Grizzlies retire Zach Randolph's No. 50

Zach Randolph took countless opponents to the floor as the face of the "Grit and Grind" Memphis Grizzlies over the past eight seasons. Now, he'll likely see his name and number lifted to the rafters.

The Grizzlies announced Thursday that Randolph's No. 50 jersey has been retired by the team, effective immediately. News broke earlier this week that Randolph, an unrestricted free agent, had reached a two-year, $24-million pact with the Sacramento Kings.

"While there will be a time and place to recognize your lasting impact in Memphis, starting today, as stated earlier by controlling owner, Robert Pera, number 50 will never be worn by any other member of the Memphis Grizzlies," read part of the open letter addressed to Randolph by general manager Chris Wallace and team president Jason Wexler.

Randolph was traded to the Grizzlies by the Los Angeles Clippers in July 2009 in exchange for Quentin Richardson. Almost from the opening tip, the 6-foot-9 power forward - known affectionately as "Z-Bo" - became a cult figure in Memphis because of his physicality and an attitude toward the opposition that could be charitably described as cantankerous.

He averaged 16.8 points and 10.2 rebounds during his tenure in Memphis, helping the team reach the playoffs in each of the past seven seasons. For his efforts, Randolph was named to the All-Star team in 2010 and 2013, and the All-NBA third team at the conclusion of the 2010-11 campaign.