The C's should put an offer in for the #1 pick.

[Moranis]

I realize Randolph isn't a great defender

This is the understatement of the century. He's lazy beyond belief. Go watch a couple Clippers games, or Knicks games from when he was there. Zach Randolph won't even rotate out of the paint more often than not in a help situation.

Even his rebounding numbers are deceptive as he doesn't do much work to get them other than camping in the paint and using his size. No championship team could survive giving playoff minutes to Zach Randolph.

He has never been on a good team in his career, I think that is a bit unfair until he plays for a good team that fails.  He was drafted at the tail end of Portland's run and played for the Knicks and Clippers, two just downright awful franchises.  I think he could be a solid interior scorer for a championship level team (and for the record he played well in his one real postseason when Portland lost to Dallas in 7 in his second year).

At the start of his career in Portland he did work very hard. He got his points, rebounds, and playing time by hustle and offensive rebounds.

Then he got his big money deal and became a "star" all of that stopped. He started turning it over at a ridiculous rate. He takes awful shots from near the three point line. He doesn't rotate one bit on defense.

At some point you are what you are in the NBA. And Randolph is a terrible player who puts up decent scoring/rebounding numbers. Yet his teams will never win unless he is a bit role player or has an epiphany.

Couldn't you also argue that his first couple of years he was on a good team and thus had a reason to give a crap?  Sure it would be nice if everyone always cared and tried hard, but when you play on awful teams it wears on everyone.  Perhaps if Randolph went to a good team with a guy like Lebron or KG or Kobe, etc. he would actually care because the team actually cared.  The Knicks and Clippers are garbage franchises in which virtually no one cares, it is kind of hard for any particular player to care under those situations.

[Fafnir]

I realize Randolph isn't a great defender

This is the understatement of the century. He's lazy beyond belief. Go watch a couple Clippers games, or Knicks games from when he was there. Zach Randolph won't even rotate out of the paint more often than not in a help situation.

Even his rebounding numbers are deceptive as he doesn't do much work to get them other than camping in the paint and using his size. No championship team could survive giving playoff minutes to Zach Randolph.

He has never been on a good team in his career, I think that is a bit unfair until he plays for a good team that fails.  He was drafted at the tail end of Portland's run and played for the Knicks and Clippers, two just downright awful franchises.  I think he could be a solid interior scorer for a championship level team (and for the record he played well in his one real postseason when Portland lost to Dallas in 7 in his second year).

At the start of his career in Portland he did work very hard. He got his points, rebounds, and playing time by hustle and offensive rebounds.

Then he got his big money deal and became a "star" all of that stopped. He started turning it over at a ridiculous rate. He takes awful shots from near the three point line. He doesn't rotate one bit on defense.

At some point you are what you are in the NBA. And Randolph is a terrible player who puts up decent scoring/rebounding numbers. Yet his teams will never win unless he is a bit role player or has an epiphany.

Couldn't you also argue that his first couple of years he was on a good team and thus had a reason to give a crap?  Sure it would be nice if everyone always cared and tried hard, but when you play on awful teams it wears on everyone.  Perhaps if Randolph went to a good team with a guy like Lebron or KG or Kobe, etc. he would actually care because the team actually cared.  The Knicks and Clippers are garbage franchises in which virtually no one cares, it is kind of hard for any particular player to care under those situations.

Care to provide an example of a player who is out of shape, lazy both on the court and off, and who makes terrible decisions suddenly "get it" when he goes to a good team?

The assertion that he's just a product of his environments on bad teams is silly. He's one of the biggest reasons those teams are terrible. You can't have a big money player who's so lazy on a team and have them give good effort.

Look at the effect players like MJ/KG/Duncan have on their teams. Randolph has the exact opposite effect. That is why he'll be a perennial loser as long as he gets more than token minutes.