Official 2014-15 Memphis Grizzlies Season Thread: 26-11, Grizz Acquire Jeff Green from Boston

2011 Arthur isn't coming back anytime soon. :frown:

Koufos is a solid big man in his own right though. A serviceable starter in Denver, he should be a steady backup behind Gasol.
 
If Memphis is going to have any shot at returning to the WCF, they need Gasol and ZBo (if kept) to be well rested and healthy. Marc led the league amongst centers in minutes per game last season. That simply cannot happen next season. Joerger should take the Pop approach and limit ZBo minutes to around 25 a game and Gasol with no more than 30. Davis and Koufos should be good enough to hold their own.

Also, if Memphis is looking to push the pace a lot more, I don't expect both Zach and Gasol to play A LOT of minutes together during the season. It would not shock me to see Joerger use some small ball tactics by playing Davis at center at times. There has been word that the front office has been impressed with Donte Greene in his workouts so far in the offseason in terms of shooting the basketball. With his contract guaranteed next year, I expect them to make him a 3rd string SF and a small ball PF.

Guys I would like to see us target in free agency:

Dorrell Wright
Mike Dunleavy
Kyle Korver
Jose Calderon
Carlos Delfino
Martell Webster

just to name a few.

I would prefer for us to sweeten a deal with Prince by adding Wroten, then signing Calderon. Wroten was not the new front office draft pick, so I don't expect them to be as attached to him. They are keeping a close eye on him this offseason and in summer league.
 
Another two way perimeter player is needed. As much as I love Tony's defense, when he's in the game defenses clog the paint. Same with Prince to a lesser degree.
 
PMatic said:
Another two way perimeter player is needed. As much as I love Tony's defense, when he's in the game defenses clog the paint. Same with Prince to a lesser degree.
Click to expand...

Bayless, Wroten and Prince for Granger?

Granger is an expiring deal, so it would set Memphis up perfectly for the '14 offseason if they decide to amnesty ZBo. No real reason for Indiana to do it, but they would get a 6th man in Bayless, a new backup PG in Wroten and vet role player in Prince.

A bench of Wroten/Bayless/Prince/Pyscho T/Mahinmi compared to Augustine/Green/Young/Pyscho T/Mahnmi from last year?
 
Get thornton outta Sac for Prince.

A shooter

I watch him alot when i go to they home games

Of course get Tyreke..come back to the M!
 
memphisboi55 said:
Get thornton outta Sac for Prince.

A shooter

I watch him alot when i go to they home games

Of course get Tyreke..come back to the M!
Click to expand...

Thornton would be cool, but it would still leave our perimeter rotation kinda out of balance. If we didn;t have Bayless, I would be more open to Thornton because I just don't want a bunch of undersized guards. I'll be more for Tyreke, but if we get him I definitely would not want to bring back TA.


Tyreke, TA, Franklin :x

Granger would work perfectly, if healthy.
 
http://www.memphisflyer.com/Beyondt...-league-free-agency-inaction-ed-davis-tweetin

Deflections: Summer League, Free Agency Inaction, Ed Davis Tweetin'
Posted by Chris Herrington on Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Summer League Rosters: Yesterday, the Grizzlies announced their full roster for the upcoming Las Vegas Summer League. The only significant unreported name is the newly re-signed Jon Leuer, who begins his quest for a more regular rotation spot here. Joining Leuer among the regular-roster participants are rising sophomore Tony Wroten Jr., rookies Jamaal Franklin and Janis Timma, and non-guaranteed forwards Donte Greene and Willie Reed.

Non-roster hopefuls are: Vander Blue, Laurence Bowers, Jack Cooley, Darington Hobson, Matt Howard, and Gerald Robinson.

I'll be surprised if any of the non-roster guys end up figuring in the Grizzlies' plans, but the three definite (Wroten, Franklin, Leuer) and three potential (Timma, Greene, Reed) roster players should make this a particularly interesting and worthwhile summer league.

Play opens this weekend with games at 7 p.m. (central) both Saturday (vs. Chicago) and Sunday (vs. Cleveland), both televised live on NBATV. Look for notes and observations from those first two games here on Monday.

Coaching Changes: Incumbent assistant Bob Thornton will lead the summer roster, with fellow incumbent assistant Lloyd Pierce also on the bench. It's unclear at this point who else will be joining Thornton and Pierce on new head coach Dave Joerger's regular-season staff. But take note of one new face on the summer-league coaching roster: Duane Ticknor, a minor-league veteran who was recently a head coach for the D League Dakota Wizards and someone who has a close relationship with Joerger. I was told a while back that Ticknor would likely be added to Joerger's staff and this looks like a step in that direction.

Free Agency Update: What to make of the Grizzlies in-action this deep into the free agency period? Among players who seemed to fit the Grizzlies roster goals and price range, there are a few who went for deals I would have liked the Grizzlies to ink: Mike Dunleavy for two years and $6 million to Chicago. Dorrell Wright for the same price to Portland. Even Omri Casspi for the league minimum to Houston. (He's been bad the last couple of years, but I'm a fan.) Others I don't mind the team missing out on: Two guaranteed years for Carlos Delfino (to Milwaukee) coming off an injury. Two years and $3.5 million for unproven Italian forward Gigi Datome (to Detroit). But somewhere in all of this there should be a match for what the Grizzlies have to spend, right?

