While the ESPN Trade Machine is certainly a valuable tool, it doesn’t let us do everything we want. The rest of the rumors I will put in plain, boring text. Please forgive this rather elementary style.
Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
There is no doubt that the Lakers frontcourt is one of the toughest in the league. Unfortunately it is also one of the most inconsistent. These inconsistencies have most Lakers fans standing on the ledge. Could the addition of Randolph help this problem?
The problem with Randolph is his current salary situation. The Memphis forward is being paid $17,666,666 this season, and is the highest paid player on the Grizzlies by far. The Lakers are already well over the luxury tax, so adding on Randolph’s massive contract isn’t exactly the first thing they want to do, especially with a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon.
Even if the teams were able to work out the dollars and cents, it still doesn’t make a lot of sense for Los Angeles. Randolph doesn’t provide the Lakers with what they’re currently lacking, and who knows if he would be willing to become a bench player for the remainder of the season.
