(Memphis Paper) Veteran Steve Francis ready to tutor young Grizzlies

As much as I would like to see Steve end his career as a rocket, I still dont see the playing time available that he is looking for. The point guard rotation is set with Brooks and Alston for better or worse and with the emergence of Von Wafer and Barry being healthy their is no time at the 2 either. If he gets bought out maybe he goes to team like Boston or Miami or maybe even golden state.

 

Get the F out of here.

Francis was Traded?????

!!!!!

How did I miss that?

 

That would be sweet

 

If Steve can't crack the Grizzlies lineup and grab some minutes while D. Miles is racking em' up -- I think it is safe to assume his injury/ surgery has ended his career.

 

i dont think he'd come back to houston after all that's happened. he'd probably sign for vet min for one of the east clubs. miami, boston, orlando are good destinations.

 

Don't know... notice that McGrady guy on the team who used to be good? Francis was traded for that guy.

 

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As much as I would like it, even if he gets bought out, I just don't see the Rockets signing him again. I'm sure he would come back though if they actually wanted him. Best case scenario is for him to get picked up by a playoff contending team, hopefully nobody from the West. Especially not a team like Dallas. But it would truly be a pipe dream which has a anorexia chance of happening. Hey, I can dream right ? Let's just say if they do sign him, I doubt they'd do it to sit him on the bench. If he's coming back, he'll play.

 

unless the trade was to make room for deke,then resign him super cheap..doubt but itd be cool

 

Wait a second...the guy is "too entrenched in Houston" to go play out his contract in Memphis?

Is that what the GM is saying?

 

Sounds like it and seems similar to when he was too entrenched in America to go play in Vancouver.

 

I can think of a few times where he found something better to do than his job.

This amazes me, though. He says all the right things in the interviews about being the veteran leader for a young team, etc....and then acts entirely different. That's what frustrated the hell out of me about him when he was here early in his career...because he'd say the right things and i'd think, "He's getting it...he'll come around." But then it was always the same. The same mistakes.

 

Maybe it could be a confidence booster for their younger guys.

"Hey Mom. Things are going great here in Memphis! Guess who I schooled in practice today? Steve Francis! Yeah, remember him? He was an All-Star awhile back, was in the slam dunk competition...even went to the playoffs once. I guess I have arrived here in the NBA. I schooled Steve Francis...."

 

Seriously, I love Francis as a player, but what he's doing now is a disservice to the fans that clamor for him and trusted him to get back. One possibility is that in the few practice he attended, they told him he will be put on the bench and get spot minutes and Francis might have felt that if that was the case, he might as well stay in Houston.

But even if that's the case, he owes it to his fans to work his butt off and crack the Grizzlies rotation (seriously, it's the Grizzlies' rotation). If he doesn't have the courage and the heart to play with a chip on his shoulder anymore, then, good luck to him in what ever he wants to do after basketball.

 

Its a clear salary dump. By moving him we got the cap space we need to sign our backup center for the playoffs...i.e. Mutombo. Too bad Adelman doesn't believe in defence and doesn't give him the playing time he deserves

 

Looks like Franchise is done. It's not Stevies injury or surgery that ended his career, its his heart, just doesn't have the passion for the game any longer.

 

How incredibly ironic, since so many people seem to think Francis has the heart of a lion and TMac has the heart of a mosquito.

 

Paging Rocket River who was always opposed to trading this flaming bag of
*grin*

 

I think he is probably done, if he wasn't so ossified after his buyout, he might have made it back.

DD

 

D Miles has racked up the following minutes:
Jan 4 - 2 minutes
Jan 6 - 7 minutes
Jan 13 - 14 minutes

Memphis has two very solid, very young 1s, Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley, who are evenly splitting time at the 1. Memphis for the long term has more to gain by keeping that arrangement than letting Francis rack up minutes.