Don't get me wrong, I am on the Randolph bandwagon as much as the next Warriors fan but theres something missing with the guy. Yes, besides experience and weight, Randolph has shown glimpses of being a great player, but what type of player is that?

Randolph came into the league as a Small Forward/Power Forward position because of his superb ball handling and outside game being a 6'10 ball player. But now he is being asked to play the PF/C position under Don Nelson because Nelson, as do we all, see the match-up problems Randolph can pose to opposing big men. People have compared Randolph to Shawn Marion, Kevin Garnett and Lamar Odom... but there's one thing that stands out about these guys, they are not real low post scorers.

Shawn Marion, aka the matrix, aka the garbage man, was/is a good player, especially when playing in an up tempo style of play. Though we mostly remember him playing the PF position alongside Amare Stoudemire, he wasn't their primary low post option, that was for Stoudemire. Marion almost always got his points from putbacks, wide open dunks and occassional 3 point shots. Other than that, he only used his sub-par low post game against mismatches with inferior low post defenders.

Lamar Odom is praised because he plays like 6'11 shooting guard except he rebounds the ball exceptionally well. He has great handles and range. But rarely do we see his post up game and if we do it is always to his left hand. Again, like Marion, a lot of his inside points come from offensive rebound putbacks or open layups. Rarely do we see an Odom low post play called for him unless it is against inferior defenders.

Lastly, Kevin Garnett... Yea, he is a great player.. but a very unique one at that. I don't know if you all notice, but KG's low post game usually consists of his classic "dream" shake followed by a fade away. For most defenders... having the player you are guarding resort to a fade away is a good thing because he is taking a bad shot. Obviously, KG has mastered that fade away and makes it look easy. Yes, KG has hook shots and amazing dunks but nowadays he mostly resorts to fade away shots that against ANY OTHER PLAYER, would be just what the defense wanted.

This isn't a diss towards Randolph, I am sure we are all pleased with that long 18 foot jump shot that seems to be consistent for him, but that isn't what we want out of him. The guy looks just plain awkward out there when he tries his low post game. He is still very young but other players at his age had better low post skills than him. I think of Ike Diogu his first couple years with the Warriors for an instance. As much as we want Monta Ellis to be a better passer, Morrow to be able to take it inside, Biedrins to have a mid-range game, perhaps it is too much to ask Randolph to have an inside game.

Analysts compared him to the players mentioned above, they are very good players, but not what the Warriors need. The Warriors since Chris Webber or Antawn Jamision, have needed a low post presence and now we believe Randolph can be that player, but with the experts comparing him to the above players, perhaps we are being fooled again. Randolph isn't a great on-ball defender like Marion, doesn't have range like Odom, nor does he have KG's amazing fade away game. As much as I want the guy to be a great player for the Warriors, he hasn't shown any glimpses of being the next of these type of players. We shouldn't be too hyped about him..not yet at least. Potential goes a long way, but that same potential has resulted in players like Mike Dunleavy Jr., Ike Diogu, Patrick O'Bryant and even Brandan Wright.