Grizz Summer Improvement

A hot stove" of Grizzlies activity over the past couple of weeks:

• Grizz hire Kevin O'Neil as defensive expert/assistant coach



• Grizz officially sign Marc Gasol from Spain



• Arthur and Mayo make summer league debut

Kevin O'Neil is known as a defensive specialist, and his hiring is a welcome one. Experience on both the college and pro level will give him a better chance than most at fixing the biggest problem the Grizz have - defense. Hard to measure the impact of an assistant coach. Boston hired Tom Thibodeau, a defensive specialist, before this past season, and we all saw what happened there - the best defensive team in the league, and a NBA Championship. Certainly the big acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were the most important ingredient, but defensive coaches can bring an attitude and a commitment to the defensive end that the Grizz sorely lack. Lets hope the former coach that appeared in "Hoop Dreams" can do the same with the Grizz.

Marc Gasol is an exciting signing for the Grizz, but certainly one that most fans will not blink twice at. I've covered Gasol quite a bit, and made no qualms about my thoughts - Gasol will be more liked and better for the Grizz than his brother. That doesn't mean he will be an all star, but he will be a better fit, being younger, tougher, and bigger than his older brother. Gasol is a big center that is a much more natural center than his "softer" brother Pau who is more of a forward without power. Marc can bang, get tougher points and rebounds, and play some defense. He doesn't have the shooting or post skills of Pau, but he will develop and certainly be more palpable to Grizz fans.

At the end of the day, OJ Mayo and Darrell Arthur will need to be the sparkplugs to get this city back to the FedEx Forum. They perform well, the Grizz are in pretty solid shape. They bust, the Grizz are in trouble. Mayo has already brought excitement to the city, as he is having a great summer league week (scored 26 points last night, including a 69 foot buzzer shot!). That said, I think Arthur is the key. Mayo is money in the bank to be a productive NBA player. If Arthur can turn himself into a fundamentally sound starter that can give us rebounding and athleticism at the PF position, then this past draft would be considered an enormous success. There have been numerous comparisons between Arthur and New Orleans' David West - if those hold true, the Grizzlies are going to be darn good in 2 or 3 years.

With the signing of Marc Gasol, plenty of cap space, and rookies Mayo and Arthur, things are looking up for the Grizz. Interesting article here on Sporting News. The writer mostly makes fun of the Grizz, just like all the other national media looking for a story in July, the sahara of the sports writing calendar. But I enjoy how he leaves room at the end of the article for the Grizz to "surprise" him. I really do think a lot of the pundits out there are starting to realize that the Grizz are getting younger, gaining assets, and preparing for a surge in a few years.

Most still laugh at the Pau trade, but lets recap the Pau trade, yet again: The Grizz received cap space, Marc Gasol, Javaris Crittenton, Darrell Arthur, and a 1st Round pick in 2008 for Pau Gasol. As I've said over and over, lets wait for 2-3 more years before judging who got the better of whom in the Pau Gasol trade with LA.

Grizz Taking Form

After the draft, the Grizz now have a bit more clarity as to our starting lineup. Lets dive right in and look at our likely 2 deep lineup, as of now, given a few assumptions. Juan Carlos Navarro is gone, signing with a Spanish team for $20M guaranteed, a huge pay increase from what he could get in the NBA. It also appears that Marc Gasol (pictured)will officially sign a deal. Another assumption is that newly acquired player Antoine Walker will be bought out or traded in the coming weeks.

So given all of that, I believe this is our best starting 5 (backup):

• PG - Mike Conley (Javaris Crittenton/Kyle Lowry)



• SG - OJ Mayo (Marko Jaric)



• SF - Rudy Gay (Greg Buckner)



• PF - Darrell Arthur (Hakim Warrick)



• C - Darko Milicic (Marc Gasol)

Looking at this lineup, you can then see where we have holes (Power Forward) and where we have excess (Point Guard). I will be surprised if Kyle Lowery, Crittenton, and Mike Conley are all still on the opening night roster. I will also be equally surprised if Arthur or Warrick are starting at power forward. Arthur is a rookie, and Warrick is just a backup. Neither is a huge guy that can bang with bigger PFs. Arthur certainly has some promise, but definitely not a lock to be a starter quality guy.

