A few weeks ago TKB broke the report that had the Grizzlies demanding a first round pick in the Randolph trade, and according to Alan Hahn, that was the deal breaker.

“Last month, Walsh and Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace discussed a deal that would have sent Randolph to Memphis in exchange for center Darko Milicic and swingman Marko Jaric. The Grizzlies, however, also wanted Walsh to give up a first-round pick in the deal. With the Knicks’ 2010 first-round pick already earmarked for the Utah Jazz as part of the Stephon Marbury trade from 2004 — the pick was originally traded by Isiah Thomas to the Phoenix Suns, who later traded it to Utah — Walsh does not want to give up any more draft picks.”

Nor should he, not if Jaric was in the deal. Memphis wanted the deal to be one-sided, I guess as retribution for giving Pau Gasol to the Lakers. Kudos to Walsh for holding firm and not getting fleeced. It’s hard to figure why the Grizz  GM Chris Wallace wanted to hold Walsh hostage here as they are desperate for front court help with little on the free agent horizon. Jaric and Darko for Randolph and a first rounder was the offer Walsh was mulling, and it was one he never really considered.

Hahn also mentions other possibilities for Randolph, who, sources tell us, Walsh wants to rid so he can sign David Lee to an extension. Those possibilities include Golden State in an Al Harrington package, which I mentioned over the summer. Harrington is the ideal big man in D’Antoni’s system but it would be tricky to make a match.

It will be interesting to see how Randolph reacts, generally when trade talks go this far it will be difficult for team and player to co-exist, especially a player whose contract is such an important piece to move before 2010. I still maintain that having Curry and Randolph on the roster devalues each players value. But for now, it appears camp will open with number 50 in uniform.