Tony Massenburg Demands Trade from Grizzlies

Massenburg not at all happy riding the
bench these days

Frustration of not being used has
prompted talk of wanting a trade

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun
Rob Kruyt, Vancouver Sun

(Tony) Massenburg
He signed a three-year contract as the Vancouver Grizzlies' highest-priced free agent this past summer, but it has only taken Tony Massenburg three games to decide he wants out.
Frustrated at not being a part of head coach Sidney Lowe's rotation, Massenburg spoke out after the Grizzlies' 98-89 weekend loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at General Motors Place.
"I definitely didn't come back to Vancouver to be the 11th or 12th guy, I think you all know that," said Massenburg. "Sometimes things don't work out the way you anticipate. Acquisitions were made right after I signed. The situation I was looking at before is not the situation now, so I'm the odd man out. There's not a whole lot I can do about it but move on."
Massenburg indicated he and his agent Jeff Austin have already spoken to team management about a trade.
"Things are already in the works," said Massenburg, who has played a total of just four minutes in the team's first three games.
When he signed a three-year, $4.5-million deal this summer, the news conference called to announce his return to Vancouver was a virtual love-in between Massenburg and president of basketball operations Dick Versace. Massenburg was highly complimentary of the Grizzlies' new management team and Versace spoke highly of Massenburg.
The initial plan was to have Massenburg back up both the power forward and centre positions. All that changed a few weeks later when the Grizzlies pulled off a four-for-one trade with the Washington Wizards for centre Ike Austin.
Austin is getting all of the minutes backing up centre Bryant Reeves and Massenburg is stuck behind a logjam at power forward that includes starter Othella Harrington, Grant Long and first-round draft pick Stromile Swift.
"Let's just say this isn't the situation I pictured myself in and the situation has changed and so my feelings have changed," said Massenburg, his head bowed as he sat at his dressing room stall. "I still love the city of Vancouver, I still love the fans, but there's no place for me so there's no purpose in me being here, really."
This is just the latest setback in a career filled with frustrations. Massenburg has made 11 different stops in an NBA career that began in 1990. This is his second stint in Vancouver. He spent two seasons with the Grizzlies and posted his best numbers in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign when he averaged 11.2 points and 6.0 rebounds.
He was traded to Houston as part of the Steve Francis deal in the summer of 1999, but missed all but 10 games with a groin injury. When he signed with Vancouver, the 33-year-old basketball vagabond thought he finally had some stability in his professional life.
"It's just like anything else," said Massenburg. "I've had ups and downs in my career and I'm going to do what's best for me and my career."
Lowe has stuck with a 10-man rotation through the team's first three games and Massenburg and point guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf have been the odd men out. With a 2-1 record, Lowe is understandably not about to change things and wasn't anxious to discuss Massenburg's comments after Sunday's practice in Richmond.
"I really don't have any response to that," said Lowe. "This is our team and we have got a rotation going and unfortunately everyone can't play. That's all I want to say about that."
Neither Versace nor Austin, Massenburg's agent, returned phone messages Sunday.


Could we trade for Massenburg or would the Rockets even be interested again?

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