The Warriors need to find support for David Lee in the power forward position, and reports that Anthony Randolph was seeking a return to Golden State had some believing the six-foot-11, 225-pound 23-year old was on his way back to Oakland.
The Warriors front office will have to look elsewhere for frontcourt help as Randolph signed a three-year, 6 million contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to a report from Yahoo! Sports.
Randolph averaged 9.2 points, 6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in 93 contests with the Warriors from 2008-2010.
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Starting with Don Nelson and continuing in New York and Minnesota, coaches have had difficulty finding a defined role for Randolph, thanks to his unique size and skill set. Nuggets coach George Karl is next to be tasked with coaxing greatness from the high-ceilinged mismatch.
Randolph, the 14th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, joins a crowded frontcourt in Denver, occupied by JaVale McGee, Kenneth Faried, and Timofey Mozgov.
There was speculation after Randolph's rookie season with the Warriors that he would blossom into an All-Star. When his production didn't vastly improve his sophomore season, he was packaged with Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike and sent to New York in exchange for the man who now needs frontcourt support, David Lee.
Is this a blessing in disguise for the Warriors, or would Randolph's return have made them better? And how should they bolster their frontcourt, now?