Isaac
Years ago

Breakers sign import Levi Randolph

The New Zealand Breakers have agreed to a mutual release with Lamar Patterson and signed import guard Levi Randolph for the remainder of NBL21.

Patterson, an All-NBL First Team member in NBL20 was limited to just six games for the Breakers averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. The forward has been sidelined with a knee injury that came against the Hawks on February 22.

In his place, New Zealand have signed Randolph who most recently played with the Canton Charge in the NBA G League suiting up in 15 games this season and averaging 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Prior to suiting up in the G League, Randolph played in France and Italy following a four-year college career at Alabama.

Head Coach Dan Shamir addressed Patterson's release, and the need for a change to the roster.

"The circumstances with Lamar have been difficult from day one," Shamir explained.

"When we signed Lamar, we knew it was going to be quite some time before we could get him with the team because of COVID border restrictions entering New Zealand."

Shamir pointed to the challenges of playing away from New Zealand as contributing factors to the fit.

"The current world situation is tough for a lot of teams in a lot of countries, but the New Zealand Breakers are one of the most complicated situations of all," says Shamir.

"We don't have a home base, and there are a lot of external reasons which led to this unsuccessful situation with Lamar and obviously, it didn't work."

Shamir explained the role of Levi Randolph will differ from that of Patterson, although complimenting existing pieces of the Breakers' roster.

"It is no secret in basketball you need creators, and losing both major creators in Lamar and Corey requires replacing them," says Shamir.

"Levi is a different player to Lamar, and Will is a different player again, but in terms of being a functional team, it gives us good weapons.

"Both are ball guards who can create for others, and once Corey comes back, we will have firepower in our backcourt."

Immigration formalities mean Randolph will likely join the Breakers in three weeks with another new signing Will McDowell-White finishing quarantine in two weeks.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Two weeks for Will and three weeks for Levi, with Corey out for four.

Brisbane, United, Brisbane as the next games, current squad know reinforcements are coming but they have some tough teams to squeak out some much needed wins.

Reply #837381 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

Glad to see Shamir & Walsh haven't been sitting on their hands.

Be interesting to see how Shamir puts all these wings together on the court with only one true Centre on the roster.

Could be worse, he could have let an import go to sign a guy who's overweight, out of shape and has an injured knee.

Reply #837383 | Report this post


Bolt  
Years ago

Their glaring issue is Tai. He's not a point guard and his atrocious turnover rate is indicative of that. They should have gone after a defensive minded PG and played Tai and Corey on the wings - unless they turn the reigns over to WMD which could be an improvement in terms of organisation. Big three weeks ahead for them...

Reply #837390 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Randolph looks like a Webster type player: great off the dribble and from the 3. But he's taller and can play above the rim. So, on the surface, a great signing. But it’s the front court that needs help!

Reply #837393 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

In an ideal world Tai should be coming off the bench, I've been pretty unimpressed with virtually every aspect of his game.

Reply #837394 | Report this post


Perth fan.  
Years ago

Can the Breakers afford to wait for Randolph and McDowell White, they wouldn't want too many losses and are falling out of contention.

Reply #837400 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Happy for people to check my maths on this but isn't it a bit too late for the Breakers?

I believe there are 32 games in the season.

Except the Wildcats there are a log jam of teams around 15/16 games with 9 wins, so around the half way point of their season.

Based on the above I estimate you will need 20 wins to make the playoffs.

NZ are 4 and 9, so that means they will need to win 16 games from 19, is that reasonable?

They should have made more of the NBL cup given the neutral-ness of the games, now going forward they will only have neutral games in Hobart or real away games.

Why not save the money and give moe development time to Bach, Darling etc?

And whats odd is Randolph is another guard.

C Webster
T Webster
WMW
Randolph
Weeks.

Really???

Reply #837412 | Report this post


Perthworld  
Years ago

28+8 so 36 games this season.

Reply #837413 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Sorry....to continue.

United and Perth look to be cemented 1 and 2.

So 2 slots available for the playoffs.

ILL are iffy with a spluttering Adel.
SEM looked dangerous but we don't know how long Creek will be away from the team (this is not a joke or an invite to a joke), but should be able to hold on with Broekhoff as a trade off.

Brisbane are improving.
Sydney will in due course get back, Kicks, Cooks and Martin will get healthier.
Adelaide will surely improve when Humps is back with Paul showing he is legit (1 game sample space only).

I see it a very hard slog for New Zealand from here.


Reply #837415 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

And whats odd is Randolph is another guard.


6-5/6-6 swingman so will likely play as a SF in the NBL. Some have suggested Corey will be out for longer than 4 weeks too.

