We have already begun speculating on where Zach Randolph might end up next season, but one place we don't have to worry about is the Dallas Mavericks. According to Dallas Basketball, some people inside the Mavs' organization were less than complimentary about Randolph's toughness on the basketball court:
"Randolph might be some sort of a 'tough guy' off the court, but he doesn't play that way on the court,'' said one source.
Added another long-time NBA staffer, after I told him that some people think the Mavs need a "bad-ass'': "Zach Randolph is not a bad-ass. He's a dumb-ass.''
Well, then. The Mavericks definitely could use some toughness on a team that was bullied off the floor in the first round by the eighth seeded Warriors, but I guess they won't be looking for it from Randolph. And honestly, I think most teams won't be too interested in taking a chance on him either, unless they can literally steal him from the Blazers. The guy's got a bad reputation of off-the-court behavior, as detailed (factually this time) by Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune.
More after the jump.
Here's a look at Z-Bo's, um, "rap sheet," courtesy of Smith:
•1995. Thirty days in juvenile detention for shoplifting.
•High school years: Thirty days of house arrest for battery.
•Thirty days in juvenile detention for receiving stolen property, a gun.
•2002. Underage drinking arrest in Marion, Ind., his hometown.
•2003. Team suspension by the Trail Blazers for sucker-punching teammate Ruben Patterson in practice and breaking his eye socket.
•2003. Arrested in Portland for driving under the influence of intoxicants and marijuana.
•2004. Accused by police of lying in an investigation of his brother shooting three men in an Indiana nightclub.
•2006. Suspended by the Trail Blazers for making obscene gestures to fans after a game in Indiana.
•2006. Sued by a Portland woman for sexual assault, though prosecutors didn't file criminal charges.
•2007. Left a strip club without paying the bill while he was on bereavement leave from the team and missed three games after the death of his girlfriend's cousin.
•2007. Earlier this month, police were called to the parking lot of a strip club where Randolph and teammate Darius Miles were part of a gathering and a gunshot was fired.
Yeah, that's not exactly a small list of incidents that a team needs to look past, is it? I'm not here to say one way or the other whether Z-Bo would be a good risk for the Mavericks or any other NBA franchise at this point. But one thing's for sure, and that's that the numbers don't lie. Dude averaged almost 24 and 10 in 68 games this season, and no matter what he does off the court, there aren't too many guys that can do what he does on it.
Previously at FanHouse:
Let's Make a Deal: Zach Randolph for Richard Jefferson?
A Look at the Losers: Dallas Mavericks
Zach Randolph Spending 'Bereavement Leave' At Strip Club
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-29-2007 @ 7:43PM
Brad said...
To play devil's advocate....
2003. Team suspension by the Trail Blazers for sucker-punching teammate Ruben Patterson in practice and breaking his eye socket.
Really? Note to non-Seattle/Portland/Denver/Milwaukee fans: Punching Ruben Patterson is not the worst thing in the world.
•2003. Arrested in Portland for driving under the influence of intoxicants and marijuana.
Results: Not charged because of no evidence.
•2004. Accused by police of lying in an investigation of his brother shooting three men in an Indiana nightclub.
Results: Not charged. And "lying" is an overstatement. He was not cooperating, which is a distinction.
•2006. Suspended by the Trail Blazers for making obscene gestures to fans after a game in Indiana.
Yup
•2006. Sued by a Portland woman for sexual assault, though prosecutors didn't file criminal charges.
Results: No charges pressed because the police had 6 text-messages from the woman attempting to extort him for money and threatening to make up charges if he didn't pay her 50k.
•2007. Left a strip club without paying the bill while he was on bereavement leave from the team and missed three games after the death of his girlfriend's cousin.
Results: No one at the strip club was even upset he didn't pay his bill that day. Going to strip clubs, not exactly illegal.
•2007. Earlier this month, police were called to the parking lot of a strip club where Randolph and teammate Darius Miles were part of a gathering and a gunshot was fired.
Results: Again, strip clubs = not illegal, and merely being in the presence of gunfire isn't a crime...additionally, sources around Portland say a 3rd Blazer was present, but not revealed by the Oregonian writers because John Clownzano only likes picking on Zach & Darius.
I'm not defending everything Zach does, but he sure takes a lot of grief for a guy who has never been CLOSE to a conviction after turning 18. Need I remind people that Jason Richardson & Gilbert Arenas have a gun charge each, which J-Rich couples with a Domestic Violence charge, Marcus Camby has a pot charge, Zydrunus Ilgauskus has a DUI, Jerry Stackhouse has an assault, Kurt Thomas has assault of spouse, C-Webb has pot & resisting arrest, etc.
Reply
5-29-2007 @ 8:25PM
max said...
"Results: No one at the strip club was even upset he didn't pay his bill that day."
That claim is 100% false, idiotic, and invalidates every point you make.
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5-29-2007 @ 8:33PM
anny said...
Why is his claim false? I remember when that happened the owner of the club said it was no big deal and that he was sure Randolph would pay the bill next time.
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5-29-2007 @ 9:54PM
max said...
If nobody was upset why do we all know about the story?
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5-30-2007 @ 12:29AM
Jon said...
Game set and match to max
Reply
6-07-2007 @ 2:48PM
maxiep said...
"If nobody was upset why do we all know about the story?"
Because Portland is a one sport, one paper town whose sports "journalists" have more in common with tabloid reporters from the National Enquirer.
To give you another example, it was widely reported that Darius Miles had his gas tank filled and then drove off without paying for it. He simply forgot and went back, paid and apologized. That incident still gets mentioned.
Zach has his faults and makes really dumb decisions, but everything having to do with the Blazers in Oregon is highlighted. If this stuff happened in a larger city, it wouldn't even be mentioned.
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