The Grizzlies' front office has been pretty mum on their free-agent activity, so it's hard to know exactly what's happened so far. But a few things we can add to the mix for context:

1. The Grizzlies seem to have a few million to spend under the tax line, but that room gets pretty tight when you factor in not one but three potential roster spots to fill (if the team wanted to go to 15 players, which they presumably would eventually) and incentive clauses in preexisting contracts that might come into play.

2. It's not just about this season's tax line. Most of these players are getting multiple-year deals and I suspect the Grizzlies are reluctant to give multiple years for back-of-the-rotation free agents. With Jerryd Bayless as the only expiring contract on the current roster, the Grizzlies are currently projected at more than $67 million in player payroll for 2014-2015 for 11 players. And that's using qualifying offer amounts for both Ed Davis and Quincy Pondexter, who would both be restricted free agents. Factor in potential new contracts for either or both that might begin north of their qualifying offers, throw in the salary for a first-round draft pick, and include at least one other signing to get to the league-minimum 13 players, and the team could be above the luxury tax already even if it bumps up a few million, as expected. Adding a guaranteed two or three million for a veteran role player and it gets even trickier. So, the team's free agent decisions this summer aren't just about the impact on 2013-2014.

3. Are the Grizzlies losing out to other teams while making commensurate offers? Can't say for sure, but that wouldn't be surprising. Even in success, Memphis is not a sought-after free-agent destination. The team also returns a full rotation (with Kosta Koufos replacing Darrell Arthur) from a 56-win team, with three developmental pieces (Wroten, Franklin, Leuer) for whom the team has legitimate hopes. The Grizzlies need shooting, no doubt, but even with that, lower-level free agents may not see a clear path for major minutes here.

Put it all together and my hunch is the team has been bargain-hunting — maybe too trigger-shy — with a reluctance to give multiple years. The team's focus has been on a small forward who can combine both decent size with decent shooting (see the reported interest in Wright and Datome), but the options for players who fit that profile have dwindled into replacement-level territory and I don't have it in me to troll so deeply into late-period free agency waters that I'm breaking down the relative merits of “second draft” candidates (Luke Babbitt? Wesley Johnson? The return of Austin Daye? [which I would be fine with at this point, btw]) or nearing-the-end vets (Hedo Turkoglu? Vlad Radmanovic? Potential amnesty candidate John Salmons?).

There are only two available players, at this point, that the Grizzlies have a reported connection with. One is Greg Oden, who most seem to think will end up in Miami. The other is Australian forward Joe Ingles, who most recently played for FC Barcelona. Ingles was rumored as a person of interest for the Grizzlies when they were free-agent shopping mid-season and has popped up again.

At this point, bargain-hunting might really be the way to go. Will someone of significance — never mind position or need — slip through the cracks and be willing take a one-year deal in the $2 million range? Someone the team could count as an asset to either be used in trade or make other roster parts more expendable in a trade?

Barring that, it might be best to take a flyer on a minimum player or two for the final roster spots and preserve a little bit of maneuverability below the tax line to make in-season trades easier. At this point, the Grizzlies are more likely to be able to address their need for shooting in the trade market than the free agent market.

Ed Davis, Tweetin': Local NBA Twitter got a nice break from the free-agent trickle and summer-league announcement yesterday in the form of a rare player-on-writer tete-a-tete, when Ed Davis took exception to Ron Tillery's observation about Davis' name not appearing on the team's summer roster. I won't give a play-by-play, though you can see that here. I also never wrote about the initial Davis/summer league non-issue (short version: Lionel Hollins asked Davis to go to summer league; Davis declined).

My take on it now: There wouldn't be any downside to Davis playing summer league ball if he chose to, but there wouldn't be much upside either. And there's no reason whatsoever to expect him to or to find his absence notable. Fourth-year players under contract and with established NBA credentials almost never play in these games. The O.J. Mayo example is a stretch: Mayo went in an attempt to make a positional change his coach was (for good reason) reluctant to allow, not to simply “get better.” We focus on summer-league play because it's televised and visible, but the real work that matters for players at Davis' level is what they're doing — or, in some cases, not doing — in emptier gyms with less attention. And my understanding is that Davis has been on an organized, supervised summer regimen far more meaningful than a few summer games with rookies and non-roster free agents.

Davis' Twitter retorts were good fun, but also put him in even more of a “show and prove” spot for next year. But that's probably good too. Things may have gone south between Davis and Lionel Hollins from the jump after Davis landed in Memphis mid-season. But that excuse is now gone. It's on Davis to re-assert himself and get his career back on the track he seemed to be on in Toronto, where he had emerged as a high-quality rotation player before being deemed too small by Hollins. Davis will now have every opportunity to re-introduce himself to the league.
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I cannot believe Memphis missed out on just about every FA shooter out there. Babbitt might be the best choice available in terms of trying to get the best bang for your buck.
 
I'm much happier about the offseason compared to two weeks ago. The moves may not seem like much, but Memphis did address a few needs.

