Sacramento Kings: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Signing Zach Randolph

Not content simply to sign one veteran player to an expensive contract, a second deal was announced on the heels of the George Hill deal. The 36 year-old Zach Randolph was signed to a two-year, $24 million contract and reunited with former Memphis coach Dave Joerger. If Hill was there to mentor the young guards, then perhaps Randolph was there to do the same for Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere and the other young bigs.

Randolph entered the league as something of a headache for the various organizations that employed his services, keeping the narrative on his off-court antics instead of on-court accomplishments. But a long stint in Memphis marked a rehabilitation of his image and reputation, as well as his career.

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Sacramento must have been hoping for a player who could model the path from troubled young player to model citizen — in other words, a player who walked the same road that the organization was now traveling.

The problem with the signing is threefold. The first two are the same reasons the George Hill deal was less than stellar; Randolph is an expensive veteran mentor when plenty of other players were available for much cheaper. In addition, his presence blocks playing time for the young players who represent Sacramento’s future.

The final problem is that Randolph has already proven not to be the squeaky clean veteran mentor the team was hoping for. Randolph was arrested in early August and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

This post is not a declaration of Randolph’s innocence or guilt, nor is it a declaration that he is unfit to serve as a mentor. But Sacramento was hoping for a player above all reproach, and they have spent years with the spotlight forced off the court again and again by other issues.

For $12 million a year, Randolph is costing the team significant money to either block the development of the young players or sit on the bench. When the games aren’t being played, he’s already shown that the Kings cannot rely on him to keep the focus on the team. That adds up to a wasted use of resources.

Grade: D