Zach Randolph’s Thuggery Still Haunts Portland
By Jason McIntyre
"The basketball organization hired a private investigator in 2007, who returned with a three-inch file on his activities and the “Hoop Family.” A couple of months later, Portland traded Randolph to the Knicks for what amounted to Channing Frye and a Steve Francis contract they later bought out. Basically, flushed him. Done."
Which is why we’re stunned Randolph hasn’t gotten into any trouble in Memphis – well, there was this report from a police informant in Indianapolis – and wasn’t part of the OJ Mayo-Tony Allen fight on a team plane recently.
Our all-time favorite Randolph moment (2nd place: the time he sucker punched Ruben Patterson) might have been this one, from our interview in 2007 with Canzano:
"“When ‘Sheed comes back, make sure you don’t have your back to him. He’ll sucker punch you.”"
Thug or not, anyone looking out for a reporter is cool in our book.