Traded Arthur for a center who started 81 games for a 57 win team. Re-signed Tony Allen on a decent contract and kept Bayless for $3M. Brought over Calathes who won the MVP award in the EuroCup Tournament. Picked up Akognon. He may not even see a minute, but he is considered a deadly shooter from the perimeter. Brought back Mike Miller with only $800K of his contract hitting the cap and he's claiming to be in good shape. Not to mention, he is not needed any more than he was in Miami until the playoffs. Drafted arguably a 1st rounder in Jamaal Franklin.

Doing all this while keeping the core intact is pretty good. The biggest change is of course replacing Hollins with Joerger. If Joerger can make the needed changes to the offense, Memphis is looking at another possible run next season. I also expect Pondexter, Davis, Conley and Bayless to have better seasons than last year.
 
Listening to Dave Joerger is a lot more refreshing than listening to Hollins. :lol: I'm sure the guy will make rookie coach mistakes, but the guy is very knowledgeable of the game and probably one of the best young basketball minds in the NBA.
 
Listening to Dave Joerger is a lot more refreshing than listening to Hollins. :lol: I'm sure the guy will make rookie coach mistakes, but the guy is very knowledgeable of the game and probably one of the best young basketball minds in the NBA.
 
The Scrum: Handicapping the West's Top Tier
Posted by Chris Herrington on Thu, Aug 1, 2013 at 10:42 AM

With the free agency period all but over, here' s my early read on how the Western conference's now-crowded elite will finish in 2013-2014. These prognostications are for the regular season only, and are subject to change when the leaves do the same.

1. San Antonio Spurs
Last Season: 58-24, #7 offense, #3 defense
The Case: Was last season a last hurrah? Why should it be? Tony Parker is still in his prime. Kawhi Leonard is emerging as a true two-way star. Danny Green and Tiago Splitter are plus-size role players still on the upswing. And Gregg Popovich still manages his regular-season rotation with the big picture in mind, while still piling up wins, better than any coach in the league. And this is still as balanced, versatile, and battle-tested a roster as any in the conference.
The Caveats: The Spurs aren't actually that old anymore, but age is a question mark with two core contributors. Can Tim Duncan, at age 37, really have another All-NBA season? Can Manu Ginobili, at 35, stave off what seemed to be a swift decline this past spring to remain a quality sixth man if no longer a third “star”?

2. Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season: 56-26, #4 offense, #9 defense
The Case: The Chris Paul/Blake Griffin fulcrum of last year's 56-win team returns, now with a major upgrade on the sideline (Doc Rivers) and an improved two-way wing combo in JJ Redick and Jared Dudley. A decent bet to field the NBA's best offense this season.
The Caveats: The Clippers have not yet addressed their issues of frontcourt depth, toughness, and gravitas, with the callow starting combo of Griffin and DeAndre Jordan currently backed by finesse centers Ryan Hollins and Byron Mullens and undersized swingman Matt Barnes. How much will this hurt in the regular season? Probably not too much, thus this placement. But it's the reason the Clippers' post-season hopes come with an asterisk until further notice.

3. Memphis Grizzlies
Last Season: 56-26, #18 offense, #2 defense
The Case: They lack the ostensible “stars” contenders are supposed to have, but how about the conference's top returning defense, top returning rebounding team, two playoff proven post scorers, an emerging two-way point guard, and what may be shaping up — pending one last move — as the conference's best bench?
The Caveats: Okay, the lack of starpower still suggests a ceiling. Even with the addition of Mike Miller, they still project as a (well?) below average shooting team. Back-up point guard will be a question mark until it isn't. And as much confidence as the franchise seems to have in first-time coach Dave Joerger, he still has to prove it. The Grizzlies probably need to boost their offense into the Top 10 to be a legitimate title contender. Even after a promising offseason, that could be a tall order.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Season: 60-22, #2 offense, #4 defense
The Case: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are arguably the league's most talented duo and with them in the lineup last season, even without James Harden, the Thunder compiled the conference's top regular-season record. The team only faltered in the playoffs when Westbrook went down to injury. With him back, the Thunder reclaim their rightful place atop the conference pecking order. And that top five defensive ranking last season? A warning shot to the rest of the league. Backstopping any potential slide? They're the only top-tier contender in their division, all but guaranteeing a top-four seed.
The Caveats: Maybe I'm too swayed by watching Kendrick Perkins up close in last season's playoffs, but I'm skeptical. The Thunder may have had the conference's best record last season, but they were only four games better than the fourth-seeded Clippers and fifth-seeded Grizzlies. Those teams got better this summer. The Thunder, in losing third scorer Kevin Martin and only adding rookies (Steven Adams, Andre Roberson) and journeymen (Ryan Gomes), have ostensibly gotten worse. It doesn't take much to erase a four-game gap. Durant and Westbrook are amazing, but the lottery-level supporting cast around them and Serge Ibaka now seems too raw (Adams, Roberson, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones) and cooked (Perkins, Gomes, Derek Fisher). I foresee a mild decline, at least in the regular season. In the post-season? They're the anti-Clippers: The prospect of 45 minutes a night from both Durant and Westbrook makes them more dangerous.

