Phoenix Suns 2013-14 Player Grades: Shavlik Randolph

Strengths:

Despite his inability to make shots outside the lane or convert from the line when he’s fouled inside the lane, Randolph is still a serviceable big man on both ends of the floor. His career shooting percentage (47.6 percent) and his field goal percentage with the Suns this past season (50 percent) points to his ability to put the ball in the basket when he does get rare touches in the paint.

Randolph is also a skilled rebounder and knows how to use his frame to carve up space and secure boards. Anyone who was actually paying attention during Randolph’s rare minutes late in the season saw him serve as quite possibly Phoenix’s most stable and consistent source of rebounding. He’s not a monster on the boards by any means and his play on both ends of the court won’t blow anyone away, but you know what you’re getting with Randolph and it’s usually consistent effort and smart defensive play. His Per 36 Minutes numbers of 7.6 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game aren’t All-Star numbers, but they confirm that he could step up as a backup role player if called upon.