Is there a team that wants Zach Randolph?

[Ricepilar]

In the spirit of Manhattan Project's thread, I thought I'd start a "who wants Zach" thread. Isiah is too stubborn to admit that he made a mistake, but Zach and Eddy are TERRIBLE together. When there's a new GM who is looking to build a new team. Zach will be the first to go in my opinion. He makes Eddy look terrible, which kills Eddy's value.

1) Zach is a good player. His game has faults but he has legit skills and could be a real asset to the right team with the right coach.

2) He was just traded for Steve Francis' 40 million dollar boat anchor buyout and a mediocre backup center (Frye). He does NOT command a lot of value.

Who wants him?


One obvious option is Chicago. I think that they could get him without really messing with their rotation much. Randolph for Joe Smith (a keeper as a decent backup PF), Viktor Khryapa (waived), Thabo Sefolosha, Adrian Griffin, and JamesOn Curry (DLeague) works under the cap. I'm not sure exactly how many players the Knicks would have to get rid of to do a 5 for 1, but its just one idea. Any more?

[coldfish]

1. No way Chicago takes on the salary without moving one of their current big contracts.

2. In general, no way the Bulls bring in Zach under any circumstances. Its been gone over at length over the last year or so, but Zach to Chicago just isn't happening.

Zach was available this summer for basically peanuts. Despite that, 28 GM's really had no interest in him. Now that he is at NY, he still puts up decent numbers, but the team seems noticeably worse. Portland has basically the same team minus Zach, and they are much better.

There are excuses, but you really have to wonder how much Zach helps any team and it sure seems like every GM (including Portland's) other than Isiah figured that out.

[jax98]

The Bulls are always being put on as a perfect match. They're not. In fact, they're quite the opposite. Zach Randolph on the Bulls would be Jalen Rose version 2.0. He's by no means a team-player, he doesn't defend and you can set your clock after him shooting when recieving the ball. With Zach on the Bulls, our entire slashing game goes away. That means less effectiveness from Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich & Ben Gordon.

To make matters worse, Zach is making around $5M more than he should make, and will be another front-court player to take away minutes from Tyrus & Joakim.

No freaking way does Zach Randolph fit the Bulls. People need to watch some Bulls games before they make that conslussion.

[DaFan334]

To answer the question simply, NO.

[joey-A]

" Zach & Eddy are TERRIBLE together ? "


I got news for ya pal,,Zach & Eddy are TERRIBLE apart from each other as well. Each one of them NEEDS to learn, and live two to three words each....


Zach- Betty Ford clinic!!

Eddy- Jenny Craig!!


And the word Defense ?...forget it. It's not found in either of their dictionaries!!

[waverider]

Quite a few Blazer fans thiught we did not get "enough" value in the Zach trade to NY. Well that is being laid to rest, just being rid of Zach was AWESOME, look how well this Blazer team is playing! The key is they now play as an UNSELFISH TEAM with the blackhole/ballhog GONE. Pritchard should get GM of the year for that trade only! LMAO

[joey-A]

You're right. Pritchard should get it. He totally fooled Thomas into taking him. However, totally fooling Thomas is NOT that big a trick

[Ricepilar]

Well the thing about Chicago is that they arent that good. I'm not talking about taking a team with great chemistry and ruining that chemistry. They have lousy chemistry and their offense is horrible. I'm talking about taking a team with a glaring need and filling that need. Plenty of analysts and even Bulls fans have been pushing a trade for Pau Gasol. I don't see why they would trade for Gasol, who would cost them Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas at least, over Zach. The Bulls were a better team when they had Eddy Curry than they are now. At least they could dump the ball to the block when jumpers werent falling. Zach is a better player than Eddy is without a doubt. Look, I dont like him but I think that the Bulls have hit their ceiling. They have obvious deficiencies and need to take some kind of risk to solve their problems.


That said, IS THERE ANOTHER TEAM THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED???

[hermes]

To answer the question simply, NO.

[coldfish]

Well the thing about Chicago is that they arent that good. I'm not talking about taking a team with great chemistry and ruining that chemistry. They have lousy chemistry and their offense is horrible. I'm talking about taking a team with a glaring need and filling that need. Plenty of analysts and even Bulls fans have been pushing a trade for Pau Gasol. I don't see why they would trade for Gasol, who would cost them Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas at least, over Zach. The Bulls were a better team when they had Eddy Curry than they are now. At least they could dump the ball to the block when jumpers werent falling. Zach is a better player than Eddy is without a doubt. Look, I dont like him but I think that the Bulls have hit their ceiling. They have obvious deficiencies and need to take some kind of risk to solve their problems.

Chicago definitely has their issues. Many of them revolve around Ben Wallace and Duhon not being able to play offense.

That being said:
- The Bulls were not that good with Eddy on the floor. Just like in NY, Eddy had a pretty significant negative +/- rating. He never really created the offense that someone would think by just looking at his raw numbers and the team got killed on the inside for defense and rebounding.
- Zach doesn't accomplish what the casual fan thinks he does. He shoots a real low percentage and doesn't pass well. The goal of a post player is to either get a high percentage shot for himself or a teammate. Zach doesn't do that.

Quite simply, putting Zach in the post is just about as effective as having someone go in isolation on the perimeter. You don't get a lot of high percentage looks.

