Grizzlies owner Robert Pera has taken back control of his organization from fired CEO Jason Levien, and that has some in the organization excited about the prospects of retaining Zach Randolph.
Randolph has until June 30 to trigger a $16.5 million player option on the final season of his contract and Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Randolph and the Grizzlies have started the ground work on a long-term extension.
Randolph is an extremely popular figure in the Memphis community, and has expressed a strong desire to finish his career in the city where his NBA career has truly blossomed.
Randolph has talked directly with Pera in the past week and he and his agent Raymond Brothers sensed a serious commitment to keep Randolph in Memphis with a new deal.
“We have a great level of comfort and trust with Robert Pera and Chris Wallace,” Brothers told Yahoo Sports on Monday. “Chris and I have been working together for years. He is a good guy.”
The two-time All Star averaged 17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds this season for the Grizzlies.