URL: http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_5055080,00.html Gone, not forgotten Battier, Wright may be former Grizzlies now, but they left their mark on franchise By Marlon W. Morgan Contact October 10, 2006 During Mike Miller and Shane Battier's three-plus years as teammates on the Grizzlies, they became close friends. But after another quick exodus from the playoffs, they both knew they were prime candidates for the trading block, as team president Jerry West looked to retool his roster. That meant their relationship would no longer be centered around being teammates. Battier was traded on draft day to the Houston Rockets for Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift. At 7:30 tonight, Miller and the Grizzlies will square off against their former teammate when they travel to Houston for their first preseason game. ''I was real close with Shane,'' Miller said. ''Me and Shane came into the summer understanding that it'd probably be one of us (traded). That's part of the business, so you move on.'' The business side of basketball didn't stop with Battier. Another popular player, center Lorenzen Wright, signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks. When the Grizzlies return home for their FedExForum preseason opener against Atlanta Wednesday night, they will be greeted by Wright and the Hawks. In addition to working out the kinks of training camp, the Grizzlies will get to spend some time during their first two games holding a mini-family reunion. ''Both Shane and Ren are great guys,'' forward Brian Cardinal said. ''It's tough to see them go. I think collectively as a team and an organization, I think we're disappointed that they're gone. But that's the way of the NBA. That's the nature of the beast, but I think they're excited about the opportunity that they have. We wish them nothing but the best.'' Battier and Wright had been two of the team's most visible faces since it relocated from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001. Battier and all-star forward Pau Gasol were part of the team's first draft class. Wright was acquired that same day in a trade with Atlanta. That brought the former University of Memphis star back to his hometown. Battier's intangibles will be missed. He was the player willing to dive for loose balls, take charges in the lane, guard all five positions and sacrifice his offense for others, while also hitting clutch shots of his own. ''Shane was huge for this team,'' guard Eddie Jones said. ''Losing a player like him is tough to deal with. Now you've got to find somebody that's going to be as smart as he is, and step off his game to make the team go, a guy that defends anybody at any position, a great facilitator, moving the basketball to where the ball needs to go. Until we actually find somebody like that, we're always going to miss Shane. ''It's easy to find a guy with talent. That's the easiest thing in the world to do. To find a guy that knows the game and knows how to play the game is probably the toughest thing in the world to do.'' Coach Mike Fratello could always count on Battier to help get his points across to the rest of the team. ''He probably knows the assignments of all five guys,'' Fratello said. ''He knows where everybody's supposed to be. He'll talk them through as the game's going on. He can give you three positions on the floor (big guard, small forward, power forward). He's unselfish. He has a great understanding that some guys need more shots than other guys do. He's not one of those guys that needs more, so he'll give up a shot to give somebody else a shot if he knows they need it. ''There's so many intangibles that go with a person like Shane. You just don't say that this guy's more talented. That doesn't mean anything if he's more talented. Does he help you win games, ultimately, the way Shane did? They are a rare breed, those kind of guys that do all the things he can do on the court.'' As for Wright, he was instrumental in the development of Swift and Gasol, instilling in the young duo the type of toughness needed to play in the post in the NBA. Swift, back for a second tour of duty with the Grizzlies, has taken those lessons to heart. ''Lorenzen was always that guy that tried to motivate you, that challenged you every day in practice,'' Swift said. ''He used to always try to make everybody better, the low-post guys. Going against him was always a challenge. When you get to this level, that's what it's all about. You're going to be challenged every day. He has a great work ethic, and that's what he tried to bring here.'' Listed at 6-11, 240 pounds, Wright didn't have the bulk to match up with Shaquille O'Neal, nor the height to face Yao Ming. But the Grizzlies could always count on his heart and desire to get the job done. ''Lorenzen was thrust into that role,'' Fratello said. ''I always meant this in a positive way, I called him like a slug. Lorenzen could be shorter and give up inches, but still hold his own against other centers because of that thick body that he could stick in there and get it on you. He did a real good job of playing against mostly bigger guys every night.'' It's rare nowadays that any professional athlete spends his entire career with one team. So the fact that Battier and Wright are now ex-Grizzlies comes as no real surprise. But the mark they left on the community and their teammates will never be forgotten. ''I've still got a lot of love for both of those guys,'' Jones said. ''I think they're tremendous teammates, great people. Basketball is what it is, but the people that you run across in your life leave an imprint on you. Those guys left great imprints on me. I think they're great people.''
Thanks Patience. I can understand not many replies, but noone even reading it? Clutch, please retitle this thread either: "Yao's Toenail under Atomic Microscope" or "JHo Mathmatically Proven Worst Player in NBA History."
''Shane was huge for this team,'' guard Eddie Jones said. ''Losing a player like him is tough to deal with. Now you've got to find somebody that's going to be as smart as he is, and step off his game to make the team go, a guy that defends anybody at any position, a great facilitator, moving the basketball to where the ball needs to go. Until we actually find somebody like that, we're always going to miss Shane." ''It's easy to find a guy with talent. That's the easiest thing in the world to do. To find a guy that knows the game and knows how to play the game is probably the toughest thing in the world to do.'' ''He probably knows the assignments of all five guys,'' Fratello said. ''He knows where everybody's supposed to be. He'll talk them through as the game's going on. He can give you three positions on the floor (big guard, small forward, power forward). He's unselfish. He has a great understanding that some guys need more shots than other guys do. He's not one of those guys that needs more, so he'll give up a shot to give somebody else a shot if he knows they need it. ''There's so many intangibles that go with a person like Shane. You just don't say that this guy's more talented. That doesn't mean anything if he's more talented. Does he help you win games, ultimately, the way Shane did? They are a rare breed, those kind of guys that do all the things he can do on the court.'' Wow. Just great, great quotes. Thanks, Pipe!
Yao will benefit the most from this trade now with the addition of someone other than McGrady who can and WILL feed the post. If they're healthy, they will win 60.
That's a bold prediction. I only disagree only because there is so much parody in the West. If T-Mac and Yao don't miss a single game, i wouldn't be suprised if they pull it off. But that's a BIG IF. However, at least this year we won't get rolled over every time one of our two All Stars are injured.
Thanks Pipe. After I got over the shock of the draft day trade(which was a few days), I was really excited to have a player the caliber of Battier on our team. With Battier & Wells, JH won't be our 1st or 2nd option on offense if TMac & Yao go down together.
Anyone else hear that the Grizzlies are giving a Shane Battier tribute on November 7th when the Rockets go to Memphis. When was the last time a team gave a former player a tribute like this and furthermore give it to a guy who's averaged about 10 points and 5 rebounds. My god the city of Memphis has a serious love affair with this guy.
that's why they call him "mr. intangible". it's really not about statistics. according to the write-up, he made other people looked good. he sacrificed his own play.
parity... god i remember there was so much hate at the time of the trade, but looking at it now it seems to have been a good move, something we really needed...
You will all love Shane. In so many ways, he is extremely valuable and a tremendous contributor on and off of the court. He is truly special. BattiersBaby.
So now are you the significant wifey and are you gonna post regular and do we get any heads-up when Shane's toenails are having problems? Any family pics? Here is one of me with my wife: I'm the one on the left.
This could be a little off topic.. But I hope to see Shane and Gay go at it this season.. like a heated play and piss Gay off.. then he gets ejected, 5 games suspension, and a $100,000 fine.