So yes, Chicago should do something. However, panicking and picking up a guy who is just going to make the team worse isn't really a good idea for a GM.

[Billy]

I typically feel that there is always a suitor out there, and always a price that a team is willing to meet. It's just rare that in cases of Zach that the team looking to deal that player are willing to agree to those terms.

Zach has a few issues obviously. Those issues make it very difficult to move him.

On the court, Zach needs a guy like a Ben Wallace (not saying Chi is the right fit though). Someone that is all defense and little offense.

Zach needs a support system that doesn't discourage him, but knows how to settle him down. Problem is I haven't seen a single situation that has fit. Cheeks (too light handed), McMillan (too heavy handed), and now Thomas (I don't know) haven't worked, but have had slight impact on various degrees.

A point guard like Kidd I think would do well with Zach because he's been there, seen it all so-to-speak, and has the cred that should get Zach's attention. Zach needs to be lead.

Off the court he can't be in a situation with bad guys. Zach gets drawn to that crowd. I'm not saying the Knicks have a bunch of thugs or anything. But Portland did (and we saw what that did), and NY has a TON of distractions. Zach has always been quick to point out any sort of outside factors that could have some impact on his play. So a place with solid character and little to no off court distractions are key.

Really there are only a few teams out there that meet SOME of the criteria, but none meet all. Zach's a great talent, but there is too many loose screws upstairs to really find the perfect match. A team like the Pistons to me are about the closest I can think of as far as meeting most of the criteria in terms of culture, distractions, coaching and players. But still they are far from perfect. But the fact that they do have the great culture, lack of distractions and overall team unity would make them want to stay away from a player like Zach anyway.

The way I see it there are probably about 5 or 6 teams with the culture, coaching and personnel that would allow Zach to thrive, but I seriously seriously doubt any of them would move for Zach because they have developed their franchise to that point and don't want to risk a step backwards.

I think the only way Zach gets moved right now is a desperate team that desperately needs front court size and is willing to take the gamble now hoping to make a big run, and if it falls apart are willing to blow it all up in a year or two and start over.

[Charlie78]

To be fair to zach he has two problems. He has never played with a great pg, and he has never played on a great shooting team. Both of these things contribute to his poor shooting and blackhole label. I remember alot of times in portland when he would pass to a wide open Derek Anderson...Brick, or a wide open Damon Stoudamire...dribble...brick. So in the end he ends up trying to do it all himself. Zach needs to put his 15 footer in his back pocket for about two months and merely focus on getting o rebs and working in the post then he might establish some value.

As for who wants him, noone. Who could he actually help, I think actually playing with Kidd might be really good for him or NO paul would set him up nice. Look at David West. Nobody talks about him but he is a beast playing next to paul. Thats what zach needs to be successful one of the two best pgs in the league.

[Spykes]

There's only one team I can realistically imagine making a deal for Zach, and that's Cleveland. With that said, the only deal they'd make for him is a straight up swap of Zach for Hughes.

[moocow007]

Well the thing about Chicago is that they arent that good. I'm not talking about taking a team with great chemistry and ruining that chemistry. They have lousy chemistry and their offense is horrible. I'm talking about taking a team with a glaring need and filling that need. Plenty of analysts and even Bulls fans have been pushing a trade for Pau Gasol. I don't see why they would trade for Gasol, who would cost them Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas at least, over Zach. The Bulls were a better team when they had Eddy Curry than they are now. At least they could dump the ball to the block when jumpers werent falling. Zach is a better player than Eddy is without a doubt. Look, I dont like him but I think that the Bulls have hit their ceiling. They have obvious deficiencies and need to take some kind of risk to solve their problems.


That said, IS THERE ANOTHER TEAM THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED???

The hell you say...I thought only the Knicks were not good. I'm pretty sure every other team has perfectly good excuses for why they stink. NY doesn't.

[yungal07]

How about Zach and junk for K-Mart and Smith? Is that a fair exchange?

[candy for lunch]

But then who on the Nuggets will yell and point at his tattoos when he throws down a vicious dunk?*


*Or layup, in Zach's case

[#1knickfan]

" Zach & Eddy are TERRIBLE together ? "


I got news for ya pal,,Zach & Eddy are TERRIBLE apart from each other as well. Each one of them NEEDS to learn, and live two to three words each....


Zach- Betty Ford clinic!!

Eddy- Jenny Craig!!


And the word Defense ?...forget it. It's not found in either of their dictionaries!!

Thank god none of the morons who talk out of their butt instead of using reason and logic when they post haven't found this thread.

[risktaker91]

Zach Randolph is horrible, I hate players like Zach and Eddy and would stop being a Raps fan if they came to Toronto.

[IggyTheBEaST]

If we still had Webber, and their contracts were equal in length, Id consider Webber for Zach. Thats too many If's

So NO

[Nutty Nats Fan]

How about Zach and junk for K-Mart and Smith? Is that a fair exchange?

K-Mart has actually been playing really well, especially on defense.. and the FO is extremely high on JR.

But Denver may consider this:

K-Mart/Atkins/Hunter for Zach and Fred Jones.

Thomas may agree, he loves K-Mart, doubtful NY's FO would like it, I figure?