5. Houston Rockets
Last Season: 45-37, #6 offense, #16 defense
The Case: If Dwight Howard gets back on track — and he averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 58% shooting last season in a “bad” year — then he and James Harden might form the league's best guard/big man tandem, with Chandler Parsons as the perfect do-it-all third leg. Retaining a Top 10 offense while adding a two-time Defensive Player of the Year to last year's 16th-ranked unit suggests the balance of a contender.
The Caveats: That defense was below average last year with Omer Asik in the middle, and Asik is an elite defender in his own right. There's reason to doubt whether Howard, at this point, can be that much better that last season's “very good, not great.” Other contenders have more continuity than Houston, with its constantly churning roster. And yet this team still feels like it has one more move to make (presumably with Asik).

6. Golden State Warriors
Last Season: 47-35, #10 offense, #13 defense
The Case: Followed a break-out playoffs with a smart, interesting offseason given their financial limitations. Andre Iguodala is an elite defender who mitigates the loss of top assistant Mike Malone, increases lineup flexibility, and brings point forward skills that will fit in well with the team's hot shooting backcourt and help cover for the loss of Jarrett Jack. Toney Douglas can spell Steph Curry as a shooting specialist who can defend the one. Marreese Speights can approximate the pick-and-pop game they lost with Carl Landry's departure. And Jermaine O'Neal — if healthy — can replace the injured Festus Ezeli's size and defensive presence in the middle. Curry has a chance to Leap into the superstar realm.
The Caveats: They just depend way too much on two apparently brittle players a premium positions in Curry and center Andrew Bogut. Even with Iguodala on board, it's questionable if this defense can build on last season's advances.
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I think the Rockets are too low, the Clippers are too high. I do believe in what he said about OKC.
 
I'll tentatively go:

1. Spurs
2. Grizzlies
3. Thunder
4. Warriors
5. Rockets
6. Clippers

Regular season standings anyways.
 
Whoever gets the 1st and 2nd seed in the West will probably end up going to the Finals. I'm expecting them to have the easiest matchup in the 1st round, while seeds 3-6 beat each other up.

Continuity is so important now in days, it would not surprise me if the above happens.
 
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/sto...eal-memphis-grizzlies-no-1-team-espn-magazine

TWILIGHT HAS COME to another summer's day in the neighborhood of Whitehaven, and if you could decipher the ceaseless chirping of the cicadas, their buzzing would probably be about the muggy weather. It's Wednesday, which means it's time for Bible study at the Full Gospel Tabernacle -- the church of soul legend Al Green, now 67. The Rev. Al sometimes shows and sometimes he doesn't, but no matter: Earline Reynolds, known as the Church Mother, is here to preach. With her long hair and blue dress, she leads the dozen congregants in singing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," sternly discussing Psalm 121 ("the Lord is thy keeper … thy shade upon thy right hand") and applauding two out-of-towners who have brought pies from Mississippi.


Ultimate Standings

Get rankings for all 122 teams in sports. Story »
Afterward, as the group files out, she pulls her car up to the church, rolls down the passenger-side window and reaches below the front seat. Then the Church Mother unfurls a large blue and gold banner with the face of a menacing bear.

"You're a Grizzlies fan?" a visitor asks.

"Of course I'm a Grizzlies fan!" she replies. "You in Memphis!"

Indeed we are. And here, you'll have a tough time finding someone who isn't a Grizzlies enthusiast these days. The support is so strong and so universal, in fact, that it landed the team the coveted No. 1 spot in The Mag's Ultimate Standings, ranking first among all MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams in offering fans the greatest rewards for all the time, money and emotion they invest in them.

Now, you may react to this the same way one high-ranking Memphis executive did when we gave him the news: "The Grizzlies?!"


Ultimate Bang for the Buck

Which team is offering fans the best value in sports? Story »
We get that. Unlike most of our past winners -- including two-time champs Green Bay and San Antonio -- the Grizzlies don't have a long tradition of honoring their bond with fans, or really any established business model, for that matter. They have a new coach, and their owner and CEO have been on the job for less than a year. They've never won a championship. They didn't even finish first in any of the broad categories the Ultimate Standings measure.

But our surveys always remind us that while championships are nice and commanding coaches are cool, what fans really want is value: tickets they can afford, players they can enjoy and admire, owners they can trust. This year in particular, the fans we polled were looking for some direct return on their investment, saying that they care more about things like the price of concessions and parking, the fan-friendliness of arenas and game-day promotions, and player accessibility than they did in the past. But good teams understand their customers, and the Grizzlies offer value across the board.


Ultimate Seat

One fan has the best view in sports. Story »
Last year Memphis went 56-26 and advanced to the Western Conference finals while charging an average ticket price of just $29.49 -- the second lowest in the NBA. Add inexpensive caps ($15) and free programs and the Grizzlies are 77 percent better than the average big league team at giving fans wins for the dollars they spend, ranking No. 2 in all of sports in the bang for the buck category.

Moreover, fans say they love the entire FedExForum experience. That includes everything from the arena's prime location on Memphis' historic Beale Street to performances by the Grizzlies Drumline to plentiful giveaways (16 promotion dates in 2012-13, with freebies sometimes dropped via small parachutes) and outstanding local cuisine (Rendezvous barbecue nachos!).