Reply #837416 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

You probably need a record of around 20 wins (16 losses) to make the top 4 NZ at 4 and 9 are not out of it, but can't lose many from here. Need something like 16-7

Reply #837418 | Report this post


Senator11  
Years ago

Anything can happen and NZ (along with the Cats) have played the lowest amount of games at 13, everyone else is 15-17.

Reply #837419 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Cooks is still a way off and wasn't that great last season, Kickett is a dinosaur and between injuries has been very average this season. Sydney are what they have now.

Reply #837421 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

we need 3 imports or the league will get more weaker

Reply #837427 | Report this post


Knowall  
Years ago

Lovebroker Darling I assume you mean Max is playing for Hawks

Reply #837428 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Ahh thanks for the corrections.

So looks like they need around a 16-7 record to be in the running for a playoff spot, possibly more given their low For/Against.

And Darling not being with NZ.

Reply #837434 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

Daft signing.

3 ball heavy guards.(2 Webster's and randolph).

Weeks is ball heavy. Don't get me started.

Leaves bach sitting in the corner. And WMW who I don't know much about so can't comment other to say I support his signing.

Back to Randolph.

Corey Webster has never performed when he has been the second choice wing on the team. Check the previous seasons (Richard, Henry, Patterson). Only when he starts and is the man. If he isn't cooked because of injury, he is anyway now.

If it is working how it should be with Shamir making the calls and Matt Walsh doing the deals as directed. Then Shamir is a muppet.

Colton Iverson is the only big. He's good for 10 and 10 because he is the only big.

It's a shambles in team contruction.

I'll leave you with a quote from Shamir. "it is no secret you need creators in basketball.

I guess that's what you think when you don't run an offence. So he recruits a team of them.

Time to think about supporting SEM I think.


Reply #837436 | Report this post


PyroCross  
Years ago

And this comes back, yet again, to why the Breakers signed Dan Trist.

I suspect the Breakers will go with Finn as the backup 5 from here to stretch the floor (which is what they valued about Rob Loe, and weren't easily going to find a stretch big replacement). Given the league doesn't have the likes of Bogut/Long, that option is feasible.

Its notable that both Randolph and McDowell-White are 6'6' and 6'5' respectively - they aren't small, slight guards. Athletic, switchable options that allows the Breakers to switch 1 to 5 effectively when Iverson is off the floor (or Trist is on when Iverson is in foul trouble). That looks to be the style from here, as much as I wished the Breakers found the next Jae'Sean Tate to fill the 4 spot.

Reply #837446 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Given the league doesn't have the likes of Bogut/Long, that option is feasible.


Aren't the following going to be a problem?

- Jarrel Martin
- Matt Hodgson.
- Jock Landale / JLA
- DJ / Isaac Humphies
- Cam Oliver / Nate
- John Mooney

Reply #837451 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's been absolute beast of a season so far with only two imports.

Reply #837454 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So where do you Coach bigDOG?

Reply #837455 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

It's feasible in a very lose sense.

It's not great for Finn. If he wants to develop more I'd like to see him play some three.

Don't forget abercrombie typically guards the opposite point guard.

What if they get an injury to Delaney or Iverson? Start a webster at the five? Will Shamir get all whimsical about what a difficult situation we find ourselves in?

Yes the Dan Trist signing was woeful. How could they have got that so wrong? He was in the league for 2 seasons before they signed him?

Reply #837456 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

Everyone who posts on hoops has vast coaching resumes from leagues all over the world.

Reply #837462 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

If Rob Loe hadn't gone home the team balance would look a shit ton better.

T.Webster / Weeks
C.Webster / Bach
Abercrombie / Randolph
Delaney / Galloway / Trist
Iverson / Loe


Reply #837481 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

Delaney is an animal. Abba is yo da man baby lamb..... Webster and Webster fire up you good things... achy breaky breakers - forever true love....

Reply #837483 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Breakers just save $100K with the recent moves!

Reply #837486 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I like Shamir and Iverson and the Webster's. But this team needed a big man or at least a 3 with a strong interior game. Given that they’ve added WMW and that strengthens the backcourt, I really feel like a good 4 who could occasionally play at the 5 spot would make this Breakers team super strong.

Reply #837524 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"I really feel like a good 4 who could occasionally play at the 5 spot would make this Breakers team super strong"

Brandon Ashley.

Reply #837527 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I wish we could have some decent journalists ask clubs decent questions like "Dan, you obviously need depth in your front court so why did you sign a guard instead?"

Reply #837549 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

Mystro

You've left out mcdowell white in your rotation.

Reply #837550 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

Yes a journo asking a tough question. That would be nice

Reply #837551 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

He (WMW) wouldn't have a spot if Loe stayed

Reply #837552 | Report this post


Bigdog  
Years ago

True, but you'd flag Trist right? And not this new fella

Reply #837641 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Yeah Trist would be first to go

Reply #837654 | Report this post




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