Randoph/Blazers Standoff Continues



The Oregonian's John Canzano on the continuing stalemate between the Jailblazers and Forward Zach Randolph.

Weeks ago, the Blazers said there is no reason to extend Zach Randolph's contract early unless they get a discount. They think they can wait until the end of the season, as they did with Darius Miles, and let Randolph establish his own market value.

If Randolph, 23, doesn't sign an extension, the Blazers still can match any offer sheet from any other team at the end of the season. Worst case, they end up with a maximum six-year, $86 million bill. Or worst, worst case, a new collective bargaining agreement raises the maximum.

There's a greater danger here, though. It involves irking Randolph.

Forwards Pau Gasol and Andrei Kirilenko have received $86 million extensions. Those are the players Randolph likes to compare himself with, and especially in Kirilenko's case, it's a fair comparison. All three are franchise players.

Randolph, who averaged 20.1 points and 10.5 rebounds last season, is bothered that the Blazers haven't made it clear he'll be posting up for Sebastian Telfair in 2006-07. Insiders say Randolph is disappointed by the decision to extend newcomers Miles and center Theo Ratliff to long-term contracts while waiting on his. Randolph's agent, Raymond Brothers, said that this is a matter of principle.

"I promise you, if it doesn't get done by Oct. 31, Zach will sign a one-year (contract), become an unrestricted free agent and be gone in two seasons," Brothers said.

Gone?

"Gone."

Like Jermaine O'Neal?

"Gone."

N ow, understand, this is an agent scare tactic. Miles' agent said the same thing when the Blazers didn't immediately offer a contract to his client. But Portland ended up scrambling late and signing Miles to a six-year, $48 million contract, which is about $4 million above what he's worth.




It doesn't take intelligence to put together a one-sided contract. What takes brains is putting together something that works for both sides.

Randolph began this negotiation asking for a maximum deal. Insiders say as late as Saturday that Randolph's asking price had cooled to "about $83 million." The Blazers, meanwhile have escalated their offer from $69 million to $72 million to $75 million.

Which means the sides woke up today about $8 million apart. But the hunch here is that the Blazers are less concerned with the dollars than they are with the length of the contract. As in, can Randolph stay out of trouble for six years?

Posted: Sun - October 31, 2004 at 07:00 PM      

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