How can we address the two issues - excess at PG, lack of true PF? There are really 3 choices:

1. Trade Lowry/Crittenton for another "asset" - The Boston Celtics went from last to NBA Champions, because they gathered enough young assets to make a few trades. Giving up 4 young players with promise, and a few draft picks, netted them Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Lowry, Crittenton, and Warrick are players with a few years experience that are young and can be very capable backups for a lot of teams. Trading a combination of these guys for a veteran power forward that can defend would be a fantastic get.



2. Sign some free agents - Signing free agents doesn't necessarily mean signing a top guy. We could sign one big name, or 2 to 3 smaller names for the same $$. I think its going to be costly and expensive to get any free agent to Memphis, so how much value we get by trying to sign a big time guy is questionable. Here are a few big time guys that I would love us to go after, but certainly are not likely: Elton Brand, Emeka Okafor, Josh Smith. Of all of those, I think Okafur would be my dream sign. He scores a bit (17ppg) rebounds a lot (11.8 boards) and plays awesome defense (2 blocks per game). He is a restricted free agent with Charlotte, meaning that they can (and likely will) match whatever offer he gets from another team. This would instantly give us a top 5 front court with Gasol, Darko, Okafor, Arthur, and Warrick.



3. Do nothing but let the youth play - Letting Lowry, Crittenton, and Warrick play will help them approve, or "appreciate" as assets. We likely won't be a playoff team next year, so this would just improve their values and make them possibly more attractive and able to fetch more on the trade market. However, getting Conley, Arthur, and Mayo playing time will be much more important, so I really think we need to do a combination of #1 and #2, at least with regard to one of the point guards.

I wish I could suggest some lesser priced veteran Power Forwards that we could sign. This is where the research of Chris Wallace and team comes in. Someone that is a tad bit younger but like a Kurt Thomas or PJ Brown, both power forwards known for defense, would be a fantastic get for the Grizzlies. If Arthur pans out, that would be the most ideal and cheap way to address our PF issues.

There is definitely excitement in Memphis for the first time in a long time. Ticket sales are doing well, even though most of them appear to be season ticket renewals. The fact that most of the ticket holders are renewing their season tickets is huge, because the Grizzlies were expecting a significant drop off after the Draft lottery put the Grizz picking at #5.

This excitement is somewhat artificial - it must be validated on the court this fall. If people see a young team that is exciting and improving, they will come win or lose. Winning must happen at some point for the fans to stay. But an exciting and competitive brand of basketball would be a huge step forward. Fans aren't stupid, as they know we need to take small steps before the giant leap of making the playoffs. I think the fans will respond positively if this team shows progress and promise, even if they still lose a lot. This fall, I guess we'll find out.

Transitions

Last night, the Grizzlies drafted Kevin Love at #5, and then Donte Green at #28. I posted my thoughts on the blog below, and then went to bed like most Memphis fans, thinking the Grizz roster just got two iffy players and no real sparkle.

Waking up Christmas morning is nice, but this morning was darn close. During the night (at about 1145pm last night) the Grizz traded Kevin Love to the Timberwolves for OJ Mayo (drafted #3), among other players. And right before that deal, the Grizz traded Donte Greene to Houston for Darrell Arthur (drafted at #27, power forward from Kansas). The Mayo trade also helped us by getting rid of Brian Cardinal and, unfortunately, Mike Miller. We got some solid veterans though in return in Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner. Read about the deals in short articles here, here, and here. That first headline in the Sacramento paper is awesome!

My dad wears transitions. You know, the glasses that transition to a darker tint, like sunglasses, when the sun shines upon them. I couldn't help but think of them and laugh, as I read the postings on the Grizzlies draft article on Commercial Appeal.com, the Memphis newspaper. 173 comments from 4pm yesterday until right now (~10am Friday). My father would be proud of the transition that I spotted in these posts, which went from hopeful to excited to angry to denial to absolute joy. These comments, along with their time stamps, tell a better story than I ever could. Its a bit long, but incredibly entertaining. I have even given my subtitles in red to guide you through the emotions:

Optimism

Posted by Sandman35739 on June 26, 2008 at 5:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If the Grizzlies end up picking Kevin Love I think I will vomit.
Make a deal, any deal, but don't sign Love.

Posted by Rees901 on June 26, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
no trade rumor i have read involving the grizz has been favorable for us. is wallace really that stupid??!!

