Zach Randolph Signs a Four Year Extention with Memphis Grizzlies: West Beware

Zach Randolph has signed a four-year extension with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Associated Press has reported.

This is great news for the Memphis Grizzlies and terrible news for the rest of the Western Conference.

Of the players remaining in the Western Conference Playoffs, Zach Randolph had the most rebounds and the most double-doubles during the regular season.

He gives the Grizzlies an answer to the Lakers' size and shows a continuing commitment of the organization to keep around their elite talent.

Rudy Gay, Tony Allen and now Zach Randolph are all under contract for the next few seasons. They still need to sign Marc Gasol, but Memphis will be able to make the case to Gasol that he will still be the starting center and they are building a contender around him.

He may be able to get more money with some of the bottom-dwelling teams in the NBA, but none of those teams have the personnel in place that the Grizzlies do.

Even if the Grizzlies fail to win another game in their first round series, fans will still have reason to be optimistic for the next couple of seasons.

The teams at the very top of the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks are all built around older pieces.

The Grizzlies have now officially joined the list of young, talented teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trailblazers, all teams that could be the future champions of the Western Conference.