Randolph looks good in Rocky Mountain Revue debut though it's not the best barometer

July 21, 2:05 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Randolph: tall and talented 

After watching Anthony Randolph for one half on Monday afternoon at the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City, it seems like it’s going to be impossible to get a read on him until training camp and the regular season.

Even playing with Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright and C.J. Watson _ like he did last week in Vegas _ Randolph handled the ball the lion’s share of the time. But without those three players in the lineup on Monday, Randolph has turned into the team’s do-everything player in SLC.

On the one hand, it’s good that the Warriors’ coaching staff feels good enough about Randolph to let him handle and create as much as it has. On the other, it’s hard to imagine Randolph having this kind of a role for at least a few seasons. If ever.

Randolph is impressive in person, often big enough to look over defenders when he’s out on the perimeter and plenty quick enough to get by opposing fours and fives when they come out to challenge.

But he hasn’t yet made enough plays for teammates to suggest he could be a secondary ballhandler _ not right away, at least.

We’re not going to get a complete picture of Randolph until we can see what he can do when other quality players are on the floor and when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands quite so much.

Maybe he’ll be the type of player who has to have the ball in his hands and who can’t contribute enough when it’s not. Or maybe he’ll turn out to be the kind of player who thrives when he’s able to play with solid teammates who take some pressure off him.

Who knows? But watching Randolph get into the lane time and time again off dribble penetration from the top, it’s clear the Warriors haven’t had a player this big and this talented in a long while.

Dare we say since Chris Webber.

More from the Rocky Mountain Revue to come.