Pivot Points: Keep Anthony Randolph or Trade Him? What Should the Warriors Do?

I'm not sure what the future holds for Golden State's Anthony Randolph, but the time may have come for the Warriors to show they are committed to developing his talent or explore what may be available through a trade.

Let's not fool ourselves, the Warriors have little to lose if they increase Randolph's minutes from the 22 he is averaging now to around 30-35 minutes per game, especially if their plans include him.

There is little to no hope for the playoffs, and now would be the time to see if Randolph represents a future nucleus which includes Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry.

He certainly has the talent and, with a little decent instruction, he has the ability to be a special player in the NBA, but it doesn't seem like Coach Don Nelson is the man to make that materialize.

Nelson is notorious for his distrust of rookies and Randolph's sporadic and inconsistent play must make that decision a lot easier for him to justify in the midst of the Warriors' struggle.

But, if the season is indeed lost, then what does he or the organization have to lose by giving Randolph more minutes? At best, he will begin to develop the confidence to go along with his talent and at worst, he would be an attractive bargaining chip.

Randolph has a small frame but great size, and is one of the more athletic big men in the NBA. His ceiling is impossible to gauge because as of late he has had little help in honing his craft.

Golden State fans may refuse to admit it, but Randolph's best days as a pro may be realized somewhere else other than the state of California, and truthfully that may not be as bad as it sounds.

What the Warriors need more than anything else is leadership and a strong presence in the post. A talent like Randolph may be valuable enough to achieve both goals, or at least, clear the path for it to happen.

Sadly, there is nothing the Warriors have done lately which would make me think parting with Randolph is anywhere on their radar and their indecision could permanently damage the team.

So it seems Randolph may be doomed to a weird limbo which has the Warriors cognizant of his potential, but unable to develop it, and fearful of losing him because on some level they may understand what he could represent.

It is this type false logic which has the Warriors mired in their current conditions, and this very same thing leaves the future of the team cloudy and unsettled.

Warrior fans deserve better treatment than Golden State management currently gives them, and in an ironic twist of fate, the move which could save the franchise is the one the fans may least like to see.

Regardless, some type of major change is needed to correct the Warriors, and if that move doesn't come on the management level, then the logical assumption would be that it would come through the roster.

I would love to see Randolph mature and realize his potential as a Warrior, but for some reason, I don't think Nelson or the equally confused Larry Riley are capable of making it happen.