Ultimate Smuggler

NFL stadiums' new rules are no match for Nick Dinverno. Story »
Yet some of the data from Memphis signifies connections that run deeper than supply meeting demand. Fans ranked Grizzlies players second among all teams in likability and giving their best effort. In addition, Memphians don't just root for their team, they identify with their hardworking players. Tony Allen's instantly viral catchphrase "Grit. Grind." captured the self-image not only of the Grizzlies players but of Memphis' battered working class. Which is why even though the Grizzlies play in a city that battles high poverty rates and they rely largely on money from individual fans (as opposed to corporations, which heavily support teams in such places as New York and Los Angeles), they are seeing more than 90 percent of season-ticket holders renew this season.

"The first time I went to a Grizzlies game, the band was playing and we did the wobble and the cha-cha, and even though we sat in the $10 seats, we got towels and shirts, and I said, Whaaat?!" says Carolyn Corbett, who was at the Full Gospel Tabernacle that Wednesday night. "These players play for the fans, and the fans and the city are all working together with one purpose: to win."




THE NEXT DAY, Grizzlies sharpshooter Mike Miller used almost exactly the same words to describe why he decided to return to the Grizzlies this season after five years with other clubs: "It's a special vibe," he said. "These fans are this team, and this team is this city. And then the other part is, we have to win."

The closer you look, the big question about the Grizzlies isn't why we ranked them the No. 1 team in sports, it's whether Memphis can sustain its commitment to fans, contend for a title and grow into a much bigger, more modern business all at the same time.

After former owner and industrialist billionaire Michael Heisley moved the Grizzlies from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Memphis in 2001, he didn't pay much attention to costs. By the time he sold the club to wireless wunderkind and tech mogul Robert Pera in 2012, the Grizzlies were in the bottom five of NBA franchises in revenue but in the top five in payroll. That was an unsustainable gap, and it led fans to worry that Pera, who grew up in California, would move the team someplace where he could charge higher prices.


Ultimate Zombies

Sports' most bitter fans live in Montreal. Story »
Instead, Pera, now 35, not only decided to stay, he also drew in Memphians like Justin Timberlake and Ashley Manning to join his ownership group. "I took the option of moving off the table," Pera says. "I don't want to be someone who tears up a community."

Pera then set out to improve the books, and with the help of new franchise CEO Jason Levien -- who has worked as a sports agent, political strategist and Sacramento Kings executive -- the Grizzlies traded Rudy Gay, allowing them to sneak under the tax threshold with a payroll of $68.5 million this season. The team will hike ticket prices but by a relatively manageable average of 11 percent.

For now, Grizzlies prices remain among the cheapest in the NBA. But the team, which already draws higher ratings in Nashville than the Predators, has plans to grow into a mid-South uberfranchise, with TV deals, D-League teams and merchandising from Jackson, Miss., to Little Rock, Ark. How long can it keep costs down for its core fans? "It's a high-wire act," Levien admits.

Ultimate Calorie Bombs

So much more than peanuts and cracker jacks. Story »Levien and Pera have also turned the Grizzlies sharply toward analytics, hiring former ESPN guru John Hollinger as vice president of basketball operations and replacing old-school coach Lionel Hollins with dataphile Dave Joerger. Admittedly, this has fans in a lather. How can statheads appreciate the special qualities -- the grit and grind -- of a black-and-blue-collar team that bangs inside so relentlessly and finished last in the league in taking three-point shots?

By keeping an open mind, that's how. Hollinger's metrics helped convince Pera and Levien that they should move Gay for basketball reasons, not just financial ones. Lo and behold, with Gay gone, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley played far better even though they added minutes. Analysis also indicated that Allen makes a huge impact on the defensive end, outweighing his inefficient shooting. So Memphis quashed interest from Milwaukee and re-signed the Grindmaster, a fan favorite. And to open up the Grizzlies offense just a bit, the team brought back Miller, who's not only a career 40.6 percent shooter from behind the arc but is also a vet who spent five-plus seasons in his first stint with the team. "Some of my best friends in Memphis, the guys I go golfing with, are fans I met while they were sitting courtside," Miller says.

In general, analytics are helping Joerger, who can rattle off lists like which point guards around the league are best at rejecting screens, set matchups and find effective lineup combinations. Levien argues that by focusing on team efficiency, new-wave stats actually dovetail with the interests of traditionalist fans: "Heroball doesn't get you where you want to go."

Being a port city, Memphis has always been a place where cultures -- black and white, rural and urban -- have collided. And the latest collision deserves, at the least, cautious optimism. Pera, a lifelong NBA fan whose bleeding-edge Silicon Valley office has a 3-D printer, is treating the local team, whose players and fans share a peculiarly old soul, as a community trust. Pera actually told The Mag, "I'm not running the Grizzlies for operating profit."

Pera might just be leading a wave of newer, younger owners who understand they can build value by investing in teams. That's good news for Grizzlies fans. After a tumultuous season on the court, on the sidelines and in the boardroom, they know what they want to tell management: Keep a good thing going. Or, as Al Green once sang, "Let's stay together."
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Almost time for the training camp! :pimp:
 
Updated the OP with current roster, blogs to follow, salary cap, preseason/season schedule.

I thought I would revive this thread. I knew there are still a few people who keep up with the team (outside of me :lol: ). Just thought it would be a good idea to keep a lot of the Grizz related stuff in here.

Some recent news...

