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Boston Celtics: 3 big-man free agents Celtics should consider signing

By Mark Nilon

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 30: Zach Randolph #50 of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 30, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 30: Zach Randolph #50 of the Sacramento Kings reacts during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on January 30, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

Zach Randolph

The final entrant to this list is a man whose character can (unfairly) be called into question…but his abilities on the hardwood cannot.

Zach Randolph was last seen in the NBA as a member of the Sacramento Kings in the 2017-18 season. If it sounds like he was ill-fitting on a Kings team that was mired in a rebuild, it’s because he was. For whatever reason, Sacramento’s front office felt the team could be boosted by veterans prior to that season. They ended up signing Randolph, as well as George Hill, for over $30 million in annual salary.

As it turned out, both were out of the rotation (and in Hill’s case, off the team) by the beginning of the 2018-19 season. Randolph was officially a member of the Kings last year, but he didn’t log a single minute of game-time. His expiring salary was aggregated to acquire Harrison Barnes and he was released by the Dallas Mavericks just two days after being acquired.

He hasn’t been seen since. In a perfect world, he would be seen by the Boston Celtics for, at the very least, a tryout. What can go wrong? At worst, they decide that he is no longer in shape enough to play in the NBA.

At best? He could serve as a 10-15 minute per night board grabber and intimidation factor on the defensive end, despite his lack of burst and athleticism. We get it, at age 38, Randolph is well past his prime. But so is Carmelo Anthony. Anthony just won the Western Conference Player of the Week and has been a revelation in Portland on a non-guaranteed deal.

Next. 3 players that should be off roster by season's end. dark

If the Boston Celtics go that route, he could be used when the situation calls for it. On a prove-it type deal, he couldn’t be much worse than Vincent Poirier is right now. Poirier never dropped 35 points and 13 rebounds in an NBA game. Randolph did that less than two years ago in New Orleans.

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