Posted by ricksiders on June 26, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Love; and in fact, the guy fits a VERY big need for the Grizzlies...Power Forward. In addition, the guy is ready to contribute, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will put up 16ppg and 10rpg NEXT year! The Grizzlies need to get tough, and they need to play defense. What better way to do this than with the 19 year old from UCLA that has always been, and will continue to be, a winner!

Anger

Posted by Sandman35739 on June 26, 2008 at 7:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't believe they took Love.
Remind me not to order season tickets next year.

Posted by sputnik7 on June 26, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For the second year in a row Wallace plays it safe and boring. No guts no glory. This will be a super boring team. Seattle makes the gutsy pick and it will pay off. What a frigging let down!!! Go from the best player in the draft to the most boring! So much for trying to win fans!! Man, will this organization ever get it right???CW for dog catcher!!!

Posted by tigerlegacy on June 26, 2008 at 7:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kevin "Big Country" Love? What a joke. Dorsey exposed him like every athlete in the NBA will. Didn't we just get rid of a big soft guy with "great" basketball skills that was a few inches taller than Love.
I can't wait to hear Ron Tillery try and spin another terrible move by the Griz.
Heisley needs to sell to the local ownership or take this terrible franchise to the Chicago suburbs so that they can be the Clippers of the Midwest.
What a joke!

A little bit of hope . . .

Posted by Sandman35739 on June 26, 2008 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Eight picks to go in the First Round and CDR is still available. Somebody is going to get a steal.

Posted by Sandman35739 on June 26, 2008 at 9:09 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
Pick #28 is up and CDR is still available!
If the Grizzlies don't blow this pick I might even forgive them for taking Love.

Posted by dwcoyote on June 26, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
CDR, CDR, CDR, CDR, come on Grizzlies!!!!!

More Anger

Posted by lcsteven on June 26, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They scr*wed the pooch by not taking CDR.

Posted by brad on June 26, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
UN ........ REALDo the Griz NEVER WANT TO SELL ANOTHER TICKET???
I can't BELIEVE the stupidity of this organization.
You pass on CDR at #28?You take that BLEEPING pick just to get a**es in that building!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an embarrassment.Clearly there are no intelligent decision makers in our front offices.
HEY GRIZ - YOU JUST DROVE THE NAILS IN YOUR OWN COFFIN.

Posted by dafranchise1 on June 26, 2008 at 9:27 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
F*** The Memphis Grizzlies. How in the hell do you not select Chris Douglass Roberts ? Now i'm thinking CDR coming out early was a bad move. It is a shame how some of the garbage in the drafte are getting drafted before him.

Posted by krc00d on June 26, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Folks, wait for the trade. This is called snagging an extra piece. Greene was rated much higher than CDR, however silly that may be. Now the Griz can use him as trade bait to get 2 picks later in the draft or an extra player instead of just 1 overrated rookie (Greene).

Posted by starforce on June 26, 2008 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I now see why Boston could never do much with Chris Wallace running the show. Why oh why did the Grizzlies hire this idiot!

The Tide begins to turn . . .

Posted by krc00d on June 26, 2008 at 11:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Darrell Arthur is on the way to Memphis in exchange for Greene and a 2nd round pick next year. Given he was rated much higher than Greene on most charts, he could be a steal for the Grizzlies.

Posted by l_cbrown on June 26, 2008 at 11:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ESPN just reported OJ, Antione Walker to Memphis for Love, Miller, Cardinal

Posted by Memphis_Hotboy36 on June 26, 2008 at 11:45 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
ESPN just reported that we traded Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins to Minnesota for OJ Mayo, Marco Jarric (sp), Greg Buckner and Antonie Walker...not sure if I like this deal or not!

Kool-Aid Time . . . Jump for Joy

Posted by l_cbrown on June 26, 2008 at 11:46 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
Future best backcourt in the league

Posted by krc00d on June 26, 2008 at 11:46 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
Grizzlies have traded Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins to the Timberwolves for OJ Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner.

Posted by xds4life on June 26, 2008 at 11:49 p.m. (

Suggest removal)
O.J. Mayo!!!!

Posted by l_cbrown on June 27, 2008 at midnight (Suggest removal)
Awesome trade, Cardinal's (what is it 9mill salary is gone) and they get a future Allstar in Mayo.....and yes he will be an Allstar!!!!!!

