Zach to Memphis Deal Falls Through

It is now official that Zach Randolph will not be headed to play in Memphis.  Alan Hahn of Newsday has reported that the Grizzlies have decided to pass on a potential deal to acquire Randolph.  The potential deal was supposed to send Randolph to Memphis in exchange for center Darko Milicic and guard Marko Jaric.  The Grizzlies did not feel it was a good enough deal for them to take on the 3 years and $48 million still remaining on Randolph’s deal.  The Grizzlies were asking the Knicks to throw in a first round draft pick for 2009 but this is something that the Knicks just could not afford to do (especially since the Knicks are without their first round pick in 2010).

This is disappointing news for the Knicks as this is the one player that they needed to unload the most.  He has a big contract, does not play defense, has ballhog-like tendencies, and is a bad character guy (I recall reading something about how he demanded a trade in the middle of the locker room), and does not seem like a good fit for Coach D’Antoni’s offensive scheme.  The interesting thing to watch will be how D’Antoni plans to use Randolph if the Knicks cannot unload him before the start of the season.  Will he be in the starting lineup even though he does not appear fit for an up and down pace?  He is a double double guy with All-Star level offensive talent so that will be something to watch.

The other question to ask is if there is another team that might be tempted by the talents of Zach.  I can’t see a team really wanting to take on the big contract at the moment.  Denver could be a possibility as they do not have a really good low post scorer like Randolph is.  If you put Randolph along with A.I. and Carmelo, there will be very few teams that will be able to make stops against them.  However, that would also make the Nuggets the team that is the least interested in playing defense in the NBA, if they aren’t already.

Coast to Coast: 8/27/08

It’s time to push the ball up the court as we go from coast to coast with the big stories from around the league.

• Sad story as former Blazer Kevin Duckworth died Monday night at the age of 44.  Duck will surely be missed.
• Geez another sad story as former NBA player Wayman Tisdale had part of his right leg amputated due to his fight with bone cancer. 
• Great piece at TrueHoop on the future of Team USA.  There won’t be much to redeem in the future other than their current #2 FIBA ranking.  Got to give credit to Jerry Colangelo on how he changed the selection process and preparation of Team USA.
• We’ve all heard the Zach Randolph to Memphis rumors by now (Darko to NY?) but there is also talk of the Grizzlies looking at Portland’s Travis Outlaw as reported by the Memphis Edge.  Portland is expected to want Mike Conley in return and if that’s the case, I imagine Memphis would do the smart thing and look elsewhere.  I would only look to part with Kyle Lowry or Darko if I were them.
• The AP reports that a Phoenix prosecutor wants the federal files from the Tim Donaghy case.  You can almost picture David Stern cringing as this thing will not go away.
• Nick Collison told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that he is still a little shocked by the move of the Sonics.  “A lot of people just say they are sad to see us leave,” he said. “They say a lot of nice things about me personally. That’s the toughest thing for me. We’re a part of the NBA. We accept this. But the fans are left with nothing, so that’s who I feel the worst for, the diehard Sonics fans who have been around for a long time.”  Well said Nick.  Check out my previous post on the Sonics move here.
• EURweb.com is reporting that Allan Houston has released an open letter thanking fans for all the report he received as his daughter underwent heart surgery.  She will be fine thankfully.  Remember Houston will try to make a comeback with the Suns this year.  Raise your hand if you think his body can last more than 2 weeks in training camp.  I didn’t think so.
• It has apparently been allowed that NBA teams can now pursue signing Iranian center Hamed Haddadi.  He averaged a double-double at the Olympics (16 pts, 10 rebs).  The Grizzlies were reportedly interested, maybe as an alternative to trading for Randolph or Outlaw.
• The Miami Herald reports that the Heat are interested in DJ Mbenga who received a minimum level offer from the Lakers.  First the interest in Jamaal Magloire and now Mbenga.  I still can’t tell if the media is messing with us with these rumors.  I don’t exactly see one of these potential signings satisfying Heat nation.
• I’m sure you’ve heard by now but the LPGA has instituted a rule requiring all golfers to be able to speak English as the New York Times has reported.  Apparently this is something the NBA is not considering.  So when Yi Jianlian is out of the NBA soon, he will not be able to blame it on his lack of expertise of the English language.  Only his lack of ability to play ball at a non-crappy level.   

Zach Randolph to Memphis?

Well the Zach Randolph rumors are starting up again with the possibility that he will be sent to the Memphis Grizzlies.  Memphis has been known to be looking for a good low post scorer and that is what Randolph is.  Memphis was originally intertested in Josh Smith but lost out on that as he is staying in Atlanta.  Memphis apparently isn’t interested in giving up any of its good core players for Randolph though.  The rumor is that Darko Milicic would be sent to New York as part of the trade.

Well I highly doubt that the Grizzlies will be willing to make a better offer.  I know I would have huge concerns about his attitude and lack of defensive ability.  So it comes down to how badly the Knicks want to unload Randolph.  I think this deal has a good chance of going down but not right away.  Donnie will probably keep looking for a better return for Randolph but it’ll definitely be hard to find.  But when you have both Eddy Curry and Randolph, two low post scorers that don’t defend, I think you have to move one of them.  Plus it could be nice to have a big man like Darko off the bench instead of the fatso known as Jerome James.  But there is still a month to go until training camp.  There will be plenty of more Randolph rumors until then.