Sacramento Kings fans know Carl Landry well. The veteran addition to the team’s roster spent significant time in Sacramento after being acquired from the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin several years ago. His previous stay in the capital city was short-lived however, after he was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for shooting guard Marcus Thornton.
Landry would spend just about year in the Big Easy before making the Bay Area his next stop inhis six-year career. In a reserve role for the Golden State Warriors, Landry posted solid numbers in limited playing time. Per 36 minutes, he averaged 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting an efficient 54.6 percent from the field.
After two brief stops elsewhere around the league, what can the Kings expect from Landry in his return to the capital city? Cowbell Kingdom visited with Jordan Ramirez of Warriors World, who covered Landry in Oakland last year, for his perspective on the veteran forward.
1. The biggest question Landry needs to address as a new member of the Sacramento Kings is…
Can he be an asset on the defensive end? No one doubts Landry’s ability to rebound, but he’s often caught staring and can look bad when guarding bigger players — which is fairly often. If you’re looking for Landry to be a defensive stopper down low, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re looking at him to grab some boards, make some shots from midrange and throw down the occasional putback, he’s your guy. Realistic expectations are a must, but with that hefty new deal I’m afraid they might be too high.
2. An underrated aspect of Landry’s game is…
Statistics can’t measure heart, and Landry has the heart of a lion. He’s your ideal player to come off your bench not only because of his skill-set, but because the energy he can bring to his other four teammates on the floor. Warriors players constantly praised Landry’s energy and was key in developing some early season team chemistry. With a new coach and many new pieces, team chemistry will be key for the Kings.
3. An overrated aspect of Landry’s game is…
Landry’s been known to hit the midrange/elbow jumper, which he was mostly successful at doing with the Warriors. His low post scoring is often seen as admirable, but besides putbacks and dunks, his scoring down low is rather limited. That’s not to say he can’t score on the occasional post-up or set, but it’s by no means dependable.
4. One word that characterizes his one season in a Warriors’ uniform was…
Bittersweet. The Warriors had been searching for a backup to David Lee for some time, and they finally found a worthy one in Landry. The flexing, the smile and the energy off the bench all made Landry a fan favorite, and many were upset the Warriors let him go with little to no fanfare. Warriors fans aren’t shedding too many tears as letting Landry — and Jarrett Jack — go were necessary in acquiring Andre Iguodala.
5. Is Landry a short-term or long-term fix for the Kings’ needs at power forward?
At four years and $28 million, it’s hard to imagine Landry being anything but a long-term fix. But, with so much competition in the frontcourt, who will come out on top? Landry was handed the keys to the backup PF spot with the Warriors, but he’ll have some work to do to earn minutes ahead of Jason Thompson and Patrick Patterson. Given his newly signed deal and superior skills, logic says Landry has the edge, but nothing is cemented in stone.
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