Is Zach Randolph organizing a Grizzlies practice?

When the NFL lockout was going on, various players started organizing practices for teammates to keep them in rhythm with one another. You haven’t heard anything like that on the NBA level because 1. it’s still the offseason for most guys and 2. NBA players aren’t as tight-knit, traditionally, as NFL players. But apparently Memphis is the exception. SLAM online talked with Tony Allen, and Allen hinted that the Grizzlies might get some work in together in the next few weeks. Most surprising was who Allen said was orchestrating it.

SLAM: Are you planning on working out with any of the Grizzlies over the summer?

TA: It’s cool you asked that because Zach just texted me and said he was trying to round the guys up and get them into one city for a good week-and-a-half or something. So I’m waiting on a call. I’m pretty sure in the next week or so we’ll try to get together as a team to find out if we’re going over the water or we’re staying here.

via SLAM ONLINE | » Q+A: Tony Allen.

That last part is equally interesting, unintentionally. This isn’t what Allen meant, but what if the Grizzlies went overseas as a unit? There’s nothing preventing the entire team from playing somewhere. It’s a weird idea that hasn’t been mentioned before. Meanwhile, the fact that it’s Randolph leading the charge speaks to how much things have changed in Memphis. Randolph has been mentioned as a player who could pack on the pounds during a lockout and instead he’s organizing a workout for his teammates. It’s just a week and a half, and in all honesty, it’s so far away from the start of the season, there’s not much impact that can be had right now.

But it’s still another sign of the leadership role Randolph has taken on at this stage in his career, and how close the Grizzlies still are as a team.