Posted by XYZMemphis on June 27, 2008 at 1:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chris Wallace proved his expertise with this trade. Are all the morons out there still trying to wake up and smell the coffee! Starting line up of Conley, O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, Darrell Arthur and Darko/Marc Gasol. Plus the 6th Man of the Year with Hakeem off the bench for instant buckets.
Remember, people, O.J. plays some hard-nosed defense, too. I am SOOO glad to get rid of Miller, who freezes up in the playoffs. Ha-ha, Minnesota, did you not know that? Oh, well, you won't be in the playoffs before the Grizzlies anyway!
We won't make the playoffs next year, but only because we will be so ridiculously young. But we will be exciting to watch and by the end of the year we will be beating a lot of playoff-bound teams! GIve this nucleus two or three years, plugging holes along the way, and we will finally win a playoff game and even a playoff series!

Posted by karma8 on June 27, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG!!! YESSSSSSS!!!! CW you're a genius!!!! Great great Deal!!!! Dude you rock!!! Mayo!! I cant believe it!! And they got rid to the albatross, Cardinal!!!!! Yes!!!!!!

More Drama coming?

Posted by Stbrjones on June 27, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I bet this isnt the end, I see a trade with Mayo going to Miami for Beasley.
Be on the lookout for it to happen any moment

Sorry if that was a bit long for you, but I was incredibly entertained.

More to come on the trade specifics later. But right now, a big kudos to Chris Wallace for taking a great chance on some talent. As I said in earlier posts, the Grizz have two major problems - a need for a perimeter player and defender to compliment Rudy Gay - and a power forward rebounder. I think we addressed both in OJ Mayo and Darrell Arthur.

And yes, there is a chance the Grizz will trade Mayo to Miami for Beasley. I don't know how much of a chance, but I'm sure they are talking/have talked. So stay tuned . . .

NBA Draft: 8 days & counting . . .

The NBA Draft approaches next Thursday, June 26th. Players have pulled out of the draft and the field is now set. What will the Grizz do with the 5th and 28th picks? Here is a plan and simple layout of what to look for.

In a previous post, I discussed how a trade to Miami for Beasley is a possibility, but seemingly only if we can draft OJ Mayo at #5. Word out of Miami is that OJ Mayo is who they really want, and they would be interested in trading with whomever drafts him. Miami knows Beasley is the 2nd most coveted player in the draft, and thus not drafting him at their #2 spot would be leaving value on the table. The ideal scenario for the Grizz is to have OJ Mayo available at #5.

It looks more and more like Minnesota, who picks at #3, will take Mayo, at least according to Chad Ford's new mock draft 5.0. Yes, there has been chatter about Minnesota GM Kevin McHale loving his tall white brethren Kevin Love. I think the Love to Minnesota talk is a smokescreen, and Minnesota will take Mayo. Most of the opinions coming out at this point are intentional leaks intended to manipulate trades in some form or fashion. Additionally I think its clear that Mayo is the #3 player in the draft, and that Minnesota will take the best player available rather than filling a more pressing need.

So lets simplify the draft - we assume Rose and Beasley are going #1 and #2. Then we are assuming, although hoping not, that OJ Mayo is selected at #3 by the Timberwolves. Seattle at #4 has been eying Bayless as they need a PG desperately, so there really hasn't been much talk about whom they will pick. That leaves the Grizz at #5. Here are really the only logical options:

• Kevin Love (UCLA)


• Eric Gordon (Indiana)


• Danilo Gallinari (Italy) - pictured
  
• Anthony Randolph (LSU)
  
• Brook Lopez (Stanford)

You can read profiles on these players in Ford's mock draft, and I'm certainly no scout. Ive also linked all the players above and below to their draft profile on NBA Draft net.

