http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/blog/2008/09/memphis_decides_to_pass_on_zac.html

Zach Randolph can expect to be with the Knicks when training camp opens in a little more than a week. By Darko Milicic mathematics, it's one-percent certain.

I have a story running in Saturday's Newsday that reports the deal that would have sent Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies for Milicic and Marko Jaric is now dead. Multiple sources said the Grizzlies, who were already hesitant to begin with after long internal discussions about taking on Randolph's contract, decided to pass on the deal.

You may recall the Grizz wanted the Knicks to make several concessions in the trade, from agreeing to pay a chunk of the deferred portion of the contract to including a first-round pick in the deal. Donnie Walsh declined and left it up to the Grizzlies to come back with a better offer. Instead, they folded.

It was the second time this offseason that a chance to move Randolph's three-year, $48 million contract did not result in a trade. The Clippers had interest in him back in July, but also wanted the Knicks to give up a first-rounder in a deal that would have sent a second-round pick to New York. Walsh said no to that and the Clippers instead traded the second-rounder to Denver for Marcus Camby.

But the Grizzlies talks seemed to have a lot more potential, though they never picked up steam after a few conversations in early August. Still, the players involved heard enough to make them believe something was imminent. Randolph had told friends he thought he was headed to Memphis and Milicic told a Serbian media outlet a week ago that he felt it was "99 percent" certain he would be in New York by the end of the week.

Walsh told our buddy Ho-Beck at the New York Times last week that talks were dormant but wouldn't say the deal was dead. We can confirm they are now dead after talking to several people with knowledge of the situation. Apparently the Grizz planned to only take Randolph if they came out on top in the trade. Once Walsh made it clear he wasn't going to make a one-sided deal, Memphis decided Randolph wasn't worth enough to them to make an even deal.

Z-Bo might be the most unwanted 20-10 guy in the NBA. But what makes this daunting for the Knicks is they now have to bring Randolph into camp after quite obviously trying to trade him. He doesn't fit into what Mike D'Antoni plans to do with the style -- run, run and more running -- but the Knicks can't afford to bury Randolph on the bench because it would only further decrease his already plummeting trade value.

With Memphis out of the conversation, the market of interest in Randolph has pretty much dried up at this point. It is unlikely you will find a team willing to bring in a player with that big of a contract and that much of a character issue -- by the way, not hearing great things about his conditioning level, which is alarming -- just a week before camps open. Right now the Knicks will probably have to get Randolph playing well enough to showcase and wait for a team to have a need at the power forward position.

Not a lot of possible options to consider at this point. A glance through NBA rosters right now offer only three potential destinations for Walsh to explore if he hasn't already:

- Denver: The Nuggets came close to trading for Randolph at the trade deadline last season but the deal fell apart in the 11th hour. The Knicks could trade contract-for-contract and go for Kenyon Martin ($14.1 million this year, $15.3 million in 2009-10 and a player opt for $16.5 in 2010-11), who is a major injury risk but, athletically (especially as a shot-blocker) fits better into what D'Antoni likes to do. The problem is he doesn't help you save any money in time for the Summer of 2010, which, let's be honest, is the goal here.

- Golden State: They are desperate for frontcourt scoring and with the injury to Monta Ellis are desperate for any kind of scoring. They'd love to rid themselves of Al Harrington ($9.2 million this year, $10.02 million next season), who comes off the books in time for 2010. Walsh had Harrington in Indiana and though he does fit into the up-tempo style, he can be a maddening player to deal with on a daily basis. The Knicks would have to take another player to make the numbers match, which means another contract to throw on the pile.

- Sacramento: They also could use a boost of scoring in the front court and Randolph is certainly a good shooter, which Geoff Petrie is known to demand. The Knicks, again, would have to be willing to take some unwanted contracts back, so that means Shareef Abdur-Rahim ($6.2 million this year, $6.6 million next) and Kenny Thomas ($7.9 million; $8.5 million). Neither player would have any place in the D'Antoni rotation, but at least both come off the ledger by 2010. With that in mind, Petrie might demand a little more from the Knicks if he has any interest at all in this scenario.

As for the start of the season, D'Antoni could simply start Randolph to preserve his value (and Z-Bo's confidence level) but go a bulk of the game with a lineup that is more conducive to the up-tempo style. I keep hearing a lot of positive feedback about how Jared Jeffries looks in the voluntary workouts and that Jeffries might see more time at the four and five spots than in previous seasons.

Stay tuned . . .

"Apparently the Grizz planned to only take Randolph if they came out on top in the trade."

Good job by Walsh by not budging. I'm sorry but you don't make trades to get raped, that is what got us in this position in the first place.

I have been saying since way back when that we should explore the Golden State idea, might be a good idea since Don Nelson is in his last year coaching and Mullin's position with the club be a little shaky...

Posted by GKFv2:

I'm telling you right now this "not budging" crap that you are praising him for will come back to bite him in the ass. We are not getting under the cap if we don't trade him. If he causes trouble, gets into trouble, and/or does not fit the style and doesn't put up his usual numbers this season he will be even more un-tradeable than now. Walsh should have bitten the bullet and threw in a first rounder to the Clippers to take his entire contract. He failed. And if the Knicks do not have the cap space to sign a LeBron, Wade, or Bosh in the summer of 2010 this will be the primary reason why.

I disagree. giving up a first rounder to get rid of Zach would be insane. A rebuilding team shouldn't trade first rounders especially since we already owe one to Utah. If that's the only alternative I'd rather keep him.

