Getty Zach Randolph is calling it a career after 17 seasons.
Zach Randolph is calling it a career after 17 seasons in the NBA.
Although the former two-time All-Star and former Third Team All-NBA selection had floated the idea of a comeback and was training as recently as June, the 38-year-old big man declared to TMZ Sports that he’s not returning for an 18th season in the league.
Check out the video below where Randolph not only says he’s done playing, he also said “no” to the idea of becoming a coach.
Zach Randolph Was The Force Behind ‘Grit-N-Grind’
The former Michigan State product starred for five teams in his NBA career, with his most illustrious stop taking place with the Memphis Grizzlies. It was in Memphis where “Grit-N-Grind” became a staple and where Randolph’s career took off. Both of his All-Star appearances and his lone All-NBA selection took place in Memphis, where he led the franchise to seven consecutive playoff appearances and a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2013.
It’s no coincidence that since Randolph’s departure in 2017, the Grizzlies have failed to clinch a playoff berth.
During his 17-year career which also included stints with the Portland Trail Blazers (2001-2007), New York Knicks (2007-2008), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-2009) and Sacramento Kings (2017-18), Randolph averaged 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in 1,116 games and 882 starts.
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J.R. Smith Eyeing a Comeback?
One veteran who isn’t looking at retirement anytime soon appears to be J.R. Smith. The 34-year-old shooting guard hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since November of 2018, but he’s still looking for a new gig.
Smith took to Twitter right before Christmas, tweeting to any teams that are looking for shooters and perimeter defenders.
Check it out below:
How many teams lack shooting an perimeter defense??
The 15-year NBA veteran had a nice stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning a championship as the team’s starting shooting guard during the 2015-16 season. He’s also a former Sixth Man of the Year winner and has proven in each one of his four different stops throughout the league that he can shoot 3-pointers — a coveted asset in today’s league.
However, the veteran guard has failed to generate interest in the free agency market. Although there were teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks whom were linked to Smith over the summer, there hasn’t been much movement regarding interest from any other teams as of late.
While Smith has definitely kept in basketball shape, he probably won’t receive much interest around the league until much later in the season as teams prepare for the postseason.
For his career, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard holds career regular season averages of 12.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game on .419 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc.
For the postseason, Smith has made 130 appearances with 64 starts and has averaged 11.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game on .400 percent from the field and .370 percent from 3-point range.
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