From Commercialappeal.com Very interesting... does that mean West is a lame duck now? Does that mean there will be a sell-off of higher-cost players (like Miller and Damon S.)?
it depends on how he has rehabbed from his injury. I do think he would fit in there, but didnt he sign a large contract with the grizz? I am sure we can use the TE to get a better deal for the team. I rather see it used on a prospective big man to take deke's place after this season. I feel vspan or JL3 will develop into a rotational pg for this team
I wanted DS last summer but we got Rafer instead. At this point, I want a bigger PG if we commit 3yrs/$12MM to some veteran. We already have Rafer, JL3 & V-Span with guaranteed roster spots. Adding DS at this point pushes JL3 & V-Span way down on the pole. But depending on how you feel about them, maybe that is good.
Having spent the past 4 plus years attending school in Arkansas, I've had the opportunity to make it over to Memphis for a few games, including one against the Suns in the playoffs last year. It's a shame that the Grizz are having a tough time with their finances. The FedExForum is easily the most beautiful sporting venue I have been to. The arena has a great personality. Having said that, I'm not really all that suprised that they are struggling, there were lots of open seats at all of the regular season games I have been to -- and there were even quite a few empty seats at the playoff game I went to. I know a few people from Memphis, and the impression I get is that they all hate Pau Gasol. I'm sure there are plenty of fans in Memphis that really enjoy Gasol, so don't attack me on that one if you're from Memphis and like Pau. IMO, the Grizzlies should look to deal Gasol, but the problem might be getting fair value for him. In a city that has such a large African American population, it's probably hard to market a team whose best two players are white, and not even that good.
Heisley is a ****ing r****d. He couldn't make it work in Vancouver and he couldn't make it work in Memphis. I think Memphis can easily support a team and Vancouver as well. It's a shame he had to take NBA basketball away from us (I'm from Vancouver for those of you who don't know). Idiot.
Heisley's interests have left him so far in the red that it's not even funny, there are dozens of nasty people in Chicago that are waiting to get a shot at him -- wondering how the hell he was able to buy an NBA team (late 2000/2001), or get a new arena. Much less pay West/Daly/Versace all to be hoops sages, guys that couldn't find a way to trade players like Stromile Swift in 2003/04/05, when everyone knew he'd be chasing the money in 2005. Guys who have been good enough to find players for Fratello to ugly his way to 45 wins, but little else. But forget the basketball side of it. Heisley has been in deep doodoo for years, borrowing in two states and one Canadian province, so this is the best for everyone and a long time coming.
Ron Tillery has been reporting the Grizzlies cutting cost for 3 seasons. All the while the Grizzlies have been in the top 10 in payroll. The figures about 'losses' that keep getting thrown around is all accounting mumbo jumbo. They are double counting the losses that they are not even paying for injured players like Bryant Reeves and Mike Dickerson. It was already established that the Grizzlies would be profitable in FEDEXFORUM as long as they average 14,000 (maybe less). Heisley was/is kind of a shuckster as when he cashed in the naming rights for the arena ($90 million over 20 years) for immediate cash, so the new owners wouldn't get a penny. However, this is not counted as part of the 'revenue', in fact I am sure the discount he took for immediate payment was counted as a loss. Until their is a quote from the new ownership group, do not believe anything Ron Tillery "reports" as he is kept at arms length from the organization.
Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2005/06 Ryan Bowen 6-9 SF from Iowa 1.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.4 apg in 9.7 minutes Incoming Mike Miller 6-8 SG from Florida 13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.7 apg in 30.6 minutes Brian Cardinal 6-8 PF from Purdue 3.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 11.2 minutes Change in team outlook: +4.0 ppg, -1.1 rpg, and +1.8 apg. Memphis Trade Breakdown Outgoing Mike Miller 6-8 SG from Florida 13.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.7 apg in 30.6 minutes Brian Cardinal 6-8 PF from Purdue 3.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 11.2 minutes Incoming Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2005/06 Ryan Bowen 6-9 SF from Iowa 1.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.4 apg in 9.7 minutes Change in team outlook: -4.0 ppg, +1.1 rpg, and -1.8 apg. Successful Scenario Due to Houston and Memphis being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Memphis had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. ---- That would help them cut some cost .
KellyDwyer: What "nasty people in Chicago" are you talking about? Looking at the math... he bought the team for 160 mil and sold it for 350 mil just six year later. I'd say he got pretty good return on his investment from that perspective. Also, evidentally the new owner are positive they can turn a profit on this thing. Problem with them seems to be that they are stuck in mediocrity-- and ugly Fratello mediocrity at that-- at a fairly high payroll and ugly mediocrity is hard to market. However, they were stuck in the land of horribleness for so long that they were afraid to tear down mediocrity.
good assesment. i'm a firm believer that if you aren't building towards a championship you should rebuild. of course that doesn't always make sense business-wise. i like the idea of trading pau. maybe to the bulls for a package like PJ, sweetney, khryapa, knicks 1st rounder. that would make the bulls title contenders and make give the gizz cap space and 2 early lotto picks (assuming that getting rid of pau puts them deep into the lotto).
I never understood the idea of buying a franchise and then "cutting costs". If you can't afford to run it, don't buy it in the first place.
I think I've read some article before that says that NBA franchises are great return on investements even if they lose money year in and year out due to the franchise value increase so rapidly. So it's understandable if you have the money to buy the franchise you would probably do it. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/32/Rank_1.html
It raises this question, though: if teams are rarely profitable from a cashflow perspective, then why do the franchises appreciate in value so rapidly? The novelty of owning a team?
Well, cashflows never seemed to deter people from buying into tech stock before the bust......... didn't AMD become profitable for the first time last year? Also, looking at the teams in that link, atleast half were profitable.
First, many teams are in fact profitable from a cashflow perspective, it's just that the accountants hide many of the incomes in separate entities (for tax and other purposes). Second, the ones that are not profitable still have their value go up because peoplel think they can be made into profitable entities in the future.
^i.e. Dallas Mavericks.... Loafer teams who don't go over the cap can also be profitable under the current CBA. The Clippers are insanely profitable right now. They moved to Staples and locked in Brand, but even before when they were the worst franchise in history, they were making money. Even if Heisley lost ~60 million in the last two years, he's still making a lot back from the sale.
The Grizzlies suck, their ownership group sucks... ...and their punk ass smack talking troll fans with sh*tty signatures can't even use proper English!! Guck the Frizzlies...they're officially my new most hated team 0-12, b****es!!
My god. That's genius for both teams. But Sweetney isn't very enticing. Throw in Nocioni or Deng instead because Eddie Jones isn't lasting forever. In fact, he's only lasting one more year. Chicago won't mind, they'll appreciate not having to extend Deng and re-sign Noc simultaneously and they've got Tyrus Thomas on a rookie contract. The grizzlies are giving up a lot of talent in Pau, but they're getting a lot of talent back if they tank. If the knicks continue their awfulness, they'd give the grizz two shots at greg oden or Durant. That makes both the grizz and the bulls title contenders.
No offense to what's his face statistical/money guru guy, but if we can get Jerry West here in Houston on a team that won't be cutting costs, it could be very helpful IMHO