[Edited by - Slimpack on 09-20-2008 04:07 AM]

Posted by SlimPack:

Posted by GKFv2:

I'm telling you right now this "not budging" crap that you are praising him for will come back to bite him in the ass. We are not getting under the cap if we don't trade him. If he causes trouble, gets into trouble, and/or does not fit the style and doesn't put up his usual numbers this season he will be even more un-tradeable than now. Walsh should have bitten the bullet and threw in a first rounder to the Clippers to take his entire contract. He failed. And if the Knicks do not have the cap space to sign a LeBron, Wade, or Bosh in the summer of 2010 this will be the primary reason why.

I disagree. giving up a first rounder to get rid of Zach would be insane. A rebuilding team shouldn't trade first rounders especially since we already owe one to Utah. If that's the only alternative I'd rather keep him.

[Edited by - Slimpack on 09-20-2008 04:07 AM]

You can't rebuild with this crap. If Zach is so un-tradeable you need to trade him now to anyone who will take him and sweeten the pot. There is a greater risk than a reward in keeping him. He could sabotage our entire 2010 plan.

[Edited by - gkfv2 on 09-20-2008 04:54 AM]

When you are trading the crap off this roster, you're not getting "raped".

Posted by GKFv2:

When you are trading the crap off this roster, you're not getting "raped".

Great, so we'll have no (expensive) crap players and no draft picks. What exactly is the plan then? how do we acquire players that are upgrades? Just hope for a free agent will come and rescue us in 2 years?

That doesn't sound like much of a plan to me.

oohah



[Edited by - oohah on 20-09-2008 05:34 AM]

Posted by nyk4ever:

"Apparently the Grizz planned to only take Randolph if they came out on top in the trade."

Good job by Walsh by not budging. I'm sorry but you don't make trades to get raped, that is what got us in this position in the first place.

I have been saying since way back when that we should explore the Golden State idea, might be a good idea since Don Nelson is in his last year coaching and Mullin's position with the club be a little shaky...

The quote is meaningless. When has a GM ever made a trade with the plan of coming out on the bottom of the deal?! I'd say it's impossible to come out on top of the trade if you're acquiring Zach. Let the dumb Grizzlies think they're coming out on top because they're getting a 20/10 inside force. They'd be in for the same shock Mr. Thomas was in for 12 months ago.

[Edited by - bonn1997 on 09-20-2008 06:16 AM]

Posted by SlimPack:

Posted by GKFv2:

I'm telling you right now this "not budging" crap that you are praising him for will come back to bite him in the ass. We are not getting under the cap if we don't trade him. If he causes trouble, gets into trouble, and/or does not fit the style and doesn't put up his usual numbers this season he will be even more un-tradeable than now. Walsh should have bitten the bullet and threw in a first rounder to the Clippers to take his entire contract. He failed. And if the Knicks do not have the cap space to sign a LeBron, Wade, or Bosh in the summer of 2010 this will be the primary reason why.

I disagree. giving up a first rounder to get rid of Zach would be insane. A rebuilding team shouldn't trade first rounders especially since we already owe one to Utah. If that's the only alternative I'd rather keep him.

[Edited by - Slimpack on 09-20-2008 04:07 AM]

If we're still rebuilding in 2012....if in 2012 that pick is a top 15 pick or godforbid a lotto pick ---- then what in the hell is Walsh's plan to begin with? If he can't turn this team around in four full seasons and we're still in the lotto four seasons later then what is the point?

Should have done the Clipper deal. Plain and simple. Now we're stuck with this pie faced chemistry destroying mongoloid. STUCK.

Walsh has dropped the ball plain and simple.
If we're banking on the 2012 pick still being a high lotto pick and an integral part to our rebuilding plan then Walsh is a completely delusional nut case.

By 2012 we should be a GOOD TEAM. A good enough team where that pick SHOULD be 18th or worse. If it's not then again what in the hell is Walsh's four year plan?

Posted by Markji:

We can't trade our first round picks! Period! Unless we get a first round player in return.

Regarding Zach - he's in camp, working out. Shows he is trying! D'A will be demanding of all of the players. And I think the players respect D'A. He should be able to get more out of them. I'm in wait and see mode.

Yes, because a team that should be contending in 2012 desperately needs another Mardy Collins or Renaldo Balkman, right?

As to Zach, he always works hard, then destroys any concept of TEAM PLAY when he steps on the court. That will never change.

Again, if we're so desperate to retain that 2012 pick, then you don't believe Walsh will turn the team around in four full seasons at the helm, and believe that the 2012 pick will make or break his tenure.

If that's what anyone believes then we're in worse shape than I ever imagined.

If that 2012 pick becomes that valuable that means Walsh failed miserably in more than an allowable time to succeed. If he does succeed as many of you believe he will then that 2012 pick should be a meaningless late 1st rounder and it should have been used to dump a 2011 albatross who will do nothing but corrupt his teammates while he is here and prevent any semblance of team chemistry from evolving while he is here.

Should have done the deal. The Memphis deal is proof that you get WORSE offers as time goes on with a guy like Zach. The Clipper deal was a gift in comparison.

Posted by Markji:

We can't trade our first round picks! Period! Unless we get a first round player in return.

Regarding Zach - he's in camp, working out. Shows he is trying! D'A will be demanding of all of the players. And I think the players respect D'A. He should be able to get more out of them. I'm in wait and see mode.

So you work well and want to give it your all when your bosses basically tell you that they don't want you there and want to replace you as soon as the best candidate becomes available. I bet you would really respect your company and try to be best and most productive employee. Good luck with that.

[Edited by - pharzeone on 09-20-2008 1:25 PM]

Blessing in disguise