Is it possible to be one of the biggest surprises and busts of the same draft? It looks like Zach Randolph may have done it. After being drafted 19th overall in the 2001 draft, Randolph became one of the best young low-post threats in the league, prompting the Blazers to sign him to a six-year, $84 million extension. Since the signing,
Randolph has been traded three times, most recently this past summer by the Clippers to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Randolph easily has the worst contract in the league, yet general managers like Mike Dunleavy and Chris Wallace continue to pay this guy more than $16 million a year to poison their teams.
But it's definitely not his numbers that make his contract one of the worst in all professional sports (averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds in three of the past four seasons), it's the fact that Randolph is a ticking time bomb, and has shown little interest in getting into shape. Why would the Grizzlies bring him into a locker room full of young, impressionable players? With two years and $33 million left, expect to see Randolph's contract back in the top three next season.
