Big Zach is Back

As I read with delight yesterday that Zach Randolph was back on the court after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee in April, I began to think that Portland may finally be entering a new era, one unsullied by police reports, disrespect for fans and "Jail Blazers" jokes.

This, of course, used to be one of the NBA's proudest franchises, one that was consistently playoff bound (21 straight seasons, '82-03) and truly the apple of its city's eye. But over the past two years, the playoffs have been a rumor, the sellouts have ceased and the Blazers have been a farce.

I believe things are looking up, though.

It begins with Randolph, the 20-10 power forward who gives Portland the frontline threat any club needs to envision becoming a contender. Sure, Randolph has had his own run-ins with the law --- and with teammates -- but at his core, he is a solid, fun-loving individual whom the Blazers believe has put his problems in the past.

And while microfracture surgery can be career-altering (Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Chris Webber, Jamal Mashburn), all signs thus far point to Randolph returning to his old form. His trainer says he will be ready for the start of training camp and expects him to play the entire season.

Who knows if Randolph will recover from the surgery as well as Nets point guard Jason Kidd or Carolina Panthers running back Stephen Davis did? But even if he loses a bit of lift, Randolph should still be productive since his game was never predicated on athleticism. He's a crafty, skilled, hardworking type whose guile should make up for any minor physical loss.

Randolph, 24, is quoted in Monday's Oregonian as saying he has something to prove, a chip on his shoulder, and well he should. In addition to showing he can be the player he was pre-injury, he has to lead the Blazers back to the postseason. Otherwise, he will begin to be viewed as a 6-9 Stephon Marbury: a great individual player who doesn't win.

Randolph's supporting cast -- young and crazy talented -- should help him lift Portland back to prominence in the future. Point guard Sebastian Telfair showed great improvement while starting toward the end of last season and is poised for a breakout season. Two guard Martell Webster, the Blazers' first-round pick, shoots lights out and could blossom into a star.

Small forwards Darius Miles and Travis Outlaw can run and jump with the best of them. While that might not mean much without a nice point guard, it could mean tons if Telfair develops as promised. I can see the alley-oops and tomahawk jams right now. Outlaw in particular has drawn raves from scouts who believe he's finally ready to begin making an impact.

I'm done counting on Theo Ratliff to do anything but get hurt, but of course he'll be a defensive terror for the few weeks he's healthy. And in today's age of the pedestrian center, Joel Przybilla should be adequate with that much firepower around him.

Just as important, those players shouldn't bring any shame on the franchise with their conduct.

To bring it all together, the Blazers have one of the best young coaches in the league in Nate McMillan, one who will put the focus on defense without turning the offense into "three yards and a cloud of dust.''

If Randolph stays healthy, and McMillan does as good a job as he did in Seattle, Portland will be back, baby. Maybe not this season, but certainly the next. Mark my words.