running zone, it shouldnt be squarely on killing randle, the team as whole is failing
it's not just pure zone; it's the zone principles now incorporated in all defenses that have hurt players who aren't intelligent ball-movers. if randle were a shooter, that would be one thing. but being a non-shooter and non-ball mover is a problematic combination. we see some similar issues with clarkson, who's not enough of a shooter as a guard to overcome his non-threat as a passer when he's not on the dribble. oddly, i thought russell was one of our only young players who was willing to make the right pass, despite the rep he gained as a gunner. randle and clarkson want to make passes off the drive and/or to guys who are in position to shoot. only star talent gets away with that mentality (harden is a prime example), and even then, good defenses beat those guys.
since these kids are skipping college, it's not something they see much or have played against I would imagine it takes awhile to adjust once they see the new wrinkles
I think Randle will do fine in his new role this year. I'm not convinced that he's DUMB out there, he has shown he can make intelligent basketball plays. I think he had far too much offensive responsibility on a team that had little to no firepower, especially when Lou left. Randle the "point forward" making decisions with the ball all game - that is not a comfortable thought. But Randle filling the lane while Ball pushes? I think he'll be great. Randle is now the 4th (or even 5th?) on the "depth chart" of sorts, when it comes to ball handlers on this squad. Last summer all the talk was developing Randle into a version of Draymond. But with Ball & KCP, and even Ingram emerging as a ball handler, Randle's role has changed considerably in the offense. Considering Lebron 2018 and all the roster moves that might come with it, I'm sure Randle is just dead set on being productive this year to help improve his stock. I would not be surprised if he got to 15/10 this year.
the question is whether randle can play as a 4th/5th option. he's never done it. he's shown very little ability to slash in the half court off the ball. his best role might be as a possession-using sixth man type. until he shows he can play off the ball effectively, at least.
I agree with you, playing off the ball is a legit concern for Randle. He'll never reach his potential if that part of his game doesn't develop. However the "4th/5th option" comment I made was mostly in regards to him being a ball handler for this squad. As a scoring option in the starting lineup, I think he'll have plenty of opportunities. With Lopez in the fold, I think the geometry works out to favor Randle, granted that Randle spends more time in the paint this season. While he showed flashes, unfortunately Randle was never ready to play as a perimeter player (or point forward, whatever) at the NBA level. I'm subscribing to the idea that a lessened, more focused role stands to benefit Randle the most at this stage of his career. If he can knock down the 3 now, even better. Right now, it's hard to see him showcasing that skill, mostly bc he's not an intelligent off-the-ball perimeter player. But I really want to see him as a physical paint presence, as a way to get involved in the game without the ball. Combined with some crafty interior passing, I really believe he can be a problem down there - not in the future, but this season.
man I can't wait for the season to start and Julius does the impossible and shows that a 22 year old kid does indeed have the chance to improve his game. It's never been done before because everyone knows that you are what you are at 22, but I can't wait to see it happen.
Im definitely not counting out Randle having a chance to stay on and come off the bench when hopefully we sign the big dogs next year.
