Driving > Disco

Ladies and gentlemen, the 2010 Zach Randolph.

39. Zach Randolph
Round of applause to Z-Bo for his historic vault from last year's "Worst 25 Contracts" list to No. 39 this year. If you need two points at the end of a tight game, and you could throw it inside to any low-post player, he's the pick this season. It's true. Maybe NBA head cases are like difficult Hollywood actors: pure hell in the early part of their careers, seemingly unable to escape their baggage, and then they mature just enough that their talent is allowed to flourish. Z-Bo's 2010 stats aren't any different than his 2004 stats, or even his 2009 stats, but HE seems different. More ... serene. No different than Rasheed Wallace that first Detroit spring, C-Webb upon arriving in Sacramento, Big Dog on the 2001 Bucks, Hakeem (yes, The Dream was a head case once upon a time) on the 1993 Rockets, Barkley on the 1993 Suns. Eventually, things calm down, they learn from past mistakes and talent wins out for a year or three. You hope. It happened for Z-Bo and Robert Downey Jr.; it didn't happen for Isaiah Rider and Tom Sizemore. You never know.

From a recent BSG column. Please disregard the point Simmons makes earlier about Thabeet being a "difficult choice" to leave off of the list. >=[ Let's hope Z-Bo goes more along the lines of Ironman, than, um, well insert your favorite (non Heat) related Tom Sizemore character reference here _____.