Zach Randolph is a trade target of the Orlando Magic, according to Bulls.com columnist (and former legendary ink-stained wretch) Sam Smith. Near the end of his weekly column, Smith wrote that the Magic would be interested in trading for the burly power forward, one of the league's top rebounders and a pending free agent. The Memphis Grizzlies are fighting for a treasured playoff spot in the Western Conference, now just one game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 8 spot. But with serious long-term salary tied up in Mike Conley and Rudy Gay and the pending free agency of Marc Gasol coming this offseason, Randolph may very well get pushed aside.
Randolph lobbied for an extension from Memphis last offseason and early this year, but never received one. Franchise owner Michael Heisley would not be expected to pay the luxury tax for a cusp-of-the-playoffs team, and keeping both Gasol and Randolph may very well require coming close.
Smith indicates that the push for such a deal is coming from the Magic's side, though the writer doesn't cite a source or previous report, as noted by SB Nation's Magic blog Orlando Pinstriped Post. Given Smith's reputation as the world's first NBA trade machine (lo-fi edition), it's worth taking this rumor with a big ol' grain of salt. Randolph's situation and Memphis' plans bear watching, though.
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