Just my two cents on Randolph -- I understand he goes 6'10"/6'11" but he's not a center. At least I don't think so. He's a forward all the way either as a huge 3 who's still quick and skilled enough or a quick/mobile 4. Interchangable at either forward spot really but I don't see him as a 5 in the NBA. You can't expect this guy to guard 7 footers down on the block for long stretches. Not with his body type. And then I'd question if he'd be able to help out as well coming weakside with his shot-blocking if he's pinned down on the block guarding 5s. I think his rebounding and weakside defense would definitely suffer. This dude needs to roam on defense to get the full effect..We might see AR playing 5 in spurts but I don't see that as his primary position here..It'll all play out soon enough but if I had to guess, D'Antoni will convince Amar'e to man the 5 and flank him with Gallo (as a stretch 4) and AR at the 3 or vice versa. And if he doesn't start that particular frontcourt combination (he may in fact chose to start Turiaf next to Amar'e to go with an inforcer right from the opening tap), I'm willing to bet that's how he'll finish games. Those are the 3 best frontcourt players -- Amar'e, Gallinari and Randolph. I'd prefer Randolph starting but as long as he gets his 35+ mins every night, I guess it doesn't matter.

I just don't see how we can pry Jason Thompson away from Sacramento..Check that, I do see how -- from a Kings perspective, any trade would have to involve Anthony Randolph (I don't even think they'd be all that interested in Gallo, not with Greene and Casspi -- Gallo has a lot to prove but gun to my head right now, I'd rather have Gallo than Thompson anyway) and to me any dialogue involving AR stops the conversation right there. As young as Thompson is, as productive with as high a ceiling he still might have, AR's got him beat in every category. Randolph's the better player, younger by almost 3 years with even more skill & upside. Other than Randolph, there's really no match here -- everything I've read on this thread -- Douglas, Rautins, Billy Walker, 2nd round picks -- all makes little sense...Maybe for Carl Landry but not for Jason Thompson who still has plenty of value to the Kings..I can't even see us getting Landry for that matter. Sac. traded the ultra-productive Kevin Martin to get this guy. I doubt they turn around now and give him away to us or anyone else for very little..Again, what does Sacramento do with Toney Douglas? Someone explain that to me -- They've got Evans at the point (star) with Beno Udrih as his backup (arguably a better player than Douglas anyway, certainly more experienced, owed a lot of money) with Francisco Garcia at the 2 (good versatile player when healthy, another guy they have a lot of money committed to) and Antonie Wright who's 6'7", still young and fairly skilled..You wanna make the argument that Douglas goes over and plays a little point (at Udrih's expense??) and then sees time ahead of Wright backing up the 2? That's really the only thing you can argue and even that doesn't really jive..The Kings had an opportunity to pick up summer league invitee Sylven Landesberg, a legit 6'6" NBA SG prospect with upside, for next to nothing and passed..Shows me they feel pretty comfortable at off-guard..I don't view Douglas as an NBA 2 for long stretches anyway, not at 6'2"..I don't see Douglas as a fit there AT ALL. The idea when we got Douglas was to shoehorn him in at the PG and see how he responds. Hopefully his playmaking skills would come around to match his offensive and defensive abilities.. So far the results are mixed but he's certainly no sure thing as far as becoming a PG yet..And don't think the rest of the league doesn't see that as well.

I do agree that we could use a little more depth all around, even up front. A guy I think we might be able to get right now is Josh McRoberts from the Pacers..At least I thought so the other day -- now that the Pacers traded Troy Murphy to the Nets in this big 4-team deal I'm not so sure anymore. They may want to play McRoberts more now..But if not, if they decide to go with Tyler Hansbrough and Solomon Jones over McRoberts (2 guys they have more money committed to), I'm interested. Maybe we can get him..Maybe we offer up a Jerome Jordan (they really have no legit center on the roster outside of Roy Hibbert. Jeff Foster's getting up there and was never really that good to begin with) or maybe it wouldn't even take that much -- maybe Indiana would settle for cash and a future 2..Don't know unless we call and inquire and I would if I were Donnie..I look at this dude as a 6'10", 250 lb. skilled, defensive-minded, not overly athletic but surprisingly mobile power forward. Dude can rebound, block a shot, come up with a steal, run the court, finish on the break, take his guy off the dribble, man up inside, post up and stick a jumper with range out to the NBA 3 (he managed 8 3s I think last year in limited duty). Lefty that can also use his right hand equally effective a-la David Lee..Who knows what the Pacers are up to with McRoberts -- he might wind up being their starting 4 come opening night now for all I know..Can't hurt to call up and ask though. Whatever the price tag, if he's available he wouldn't cost as much as Jason Thompson you would think.