Memphis Grizzlies Reportedly Interested in Australia Guard Joe Ingles


http://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2014/9/3/6100063/memphis-grizzlies-australia-guard-joe-ingles

Per Marc Stein of ESPN, Memphis is a potential suitor for the services of Joe Ingles, the Australian guard who seems to be drawing some important attention from NBA executives and scouts at the FIBA World Cup.

Are the Grizzlies sincerely trying to steer clear from the luxury-tax line? Would a Marc Gasol (a reportedly big fan of Ingles) endorsement be the key ingredient that would force management's hand into spending some cash on an international name receiving hype comparable to the amount attributed earlier this offseason to Chicago Bulls' Nikola Mirotic?

Ingles has been a significant contributor to the 2-1 Australian national team at the FIBA World Cup, as they are in second place in the standings of Group D. He is averaging 15.7 ppg and 3.0 apg on a team that also features Spurs forward Aron Baynes, Saint Mary's pride-and-joy Matthew Dellavadova (ok, so maybe Patty Mills is Saint Mary's true pride-and-joy...but, nonetheless...), and Dante Exum, who holds an important key into the Utah Jazz's future. He has stepped up his game as Australia misses valuable production from the likes of Andrew Bogut and the aforementioned Mills. He has had a couple of Summer League stints with the Golden State Warriors, during the summers of 2009 and 2010. Maybe that's not experience in which to invest valuable stock, given the time elapsed and watered-down competition level of the Summer League. Nevertheless, his current play in the FIBA World Cup may be sufficient evidence worth considering as a potential part of the Grizzlies' portfolio for the upcoming season.

Is he worth it, Mr. Pera? What do you think, Mr. Wallace? Better yet, Coach Joerger, do you want Ingles in your rotation? One thing should be considered: if Gasol wants Ingles...and Gasol is a free agent after this season...then it shouldn't matter whether Gasol's request is phrased in Spanish or English...the roster and rotation just might need to include some form of Ingles. Otherwise, this could potentially become a sticking point that forces extension negotiations with Gasol to become lost in translation.

And if Ingles does join the fold, this is a glimpse of what Grizzlies' fans can look forward to watching over the course of next season...

Grizzlies Waive Jamaal Franklin

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24689638/report-grizzlies-waive-jamaal-franklin

The Memphis Grizzlies have waived guard Jamaal Franklin using the stretch provision, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery. Franklin just completed his rookie season, and he was on a minimum salary for the next two years, with the final year fully unguaranteed. The NBA wasn't thinking about moves like this when it implemented the stretch provision.

This is a pretty strange move given the circumstances. The No. 41 pick in the 2013 draft is one of the Grizzlies' few young prospects, and now they're giving up on him rather quickly. Franklin only played in 21 games last season, and many of those appearances were in garbage time.

This has no real impact on Memphis financially, but it will open up a roster spot. Perhaps the Grizzlies have their eyes on a particular free agent.

2014-15 Schedule Overview

http://www.memphisflyer.com/Beyondt...day-notes-grizzlies-announce-2014-15-schedule

Yesterday, along with the rest of the league, the Grizzlies announced the 2014-15 regular season schedule, and those of us who have been mostly pretending basketball doesn't exist the last couple weeks (no, of course I'm not talking about myself) were forced to admit that basketball is really right around the corner.

Last year's schedule certainly had its oddities: the Grizzlies had most of their back-to-backs after the All Star break, they had the same four-game November West Coast road trip they always have (except this time they went 4-0), and in a weird twist, they were locked in a three-way battle with the Mavericks and Suns for the last two playoff spots and had to (essentially) play a round-robin tournament against them to end the season.

This year's edition also has a few features ("features") worth noting:

• The NBA is experimenting with having a week-long All Star break this year, which I think is a great idea. As a result, the shortest break any team has in February is 8 days. The Grizzlies, however, somehow managed to have a ten-day gap between playing the Thunder on 2/11 and the Blazers on 2/22—which will undoubtedly be some much-needed rest (assuming that no Grizzlies are on the All Star team, which is usually a safe assumption regardless of whether anyone on the team deserves to be).

• The Grizzlies are playing one regular season game on ESPN. One. They have six on NBATV. But they have one (1) (uno) (eins) regular season game on ESPN. Great job promoting a small-market team that's made the playoffs four seasons in a row, league. I guess people would rather watch the Lakers (who have 20 nationally-televised games), who will probably be terrible this year, but that just proves something we already knew: people are dumb. Also galling is the fact that the ESPN game is (1) at OKC, not a home game and (2) in November, so late in the season when the team is rounding into playoff form (we hope) that national basic-cable audience will have no idea what they look like. I think it represents a massive failure of league marketing strategy not to promote their best teams no matter what market they're in. The NFL does a much better job of this.

• Presumably because of the long All Star break, the Grizzlies are playing 20 back-to-backs this season. That seems like a lot, especially when you consider that only five of them happen before January 1 and only 2 in April, meaning January, February, and March—always the "dog days" of the NBA schedule anyway—are going to be even more of a grind. I really hope the league is considering reducing the number of regular season games. Even taking it down to 70 or 75 would provide some relief from this craziness; 82 is just too many. "Because we've always had to play back-to-backs" just isn't a good enough reason to keep doing it. I'd be totally in favor of a 65-game NBA regular season with no back-to-backs at all.

