OK, so firstly, please don't hurt me, just hear me out. This has been kicking around in my brain for a few weeks, and I think I'm finally ready to call it. Julius Randle is basically our version of Domantas Sabonis, for better and worse.

Some of you will already be agreeing with me mentally, others won't, but here's the key points to my thesis without writing 1,000 words:

  • Both skilled, all around players
  • Put up great numbers
  • Basically a complete liability to team defense
  • Both difficult team building pieces
  • Both have the same fundamental flaws against the elite teams

Basically, both are terrific players and can keep your team afloat, but get exposed almost immediately against elite teams – fantastic floor raisers, but also almost guaranteed to give your team a glass ceiling.

Take this example:

  • Sabonis 23/24: 19.5ppg/13.9rpg/6apg, 59%FG, 38%3PM
  • Randle 25/26: 24.7ppg/7.7rpg/5.8apg, 52%FG, 36%3PM

Amazing numbers, yet also at their peak, you cannot seem to beat the best teams.

So when I say I am in the "I wouldn't mind trading Randle" camp of fans, it's not that I want to kick him out the door, I just think it's probably better to try to trade him for a riskier player with higher upside if our goal is to win at the highest level.

I don't even know who that would be, tbh, but that's my working theory for all to enjoy/dissect/vehemently disagree with.

9 comments

  3. Sabonis is both a liability on defense and not a genuine concern for the opposing defense in the playoffs because he can’t consistently score outside of the paint. He’s a relic of a player. Randle is at least a 3 level scorer still.

  4. Big Ju is a playoff riser and last post-season proved it. He has carried that momentum into this season. He has been the MVP of this team so far this season. Who would you consider trading him for? Don’t tell me Ja Morant please…

  5. Randle is not a “complete liability on defense”. He is not particularly good as a defender but he can be effective when locked in, and his sheer strength makes him a solid body to have to move around

    I also don’t think it’s a fair comparison because Sabonis is more or less the King’s number one option that they have to live or die with. Randle is a good consistent option for offense but is not expected to be the number one, and it makes a huge difference

  6. First, Sabonis clearly can’t keep a team afloat. Second, Randle is an all star caliber player on a team friendly contract. He’s proven himself to be a strong second option in the playoffs. We should not trade that guy for no reason

  7. Sabonis was neutralized by Draymond Green in the playoffs. Randle dominated Green in the playoffs.

  8. The big difference is Julius makes a lot less than Sabonis and Julius plays a much less destructive defensive position at PF. Julius was part of a good defense last season. The Kings have never had an above average defense with Sabonis.

    It would be a great idea to gauge Randle’s value around the league and trade him while his value is high. He’s outperforming his contract right now, we don’t know how well he’s going to age, and we also don’t know how real his jumper is (he’s already cooled off a bit from his scorching hot start). I would be trying my best to try and build a contender for 2-3 years from now by surrounding Ant and Jaden with two-way, playoff-caliber players. That means trading Naz and Rob too

    The truth is I don’t think anyone outside of maybe DEN has a chance of taking OKC down for the next couple of seasons. I think the FO is content with keeping Randle around and just being a 1st/2nd round playoff team for the next 2-3 seasons.

  9. JR just needs to be better on defense. Just play better off-ball and get some defensive boards. Watching him he’s not bad but he’s not great either. I’d just like to see him more engaged on that end. I’d take him 99 pct of the time over Sabonis.

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