The Sport Count

Two very bad contracts.

No doubt still reeling from Elton Brand’s relatively surprising move east, the Clippers took a punt that New York wouldn’t mind providing them with a cheap, inferior low-post replacement:

The Knicks have rejected a proposal from the Clippers to trade power forward Zach Randolph, league sources told SI.com.

Terms of any proposal were not known, but the Clippers have enough salary-cap space to accept Randolph’s contract without having to give the Knicks equal salaries in return.

Not a bad move from the Clippers; the idea of the busted old Knicks offering up a contract liability isn’t ridiculous and, with Eddy Curry still lumbering around the Garden, New York remains bloated down low.

Indeed, a typical owner wouldn’t be overly excited about the 48-million dollars and three years remaining on Babyhead’s contract. They would, of course, delight at the opportunity to offload it.

But Jimmy Dolan isn’t a typical owner. He is a man who has proven time and time again that he doesn’t mind paying the huge money it takes to secure the league’s most effective locker room cancers. Unfortunately for the Clippers, Dolan would rather eat a rough contract than give it away.

If the Clippers really want an unfit big man who can’t block shots, they should’ve asked for Eddy. That’s a contract Dolan might be willing to gift. (If you’re wondering, Curry will take home around 10-million a year until ‘10-’11; a real bargain for a guy who blocks just 0.5 shots a game despite being 6′11″).

Maybe the Clippers shouldn’t worry about a big guy anyway. From the world’s best basketball mind:

What’s happened in this league is that a lot of teams are playing really small. It’s a slow phasing out of the big man.

Potentially baseless update: apparently the Clippers definitely offered a second-round pick. Generous, yeah?

Posted By: Anton