• Also worth noting is a phenomenon that has popped up all over the NBA in this schedule: April 3 and 4th is rare home-home back-to-back, two home games in two nights against OKC and the Wizards. That ought to be fun.

• At the end of the season media availability back in May (or April? I had a newborn at the time, so I honestly couldn't tell you when that actually happened) coach Dave Joerger and the players all expressed the same sentiment: the Grizzlies' poor start to the season was a big reason they ended up having to play the Thunder as a seven seed instead of being a four, five, or six seed. This schedule, especially the November chunk, should lend itself rather nicely to a good start: only one back to back; road games in Charlotte, Milwaukee, L.A. against the Lakers, and Sacramento; home games against the Lakers, Pistons, and Celtics (and Clippers, which should be fun). Before that, the Grizzlies' two games in October are against the Wolves and Pacers. They should be in pretty good shape going into December, which starts to get a little tougher, including two games against the Spurs. But the November schedule looks like it should be kind to the Grizzlies and let them build some momentum early.

• No matter what, the Grizzlies have to do one thing better than they did last year: the Griz were a miserable 4-12 in the Southwest division, the same divisional record as the last-place Pelicans. The Spurs and Mavericks gave the Griz all kinds of problems, and so did the injury-plagued Pelicans, who can use Anthony Davis to blow up everything the Grizzlies' offense tries to do within 15 feet of the basket. Houston was a bit of an easier out, due to stylistic mismatches, but the problem remains: if the Grizzlies can't do better against the teams they play the most often, they're not going to get the playoff seeding they want. They had the worst divisional record of any playoff team last year (Charlotte was next-to-last at 6-10) and the next-to-worst divisional record of a Western Conference playoff team was Dallas at 9-7. The only team in the league with a worse divisional record than the Grizzlies (five teams finished 4-12) were the Sacramento Kings at 3-13. That has to change, period, or the Griz are going to be in trouble at the end of the year.

Overall, it's a schedule that seems pretty fair. We'll have to wait and see how standings shake out to know whether March and April are going to be problematic in terms of the toughness of the Grizzlies' opponents, but I think that's okay. The Grizzlies' challenge is now ahead of them. Fewer than two months to (preseason) basketball—ready or not.

It will be an interesting season, nevertheless. The front office still thinks this core is capable of winning a championship, which is why they decided to re-sign Zbo, replace Miller with VC and retain everyone else from the roster. A lot of things have to go right in order for this team to even come close to an NBA Finals berth this year, let alone winning a championship.. Here's my list of things:

- A healthy Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. If these guys are not healthy and playing some high level basketball, any chance of winning a title goes out the door. The positive is that Marc looks to be in the best shape of his life (contract year) and this could be a good sign for the team heading into the season

- Coaching. Joerger will have his rookie season behind him and hopefully, he can continue to improve. The experiment last season of trying to run n gun with a slow team was a failure. Most of the additions added in the off-season are not considered to be big time athletes, so I'm thinking he will continue more of a half court style of play.

- Better offense. Stop pounding the ball inside to Zbo, which results in inefficient possessions. Shoot the ball when open. Make smart passes. Stop waiting til 5 seconds left on the shot clock to take a shot. The Grizz DO have shooters and guys capable of creating now. No excuse to continue to run iso's for Zbo.

- Continue to play elite level defense. This should not be an issue. I see the team easily being in the top 10 in defensive efficiency next season.

- Either find a way to get rid of Prince or change his role to being a sparingly used stretch 4 off the bench. Prince should see NO minutes with both Zbo and Gasol on the floor. I would prefer to play him in that Lamar Odom role off the bench as Zbo's backup, if anything. Honestly, I would rather him not play at all and allow Stokes and/or Leuer to get PT. Knowing how Joerger likes to dedicate himself to the vets, I'm sure Prince will probably start AGAIN.

- Improvement in the younger players. Guys like Pondexter, Leuer, Calathes should all improve somewhat (or at least that's what I'm hoping). Having that type of internal improvement from your younger guys can boast well come playoff time.

Overall, I see the team finishing somewhere around 4th or 5th in the West. About 54-56 wins IF HEALTHY. I do see them making it to the 2nd round at the very least.
 
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PMatic said:
So much for Franklin being the next Tony Allen. :lol:
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:lol: I still think Franklin will be a quality player. Most of the time when Memphis gives up on young talent, they end up doing okay afterwards. I'm still a fan of Wroten's. I think with the right kind of discipline, he would have been a terror against opposing teams off the bench.
 
Allen and Pondexter were the two that were on the white team today in the first practice at the SF position. Joerger used Lee and Pondexter together a lot with Conley, Marc, and Randolph.

The blue team was Beno, Carter, Prince, Johnny Badger, and KK.

:pimp: There is a chance Prince will not be in the rotation.

