As your fantasy basketball playoffs draw to a close, in keeper leagues now becomes time to evaluate your roster and determine who to keep around for next year. Over the coming months, we'll take a deeper look at the validity of some players as keepers on your team. In our first installment, we'll look at Memphis Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph.
Zach Randolph
20.8 ppg, 11.9 rpg, .493 fg%, 0.94 spg
This is a really tough guy to place because he's having such a magnificent revival this year. He's been one of the most consistent big men in the NBA this year, and is shooting a fantastic percentage. Unlike many other top power forwards (Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer specifically), free agency shouldn't impact him as much this year.
The Grizzlies will be dealing with free agent forward Rudy Gay this summer, but might have found lightning in a bottle with the resurgent Randolph. He's still only going to be 29 in July and might have a lot of good basketball left in the tank. The problem with Randolph, though, is that tank.
Where owners should be concerned with keeping Randolph is the games played part of his stat sheet. Despite his talent being almost as big as his appetite, Randolph has only played in more than 70 games twice in his career. So despite averaging over 20 points and 10 boards a game throughout his career, his average of 63 games played per season is a big reason to think twice about keeping Randolph.
As the biggest free agent summer in the history of American pro sports begins, something every fantasy owner will need to consider is the impact of where the big names land on their production. If Bosh decides, as many have speculated, to play Robin to either LeBron or Dwyane Wade's Batman, his numbers could slide. Same is true of Stoudemire.
Keeping a 20-10 PF is always a good idea, but can Randolph be counted on to do it in consecutive seasons, and for more than 70 games?
Verdict: Wait and see.
