I know everyone bashed the Grizzlies trade like crazy but they got a ton of cap room and draft picks out of the deal. In that deal was Javaris Crittenton (scored 20+ on us last year) and Marc Gasol. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jRMmQQA-XNM&hl=en"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jRMmQQA-XNM&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Marc Gasol <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yOyHPuqrDf8&hl=en"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yOyHPuqrDf8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Darell Arhur <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jM0iJ43aecU&hl=en"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jM0iJ43aecU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> OJ Mayo Gasol was touted as the best big man this past year in Europe and I think he'll play a big role for this young team. PG: Conley, Lowry, Crittenton, Jaric SG: Mayo, Buckner, Jacobson SF: Gay, Walker, Brown PF: Arthur, Warrick C Gasol, Milicic, Brown I think they have a bright future down the road.
This is one of the more fascinating phenomenons on this message board. The idea that putting down multiple names on a depth chart, no matter how worthless or unproven the players may be, constitutes to being some kind of illustration of talent and depth. The Grizzlies will be absolutely terrible next year and I don't see them getting better any time soon. Neither Gay or Mayo are "superstar" talents.
The Memphis Grizzlies will finish with a worse record than the Houston Rockets at the end of the 2009-2010 NBA regular season - Book it!!
How is this a fascinating phenomenon that I listed their roster by position? It's their actual roster from any website. I'm not saying those are all great players but they have a good foundation. A fascinating phenomenon to me is that I give credit to a bad team for trying thecabbage thinks I said they're going to win the championship next year. Did I list those players and say "they've got a ton of depth"? No. I said they "have a bright future down the road". How do you know Gay and Mayo aren't superstar talents? They're both 21 years old and have many years of heavy minutes at the 2 & 3 spot to get better.
MemphisX,do you have any idea if the Grizzlies management plans to use their salary cap space to sign a big FA? If yes,who might be that target(s)?
I'm not Memphis X but I would imagine they might hold off on signing any FA until they can change management (sell the team), the name of the game is to seem financially viable since the team has been losing $$ and develop these young guys and save that money towards extensions to their best players down the road like the Bulls did before they pissed it away on Ben Wallace and now have to decide between keeping Gordon or Deng. I see them offering Gay an exstension around 10mil/yr extension like Andre Igoudala. Once Kwame Brown's 10mil/yr comes off the books after this year. They'll have a lot of money to throw at a FA.
Money talks, but there is also the question of team capabilities when attracting free agents. The buzz before the draft was that even with money to spend Memphis couldn't attract anybody, so they were really trying to move up to grab Beasley,w ho they felt was a bonafide multiple time all-star. One would assume this was the same logic for OJ Mayo. because regardless of whether or not you think Memphis is at least accumulating some nice young talent, you can't argue that their GM has made AWFUL, HORRIBLE, RIDICULOUS moves over the past year. Yes they got something back for Gasol, but nowhere near what they should have - Gasol is no KG, but consider that the T-Wolves got Al Jefferson, or the Sonics got a #5 draft pick in exchange for Ray Allen, among other pieces, etc. Then this year's draft makes little sense. First he just gives away a 2nd round pick next year to the Rockets (thanks!) - gives away may be a little harsh, he did get to move up that 1 pick, but still. Then the Love/Mayo trade. Throwing in the extra pieces they did. The give Gasol away for free and then overpay (considerably, imo) for Mayo. Especially considering that as much as Memphis probably wanted Mayo (as they see him with a higher ceiling than Love - though he is clearly more risky, again imo), we'd been hearing for weeks about McHale's love affair with Kevin Love. Someone needs to teach the Grizzlies GM about negotiation. Anyway, the Grizzlies won't be good next year. They lost their best player (Mike Miller). They won't be good the year after that. The year after that, maybe...but that's a long ways away.
This team will be in the lotto for at least another 3-4 years unless they sign a big free agent. Having a team full of unproven young talent does not equal wins.
I amsure that is what you guys had planned by pairing up Big Limp and T-Back. Half a decade of 1st round flameouts. The Grizzlies will make it to the second round before the Rockets.
While I agree, the Grizzlies seem to have a decent foundation of young blood, we've heard this about them year after year after year. When is that going to amount to something? The Blazers are actually turning that "young potential" into wins. The Grizzlies have only gotten worse. If you're going to rebuild, rebuild INTO something.
We've...already made it to the second round. Then we won two championships. Oh right, your team didn't exist when that happened. The Grizzlies greatest prospects have been Pau Gasol (gone), Steve Francis (complained and got traded to Houston before playing a game), and....Bryant Reeves. Pick and choose your battles, my friend.
i'll never trust a team who took big country with a top 10 pick... call me when memphis gets a big man. Til then they will go nowhere.
well somebody had to score during those garbage minutes aka 3rd and 4th quarter. dropping 20+ on luther head and steve novak doesnt impress me
i wouldnt mind taking a chance on going for crittenton. the lakers portrayed him as the next AI which means he has a ton of potential