BRIGGS wrote:
Hey I would do the same trade for Carl Landry if they gave my Landry straight up for Douglas--done deal. The problem with the Kings is they just drafted 2 big time prospects in the front-court--people are going to be upset because someone is going to sit. Turriaf really is a 4th man in a front-court rotation--if hes in your top 3 youre not very good. I think Randolph has oodles more offensive potential than Marcus Camby but Marcus played C for a long time in the NBA @ C at the same size as AR --some of that off the ball as a 4-5 when he came into the league--that is where Randolph is. These D league prospects you are talking about--not interested--only interested in a proven product right now--not a guessing game. If were 20-40 bring in the d leagues but I have higher hopes
for the season. I want some battle tested vet--Ill take Landry and TJ Ford--then I can throw in a Mosgov or a turriaf as a 9th guy for some extra beef. When you can make your bench as good as Azubike Ford and Landry/Thompson--then you will have a helluva team.

Well first off, it doesn't look like TJ Ford's taking a buyout -- http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Pacers-T-J-Ford-refuses-5-million-buyout?urn=nba-261961

Bird's only offering $5M of his $8.5M deal or a little over 58%. I said the other day it would have to be something closer to 80%, this way Ford can then go out and get a vet minimum-type deal from someone to supplement the lost income or at least come very close, maybe even come out ahead. It doesn't behoove Ford to jump on the first buyout offer when he could hold out for more or just sit there and collect all of the money...That's usually how these things go with players engaged in buyout discussions (Fat Eddy's gone on the record as saying he will not accept a buyout and look at how much haggling it took before Marbury walked away with about $4.5M of the $6.4M left of his $20.8-million when the Knicks bought him out)..And don't bother comparing any of this to the top FAs leaving money on the table to join other teams -- I know what I said about that and I stand by it -- totally different scenario. Guys like TJ Ford, Eddy Curry, etc..these guys will never be afforded the same off-the-court opportunities as the top FAs we spent time discussing. We're talking about players on completely different tiers -- the best players in the league/players that companies would jump at the opportunity to sign in order to have them market their products vs. players that are at the crossroads in their careers/players who play for teams that want to dump them for nothing...That's why these particular guys want to hang onto every penny -- there's no way they ever get contracts even remotely close to that again. Indiana will have to step up their offer if they wanna rid themselves of this guy. He might leave $1M, $1.5M on the table, not 3 -- he probably won't be able to get $3M in a new deal..And we can't trade TD if we don't already have a capable backup PG in place..So far nothing to report here..

