Since a report surfaced this week suggesting the Grizzlies are shopping Zach Randolph, team sources have adamantly denied that the big power forward is on the block. Nonetheless, Randolph has heard the rumors and admits to NBA.com’s Fran Blinebury that he can’t altogether ignore them.
“It bothers me. It hurts a little bit. I can’t deny that,” Randolph said. “But it goes to show you that there ain’t no loyalty in this game. It seems like you only get loyalty in certain organizations. You see it in winning organizations like the Spurs, the Lakers, the Heat.”
Here’s more from around the league on a Saturday afternoon:
- GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets have used their D-League affiliate as a “laboratory of sorts” to test ideas and strategies that could be used in the NBA, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com writes (Insider-only link). This season, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers are pushing the pace and shooting three-pointers at a record rate, prompting Pelton to wonder if we’ll see the Rockets employ a similar approach soon.
- Jabari Davis, Joel Brigham, and Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld weigh in with their thoughts on Kobe Bryant‘s two-year extension and how it affects the Lakers‘ short- and long-term future.
- Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim questions whether tanking is really worth it for NBA teams this season, since he views this year’s top freshmen as talented, but not “transcendent” players. Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv has the details.
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Pistons rookie Peyton Siva says he has Louisville coach Rick Pitino to thank for his smooth transition to the NBA, writes Brigham in a separate HoopsWorld piece. “[Coach Pitino] prepares you mentally for everything that’s coming up ahead. He’s a great coach when it comes to that mental preparation,” Siva told HoopsWorld. “A lot of players lose focus and break down mentally, but he makes sure you stay alert, stay on task and builds a great work ethic in you.”