by Derek Flack

Created on: July 02, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The NBA Draft 2007 in New York City involved a huge deal between the New York Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers. In this trade the Knicks picked up the ticking time bomb that is Zach Randolph. This trade announcement caused a huge uproar from the tumultuous crowd inside Madison Square Garden. Knicks fans liked this trade so much that even their biggest fan Spike Lee had an ear to ear grin as he frantically clapped his hands in approval of the acquisition. Do you think that Knicks fans have realized what has happened?

Zach Randolph is a problem for this team. He couldn't live in a small area like Portland and not cause trouble. He was a member of the "Jail blazers" from a few years ago and had to carry that title solo as Portland's front office tried to rid that image and title from it's team; They were finally successful when they got rid of Randolph. Why would the Knicks want a player who is known as a former member of the "Jail blazers"? I guess a 20 and 10 post player is wanted no matter what kind of rap sheet he has. Maybe the Knicks only made this trade because they got rid of Steve Francis in the deal, but that is unlikely. How long will it be before he is starting fistfights with frontcourt mate Eddy Curry over who gets the most shots? Randolph has proven over the years that he is ready to explode like a box of dynamite in a closet by a fifteen year old bottle of ether, which is a recipe for disaster.
In Randolph's defense he is a tremendously talented power forward who can dominate in the Eastern Conference where he will be guarded on a nightly basis by smaller players. But can he do that and avoid all the extracurricular activity away from the court? Maybe he can, but there is so much to offer a trouble seeker in New York City. One of the biggest cities in the world that runs all night long is probably very enticing to a millionaire athlete, especially one who thrives (derails) in an environment like that. The thing about this trade that makes you feel like there is no hope for him to succeed in this kind of atmosphere is that the person in charge of him might be going to court for allegedly telling a team dancer to flirt with referees and who also hits on his own employees that work for him in the front office. Is Isaiah Thomas and Zach Randolph a good mix or tragedy in the making? Zach Randolph being a marquee player in New York City is a bad idea.

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