Memphis trades Brevin Knight for Suns Jake Tsakalidis and Bo Outlaw. looks like Memphis are getting serious. sorry Suns, you just got worse..
They must have something in the works. Swift/Outlaw/Tskalidis/Trybanski/Archibald all back up bigmen.
they probly still can. As codell pointed out the Grizz are kinda stacked at the forward positions. I wouldn't mind having him come in and play some leftover sf minutes ala Najera. Not too sure about his contract though.
here's the rest of the details.. Grizzlies Acquire Bo Outlaw, Jake Tsakalidis for Knight, Archibald & Trybanski Memphis, Tennessee, September 30, 2003 — Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West announced tonight the club has traded point guard Brevin Knight, forward Robert Archibald, and center Cezary Trybanski to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for forward Bo Outlaw and center Jake Tsakalidis(pronounced Sa-ka-lee-dus). With this trade, the Grizzlies reduce the active training camp roster to 19 players. A press briefing for West to introduce Outlaw and Tsakalidis will be held upon their arrival in Memphis this week. An exact date, time and location will be announced. “We are certainly happy to acquire the experience, defensive skills and high energy of Bo Outlaw. In addition, we have an opportunity to add some real size and strength with Tsakalidis on our team,” said West. “We are losing three great people, but we needed additional size and strength in the middle, and this trade helps us reach our goal.” Outlaw, 6-8, has played ten seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns. Throughout his career, Outlaw has earned the reputation of a solid defender and rebounder with per game career averages of 5.4 rebounds, 6.1 points, 1.52 blocks and 1.04 steals in just 25.2 minutes of play. He ranked 31st in the NBA in blocks (1.11) with Phoenix last season and finished as high as 14th in blocks during the ’99-00 season with Orlando. His career field goal percentage of .573 would place him among the top ten on the all-time NBA chart, but he is shy of the minimum qualifying standards. Outlaw was also named to Hubie Brown’s “All-Floor Burn Team” in ’97-98. Get Bo's bio here. Against the Grizzlies last season, Outlaw came off the bench to compile eight rebounds (five offensive), five assists and a block in just 24 minutes to spark a 30-18 run in the second quarter and a 98-85 Suns’ win at Phoenix on December 4, 2002. Just four nights later, Outlaw had nine rebounds, two blocks and seven points in just 29 minutes during a 102-94 win by the Grizzlies at the Pyramid on Dec. 12. Outlaw played in 80 total games with 20 starts, averaging 4.6 rpg (third highest on team), 4.7 ppg, and 22.5 mpg. Tsakalidis, 7-2, 290 pounds, has played in 100 games with 74 starts for the Suns over the last two seasons. He has provided Phoenix with an imposing presence in the paint while averaging 8.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.03 bpg, 25.6 mpg and .467 shooting from the field in starts during the ’01-02 season. He exploded for a career-best 23 points (9-13 FG) and added nine rebounds in 34 minutes vs. Cleveland on March 23, ’02. Last season, he averaged 3.70 rpg and 4.9 ppg in just 16.5 minutes in 27 starts and 33 games. Against the Grizzlies, he had five rebounds, four points, and a block in 23 minutes during a start on Dec. 8. Get Jake's bio. Tsakalidis, a first round pick (25th overall) in the 2000 NBA Draft as an early entry candidate, played as a pro with AEK of the Greek League prior to joining the Suns. Tsakalidis, 24, was born in Rustavi in the Republic of Georgia (formerly of the Soviet Union) and moved to Greece at age 15. Knight, a six-year veteran, averaged 4.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 3.9 points, 1.7 turnovers and 16.9 minutes in 55 games, including four starts last season. Knight missed 22 games due to injury. Archibald, a second round pick (32nd overall) in the 2002 Draft, played in just 12 games averaging 1.6 ppg and 1.4 rpg during his rookie year. Trybanski played in 15 games, averaging 0.9 ppg and 0.9 rpg. Trybanski was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Grizzlies on July 22, 2002. “We certainly appreciate the contributions that Brevin has made to our team. He is a great professional. In addition, Archibald and Trybanski are two outstanding young prospects who should get an opportunity to play in Phoenix. We wish them well.” The Grizzlies continue private practices twice daily through Friday in Memphis from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Mallory Gym on the campus of Rhodes College. Fourteen players with less than four years of NBA experience, including returning forwards Pau Gasol, Mike Miller and Shane Battier, began practice on Saturday morning, Sept. 27. Veterans with four years or more of experience, including point guard Jason Williams, shooting guards Wesley Person, James Posey and Michael Dickerson and center Lorenzen Wright, reported to camp for workouts on Tuesday. http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/trade_outlaw_030929.html
And as the offseason transistions into the regular, the coveted speak of Bo Outlaw returns. If there has ever been a more constant occurence, I haven't experienced it.