I don't see Anthony Randolph as an NBA center..The Camby comparisons only go so far -- similar body types but that's about it (Camby's got about 30-35 lbs. on him now, though I'll give you the fact that they played at a similar weight in college, though Camby was always heavier--I don't ever remember Camby playing the post for UMass at 205/210 lbs, more like 220 lb.). Camby's always needed that extra weight even more than Randolph -- Camby always had more of a true center's game; Randolph offers something completely different--he displays the skills of a forward. It's like comparing apples & oranges really..Outside of the height/weight similarity and the shot-blocking prowess, I don't see anything else in their respective games that reminds me of each other..Can Camby take the ball coast-to-coast for a dunk? Does Camby handle the ball like a guard like this kid does? Can Camby put the ball on the deck and take his man off the dribble in the halfcourt set like this kid can? Can Camby shoot it off the dribble like this kid can?? Stuff like that..As good as Camby is, he doesn't possess the overall skill package this kid has. Never did. This kid's more of a Tayshaun Prince/Lamar Odom-type player (possibly better eventually, should be better than Prince anyway) -- did you ever see those guys playing the 5 for their teams in the NBA? Hey I could be wrong man -- Mike may want to go real unorthodox out there for reasons still unclear to me. We'll see how it shakes out but if I had to guess, when MDA decides to go with our 3 best frontcourt players at the same time (Amar'e, Randolph and Gallo), Amar'e will be the one guarding the bigger interior players down low with his strength and girth, freeing up Randolph to roam a little more freely if possible. Just to be clear with Camby at the 5 'playing off the ball,' that was always dictated by the matchup. In the 1999 playoff series against the Pacers with us for example -- when Ewing went down, Gundy went with Dudley, Johnson, etc. on the more physical Pacer players affording Camby to play off the ball (if I remember Dudley started the rest of those games when Ewing went down and Camby came off the bench). Gundy knew what to do with Camby to maximize effectiveness and get the most out of him in that series and a lot of that was predicated on the favorably matchup with the Pacers..Gundy brought him off the bench with the second unit where he either played Smits 15' from the basket allowing him to rotate quickly to help out and pick up numerous blocks and alters on Antonio Davis, Dale Davis..And then when the Pacers went with a more perimeter attack with Sam Perkins as their stretch 5, Camby didn't guard Perkins out there which allowed him to play closer to the basket to maximize shot-blocking and rebounding..In the Finals that year however, when Camby was forced to guard the much bigger, more powerful Spurs duo of Duncan/Robinson in close he wasn't nearly as effective and got exposed a little bit. Now can you imagine AR trying to guard Timmy and the Admiral in that same series, 30 lbs. lighter than Camby? Complete mismatch. AR's not an NBA center. I wouldn't be looking to put him in that position.

Patty Mills and Josh McRoberts aren't D-leaguers as you're referring to them -- say what you want but I know better. You're going out of your way to ridicule & sell guys short instead of recognizing that some of these guys have talent and upside and could improve the back-end of our roster at a good cost..Here's exactly what they are -- they're two very promising young players that haven't been given a real opportunity in the NBA yet. Players that may not be in the right place to succeed. We've seen it before -- was Jermaine O'Neal in the right place in Portland at first? No he wasn't. He only blossomed after Indiana traded for him and gave him a shot...I'm not saying that Patty Mills & McRoberts will ever be as good as O'Neal turned out, but the overall concept is the same..It'll be tough for Mills in Portland (their backcourt's more crowded than ever), although McRoberts may actually get an opportunity in Indiana now that Troy Murphy's been traded. In fact, if the Pacers are done with making moves this off-season, McRoberts may wind up being their starting PF come opening night..Wouldn't surprise me. You're talking about a backup PG that's currently not available and a very promising young PF that Sacramento will want a king's ranson for, not some spare parts that we're willing to live w/o..Your offer for JT is underwhelming to say the least and if you doubt what I'm saying go post your proposals on the ESPN and Realgm Sacramento boards and see what their fans tell ya...Just because they have a surplus of big guys all of a sudden doesn't mean they're gonna start giving guys away for nothing..Look at the Rudy Fernandez situation -- we obviously like him and Portland wants to unload him given their backcourt surplus but they're refusing to just give him to us (last I heard the Blazers want a future 1st rounder and Donnie has refused), hence the impasse..I'm not talking about trading for a starting PF anyway, we already have one.. I'm talking about seeing what else might be available to us right now to bolster team depth, guys that fit into our salary structure (say what you want but Melo to the Knicks next year is still very much a consideration, as it should be -- max. cap flexibility needs to be available for that). Guy's that might be obtainable on the cheap. We're not at the point where we should be thinking about some major trade -- let's see how this current group jels first before we decide to do some major tinkering..For what will be expected out of a backup bigman here, say 20 mins of playing time, I don't see a whole lot of difference in what Ronny Turiaf gives us with those minutes over what Jason Thompson could supply (it's not like JT's some automatic 20/10 guy right now -- he's not, he's still developing)...I'm all for some minor moves to improve overall depth, for insurance purposes & for a chance to possibly come up with a couple of very good players for the future using the 'minimal risk/high reward' philosophy but I wouldn't look to do anything major right now before I really knew what I was working with.

If I had to guess that team will most likely start Evans and Udrih together just like they did to close out the regular season last year where Udrih played very well. Evans and Udrih are interchangeable throughout a game while Garcia, Wright and Jeter will come off the bench to fill in the gaps. Their backcourt looks set to me right now..Further evidence that they don't need Toney Douglas.