Seems like a head case. Also a bad contract. Someone might take a chance though.
Is Randle a "head case"? I don't get that impression. Not sure what he has done to earn that tag.
And the contract, $30M for an all star PF? Second team all NBA last season. He reverted some this season but still will be 20/10. It all depends on how he plays going forward but I think you can expect all star level play or fringe all star level play out of him for the balance of his contract (he is 27 years old).
The question to me is what sort of role is he looking for going forward (assuming it is true that he wants out of NYK). Does he want to go somewhere to be the man or does he want to win in a lesser role. If the latter, he would be a great fit with Tatum and Brown. He wouldn't get 17 shots per game like he has been with the Knicks but if he would happy with that, I would be all for bringing him in.
I live in NJ so I see all the in depth reporting, he's definitely moving in the headcase direction. He's openly pouting on the bench, having outbursts during games and getting ejected, and he's arguing with assistant coaches. That last point is especially concerning. When an assistant coach tries to point something out to a player on a laptop and the player responds by slapping the laptop away and getting in the coach's face, that's head case level to me. At the very least, it's disappointing behavior from a franchise player that disrupts a young locker room.
And before anyone says he's just frustrated by losing, imagine if Jayson Tatum did that while the Celtics were playing .500 basketball? The meltdowns and temper tantrums in these forums would be loud and furious.
Great background, thanks. I agree that the pouting and other general negative body language behavior is something to pay attention to. Thibs tends to grate on players and the team did really underperform but still, it is not how professionals should conduct themselves.
I would still trade Horford and picks for him, take that chance. I like the Celtics' coaching and general situation to handle him. That is assuming that he actually does want out (seems likely) and that he is looking for a winning situation, not an "I am the man" situation (he could very well believe he is the man).
NYK are going nowhere with this current roster. They need to clear Randle, Fournier, and maybe some others and rebuild (again) around Barrett and some of the other decent young players they have. They are in sad shape as usual. Their top 6 contracts for next season, Randle, Fournier, Rose, Burks, Noel, and Walker (about $87M total) are all pretty poor. I do like Randle but not in this situation. He can't carry this team. They tried to build a wining team around Randle, it didn't work.