From Grizzly Bear Blues blog:

http://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2014/9/29/6869281/memphis-grizzlies-media-day-2014-takeaways-summary

Media Day signals the start of training camp which signals the start of preseason which signals the start of the regular season which means basketball is almost back. I, for one, was glad to see so many basketball related conversations going on throughout my Twitter timeline. I've seen too much of Derek Jeter and football players getting in trouble for my liking. It's nice to see over-analyzed Grizzlies' problems like what to do about a third point guard during the Calathes suspension or how in the world we're going to find minutes for every single wing being harshly debated on Twitter today. Speaking of Nick Calathes and the wing conundrum/jumble, there was Media Day today, and the players, coaches, and front office personnel were asked about these and a variety of other topics.

My first takeaway from Media Day was that there is no possible way that the Grizzlies get off to such an awful start as they did last season. As a matter of fact, Zach Randolph guaranteed it. Nearly every player that had to trudge through the initial games of the 2013-2014 NBA season as a member of the Grizzlies made it abundantly clear that they will get off to a fast, or at least better, start this season. Most players cited the fact that this was head coach Dave Joerger's second year, and not only was he more comfortable in his role, but the players also know what to expect from the second year Grizz coach, which was not the case in the early going last season.

Next, these players, especially the veterans, want to make a deep playoff run. These guys realize that expectations have changed. This is not 2011. A first round playoff exit will no longer suffice. It seems like every year the narrative is 'this is the best and deepest team the Grizzlies have ever put on the floor,' and guess what? People are saying it again this year, and with injuries removed from the equation, this is a team capable of making a deep run not unlike the 2013 run to the Western Conference Finals.

Takeaway #3: Michael Beasley. There was a buzz in the room when Beasley entered. In fact, every single member of the media in attendance rushed over to hear what Michael Beasley had to say. It seemed like Beasley was given a shorter amount of time to talk than everyone else, but he gave us a few good quotes. At one point, he compared himself to the Incredible Hulk, and he talked about his climb to the top of the mountain being different from most people's. But it wasn't just what Beasley had to say; it was also what other players had to say about him. Vince Carter said that the game came easy to Beasley. Marc Gasol called him an incredible talent. Tayshaun Prince, Mike Conley, and Courtney Lee all had tremendous things to say about him. I'm going to make a semi-bold statement: Michael Beasley will be on the opening day roster. Too many people had too many good things to say about him.

Next, Quincy Pondexter is primed and ready for a big season. Now, 'big season' is a relative term. I don't mean big season like 20 points per game or even 12 points per game, but I think Q-Pon is going to be a key contributor for the Memphis Grizzlies. John Hollinger said that becoming a better 3-point shooting team was one of the focuses of this offseason. And by a better 3-point shooting team, he simply meant to shoot more threes. The Grizzlies shot a decent percentage from 3-point range last season, but they did not attempt very many. Hollinger specifically mentioned Quincy, Mike Conley, and Jon Leuer when talking about who he thought would step up and take more threes. All of the players, when asked about how Quincy has looked, said he looks like the 2013 playoff version. Hey, he's got a shiny new number, so he must be ready to go.

Vince Carter was discussed by literally everyone, but that shouldn't surprise you. I mean, one day, Vince Carter will be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's not too often a team like the Grizzlies has the opportunity to sign a surefire future Hall of Famer, but when you do, you seize the opportunity, and that's exactly what they Grizzlies did. Quincy Pondexter said he remembers having a Vince Carter poster hanging above his bed when he was a kid. Tony Allen, in true Tony Allen fashion, said that when he thinks of Vince Carter he "always thinks about that time he jumped over that dude and dunked." Every member of the Grizzlies was so giddy about the Carter signing; it kind of reminds you of when people meet celebrities. That's the kind of presence Vince Carter has. On a team filled with former All-Stars, a former Defensive Player of the Year, two former NBA Champions, and a perennial All-Defensive Team selection, Vince Carter is the main attractions amongst the players, and it is not even close. This guy is going to be a huge addition for the Grizzlies, not only tangibly, but also intangibly.

The rookies, Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes, were spoken of very highly today. John Hollinger affirmed the notion that Jordan Adams and Jarnell Stokes were 2 of the top 3 players on their board at pick #22. Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Marc Gasol, and Tony Allen all mentioned taking the rookies under their wing and showing them the ropes. The consensus was that both are going to be really good, and both have the ability to contribute this season.

My final takeaway was this: the Grizzlies are still the Grizzlies. There was not some big roster overhaul this offseason. This team still has the same identity with a few new, exciting additions. I'm cautiously optimistic that Marc Gasol may be a bit more selfish this season. He even said he wasn't just going to be the copilot this season. John Hollinger thought that Tony Allen still had several more good seasons left in him because he had played so few minutes in his 20s. Mike Conley said he wants to take care of his body better because he realizes that his role increased last season, and it could do the same again this year. Zach Rondolph said his goal this season is to bring a ring back to Memphis.

I think Grizzlies fans have a reason to be hopeful for the 2014-2015 NBA season and beyond. This team is built to win, both now and in the future. It has a rare mix of experienced veterans and talented young players. This team has been around the block. They know how to play with each other, they know what it takes to win in the postseason, and that's exactly what I think they'll do.
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Will be key to get off to a fast start this year. I figured we would come out the gate sloppy, but just felt good to get that W.

Now, 1-13 in season openers :lol:
 
Great win last night and I felt like that was our first real test. The Toronto game would have been the first real test, but half of our roster was out. Very interested to see what happens tomorrow against the Kings.
 
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