Sixers Rumors: Mo Cheeks, Zach Randolph

I planned on starting in on the Phillies this AM (Tim Redding? Again??!!?), but I was reading Peter Vecsey's column this AM (via BigLead.com) and found a couple of juicy, somewhat unrelated Sixers rumors that warranted their own post.

1.) Apparently, there is a unsubstantiated rumor claiming that the Chicago Bulls requested permission to speak to Mo Cheeks about their coaching opening. According to Vecsey, GM Ed Stefanski received no phone calls from Chicago on Cheeks. This rumor was probably more wishful thinking on the part of the Bulls; Cheeks' coaching stock has never been higher. The Sixers extended Cheeks into next year during last season and it is believed (though I'm not certain) that a longer extension is in the works.

2.) Vecsey, in the same article, goes on to speculate that Cheeks may ask Ed Stefanski to find a way to get Zach Randolph from the Knicks. Apparently, according to Vecsey, Randolph and Cheeks got on well when they were both in Portland.

Plenty to consider with this rumor (and by "rumor", I mean "item that Peter Vecsey probably made up himself"):

First of all, the Knicks would probably like nothing more than to get from under what is an incredibly onerous contract. Do the Sixers really want to help a divisional rival out of a bind like this? Who would they send to New York in return? Don't even think the trade could work, salary cap wise and since I have a day job, I have no intention of going on the NBA trade machine to find out.

Secondly, Randolph has not exactly been a choir boy. Could some of this just be circumstances? After all, he broke into the league with Portland during a time they were known as the "Jailblazers". From that bad situation, he went into a worse situation in New York, with the Isiah Thomas-led Knicks. Is he really a bad guy or has he just been in bad circumstances? Not sure, but he sure does have a funny way of grieving a loss according to this report from Fanhouse.

Third, despite his checkered personal history, he does provide a low post offensive presence that the Sixers do not currently have. Randolph averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds on just a horrible Knicks team. He plays almost no defense from I can ascertain, but that is what Sam Dalembert is for.

Don't know if I would approve of a Sixers deal for Randolph strictly on face value without some very good assurances that he won't screw up the rest of the team and that the Sixers could swing a cap-friendly deal.

Otherwise, this is one move I wouldn't want the Sixers to make despite the Sixers' need for a guy with Randolph's offensive talents.