codell - IMO, Jake Tsakilides is not a backup. He will start at Memphis and be backed up by Lo Wright. While not a duo to strike fear into Shaq's heart, they are a very nice pair to set next to Gasol. Jake is 7'2", Pau 7'0" and Posey 6'8". That's a pretty tall back line. Plus the Grizz still have Battier and/or Mike Miller and Swift to dangle as trade bait.
How do you figure?? Wright, if healthy, is a much more productive player than Big Jake. Unless you feel that Jake should be starting based purely on his big body. Regardless, I see Wright getting more minutes. Perhaps he would be that much more effective against backups. Wright 28 mins/Jake 20 mins?
This improves the Grizzlies quite a bit if Tskalidis does well as their 5. I'm surprised that the Suns gave him up.Maybe they feel he isn't fit enough after his back problems. Bo Outlaw was an important part of their playoff run as well. Brevin Knight can be a good backup for Marbury but Tskalidis is better than Trybanski. I wonder if the Suns are planning a move.
Am I the only one wondering what in the hell the Sun's are thinking? Bo Outlaw was one of the main reasons they made the playoffs instead of the rox last year. Yes, I know that Amare is a stud, but an energy guy like Outlaw coming off your bench makes everyone play better.
Hmm...I think the Suns get kinda worse with this trade...but didn't they get 2 new first rounders? We will just have to wait for the season to start to see how they are as a team...and how we are as a team...can't wait! Doesn't Brevin Knight's contract expire after this year? Well this relieves the cap a bit along with Gugliotta. For Memphis, it's a very good trade...they get another center and another power forward...they have quite a lot of big men...
My question to the Suns is.....why? You never trade away a decent starting center for a Polish one who has potential, but is a loooooooong way from reaching it. And as for Brevin Knight, I just think he is far too one dimensional, since he couldn't shoot the ball in the ocean from the beach. I think this is one of those money issue trades, the kind I positively hate. The Suns got owned in this trade, but it's not like Memphis is on their way quite yet. They have one legit star and the rest are forgettable, one-dimensional guys.
How come nobody has pointed out that Brevin Knight is on an expiring contract? codell - You're probably right about the PT splits. I like and am familiar with Lo Wright's game. But for some reason in the Suns' games that I watched Jake looked way more productive than the stats I just looked up. However, I still think Tsakalides makes it easier to deal Swift because Wright could also backup Gasol for 5-8 mpg.
That's exactly what I thought! Suns fans were telling us how much talent they had and how they were better then the Rocks. Well giving up your big men on a team already thin up front isn't smart, even if they got decent picks. They need experience and depth up front. And with the addition of Jimmy Jackson to the Rocks, and Houston has completely separated themselves from the Suns, an are probably passing Portland and competing for the #6 seed and could beat one of the top teams. Assuming we keep Amaechi, he may be a lazy @ss, but he's the last big man on the bench anyway, and a nice insurance policy. Loading up on big never sucks! We're going to be a player in the West!
I don't like this trade for the Suns either, but I just have a hard time believing there isn't more to it. I wonder if they have immediate/long term plans that required them to make this move. If that's the case, we'll see. If not, it was a horrible trade. Bo Outlaw is going to help the Grizzlies. They need some tough, physical big men. They really don't have any. Big Jake is a VERY capable back up if he's healthy but were I the Grizzlies I wouldn't be very content with the injury prone Lorenzen Wright and a Big Jake who only played 33 games last year as the centers. They could be setting themselves up for a Raptors type situation. Remember last year when they had Montross, Olajawon and I can't remember who else but all three were injured? Montross and Olajawon being out for the entire season? It killed them. That and Lamond Murray being injured as he was supposed to be their second offensive option.
