Randolph, Grizzlies Reach Extension

[Elite]

Veteran power forward Zach Randolph has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Memphis Grizzlies, SI.com has confirmed.

As first reported by ESPN.com, the deal is worth a guaranteed $66 million with $1.3 million in possible individual and team incentives each season. The fourth year of the deal is a player option.

Randolph, 29, has been brilliant in two seasons with the Grizzlies. Since being acquired from the Clippers in 2009, Randolph has averaged at least 20 points and 11 rebounds in each of the last two seasons. He was an All-Star in 2010 and this season was the driving force behind Memphis' first playoff appearance since 2006. On Sunday, Randolph scored a game-high 25 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in Memphis' 101-98 win over top-seeded San Antonio, the Grizzlies' first playoff win in franchise history.

Within the last year, the Grizzlies have committed to deal worth $188 million to Randolph, Rudy Gay ($82 million) and Mike Conley ($40 million). The team still has to make a decision on center Marc Gasol, who will be a restricted free agent after this season.

Sports Illustrated

Wow, don't really like this for the Grizz, it's a lot of money for him

 

[Mexi]

tad overpaid, but they absolutely made the correct choice
just lock up Marc next

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Randolph is a beast and there best player, so great deal.

 

[Elite]

Considering his lack of defense, I'd probably say Gay is the best player, but he's definitely their 2nd best.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Nearly 18M a year? Absolutely not.

 

[Hurricane Season]

This is going to cripple the Griz for years. Terrible move IMO.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Considering his lack of defense, I'd probably say Gay is the best player, but he's definitely their 2nd best.

Considering the Grizzlies play better without Gay and with Randolph as the primary option, I'd argue differently.

Randolph put in 20.1 PPG / 12.2 RPG / 50.3% FG% / 2.2 APG
Rudy Gay put in 19.8 PPG / 6.2 RPG / 47.1% FG% / 2.8 APG

Although Rudy Gay played the best basketball of his career this season in his 54 games before suffering a season-ending injury, the Memphis Grizzlies must have some doubt about awarding Gay with a maximum contract extension. The doubt surely stems from how little the team missed Gay during their last 28 contests.

In fact, the Grizzlies actually played better without him in the lineup.

Over the course of the 54 games in which Gay was in the lineup for the Grizzlies, Memphis outscored opponents by 2 points per 100 possessions. Yet, in the 28 games the Grizzlies played without Gay, they outscored opponents by 3.6 points per 100 possessions—even in the last two contests of the season when the Grizzlies were not even trying to win.

There was no single statistical category in which the Grizzlies became worse when they played without their second-highest-paid player.

Gay has been just the fourth MVP for the Grizzlies in terms of win shares per 48 minutes behind Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Tony Allen.

Despite Gay playing better than ever before, he has been just another guy for the Grizzlies this season.

Maximum contract guys are supposed to be so much more than that.

 

[Elite]

Knicks played better without Melo, doesn't mean he's not better than all the guys they trade away

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Knicks played better without Melo, doesn't mean he's not better than all the guys they trade away

That's because the Knicks gave up their entire team (minus Amare) and fucked up their chemistry... Entirely different situation.

 

[VC15]

tad overpaid, but they absolutely made the correct choice
just lock up Marc next

Not going to happen.

Gay, Conley and now Randolph have insane contracts.

 

[DJT]

Great deal...locking up their most important player.