Memphis Grizzlies: Re-signing Zach Randolph A Mistake?

An offseason of turmoil finally seems to have calmed down, and one of the Memphis Grizzlies’ biggest questions – what is the future of Zach Randolph? – seems to be near resolution.

According to a report from ESPN’s Marc Stein, Memphis is looking to extend Randolph’s contract. Z-Bo’s current contract has a player option that is set to expire on June 30; according to Stein, the team is expecting to have something completed by then.

But even this positive step seems only half-completed, and other questions come into play. Will Randolph keep his option year, valued at $16.5 million for the upcoming season, and sign an extension for less money? Or will he opt out, re-sign a multi-year deal that would pay him less beginning next season? That second possibility would require a move by Randolph after July 1, which would effectively make him a free agent that simply re-signed with his former team.

Interest from both sides is mutual, with Grizzlies’ interim general manager Chris Wallace telling the Memphis Commercial Appeal that a deal seems imminent:

"“It’s going forward. We’re very excited about what Zach’s done in the past and hope to have him here in the future. This has really been a terrific boon for both sides. He’s obviously meant a great deal to us on and off the court. And Memphis has worked for him. This has been, by far, the best stop for him since he’s been in the NBA. So we’re working towards that goal [of a new contract].”"

For Randolph, the move would bring stability to a 13-year career that has included stops in Portland, New York and Los Angeles. As he told ESPN in November, Memphis is where he and his family want to be:

"“I’d like to be here. I’d like to retire here. If I’ve got to make some sacrifices to be here, I would. I still can play. I can still help a team out. I want to win a championship. I’ve made all the money in the world. I just want to win. I don’t know yet [about opting in or opting out], but Memphis is my home. If they trade me tomorrow, I’m here. I just bought a new house. My daughters go to school [in Memphis]. That’s my home.”"

All signs point to Randolph staying in his latest “home.” And so the final question remains; should Memphis be committing so much of their future to keep him there?

Randolph has aged and his production has dipped, but only so slightly. His best year with the Grizz was the 2010-11 season, when he averaged nearly 21 points and 12 rebounds per game. This season, that dropped to 17.4 PPG and just more than 10 RPG. Still solid. His field goal percentage still hovers around 46 percent and his shots per game dropped from 16.5 to 15.2 in that four-year stretch. More remarkably, with the exception of the 2011-12 campaign, Randolph has never played less than 75 games in the regular season.

At 32 years old, it would seem Randolph’s skills should be declining. Fans witnessed the deterioration of another All-Star, Dwayne Wade (also 32), in the NBA Finals. But their styles of play are vastly different. While Wade’s slashing athleticism should logically suffer after a prolonged career, Randolph’s below-the-rim game could mean years of productivity.

So how do the Grizz proceed? Their best option is to re-sign Randolph…but at a significant pay decrease. Keeping the stable locker-room presence in place is essential but not at the cost of sacrificing the franchise’s future. And with Marc Gasol (a free agent after next season) and Mike Conley at their physical peak, it’s fair to include Randolph in the team’s plans as a complementary player, not a cornerstone.

After the past tumultuous month in Memphis, bringing back Randolph at a cap-friendly rate is crucial to both short- and long-term success.