At the Grizzlies second 1st round pick (at #28), here are some players that have been mentioned. I'm sure there are plenty of other names out there, as its hard to predict who will be on the board at #28, unlike #5:

• Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky)


• Bill Walker (Kansas State) (note - coming off knee injury)


• Chris Douglas Roberts (Memphis)
  
• Joey Dorsey (Memphis)
  
• DJ White (Indiana)
  
• JJ Hickson (NC State) (pictured)
  

The Grizzlies have two major needs in my opinion, and they are both equally important:

1. Perimeter guard/small forward player that can defend, and be an offensive threat to take some pressure off Rudy Gay.


2. Interior toughness, aka rebounding and defense. Any offense down low is a bonus.

Now lets play GM. One key ingredient to picking at #5 is knowing what you can get with your later picks. Why pick a PF if there are many that will be available later, with minimal dropoff? Simple supply and demand. Rating all the players in the draft, to assess all of your picks from one vantage point, is the key to a balanced draft. So we've seen the available players and the team needs. Now lets try to envision draft scenarios for the Grizz, while trying to assess the dropoff from whats available at #5 to #28 (again, assuming Mayo is gone):

Scenario 1 - Draft Kevin Love at #5, then get a perimeter guy at #28, either Courtney Lee or CDR.

Scenario 2 - Draft Eric Gordon at #5, then DJ White, Hickson, or Dorsey at #28.

Scenario 3 - Draft Brook Lopez at #5, then the best of the PFs in scenario #2 available at #28

Which scenario is more likely? Hard to say. I think Kevin Love is the likely pick for the Grizz at #5, based on the early and continued buzz. However, I don't think perimeter players Lee or CDR will be available for the Grizz at #28, really forcing the Grizz to draft another power forward. Given that wing and perimeter impact players are not going to be available come the 2nd pick, I think we must address the perimeter need at #5 then get one of many decent power forwards that will be available at #28.

To me, its simple - the value of perimeter help is higher in this year's draft, due to the scarcity of perimeter impact players and the abundance of power forward and center help.

Given the cards the Grizz have, with Mayo gone at #3 and perimeter help being scarce late in the 1st round, I would draft Eric Gordon at #5, and DJ White at #28. Gordon is a great athlete that can drive and shoot, while DJ White epitomizes toughness in the middle. Both have much to prove, but I think they would be hungry to work hard in Memphis. There are plenty of Hoosier fans that would enjoy that as well.

Chris Wallace is a smart guy, and he has done this many times before. Certainly things are not as simple as I propose. In the NFL, where every team has multiple picks, finding value in each round is the name of the game. Hopefully the Grizz will do the same, really figuring out what they can pick at #28 before they decide on whom to pick at #5.

Grizz Draft Update

There has been a lot of talk and rumors surrounding the top few draft picks in the NBA draft in about two weeks. Players are starting to work out individually with teams, so there are more people watching these guys and then speculating. Here is what has been going on regarding the Grizzlies pick at #5:

• Trade talk to move up to #2 with Miami for Michael Beasley. This has been rumored in numerous reports, such as here and here. All of the rumors and reports are based on the following expectations: a) The Heat don't really love Beasley and b) The Heat like OJ Mayo. They recognize Beasley is the value pick at #2, since they will likely miss out on their prize talent, Derrick Rose. They could look to draft Beasley and trade down, likely only if they can get OJ Mayo, whom many think would fit nicely with Dwayne Wade as a combo guard. The teams picking at #3 and #4 (Minnesota & Seattle) don't really have pieces to trade, however. The team at #5 does have some tradeable pieces, as well as a desperate need for a power forward like Beasley - the Grizzlies. Mike Miller and Javaris Crittenton or Kyle Lowery, along with swapping picks, has been one trade scenario. Genius Geoff Calkins even wrote about this scenario as if he thought it up. There is also talk from Iavaroni and Wallace that seems to indicate Mike Miller is not tradeable. My take is where there's smoke, there's fire. If there is a trade, we won't know until during the draft, once the Grizzlies pick comes available. The Heat don't do this deal unless they know OJ Mayo is available at #5. So for our best interest (whether we want him or not), the Grizz should root for the Timberwolves to draft Brook Lopez, and Seattle to draft Jerryed Bayless ahead of the Grizz, leaving OJ Mayo available at #5. A trade with Miami would be awesome for the Grizz, even if we lost Mike Miller and Lowry/Crittenton, because it would give us a young power forward that I think is special, in Michael Beasley.


• Kevin Love speculation. Kevin Love worked out for the Grizz on Monday of this week, and reportedly performed well. In the most recent mock draft on ESPN, our dream trade with Miami is foiled as OJ Mayo is selected to be drafted by Minnesota at #3, leaving the Grizz to draft Kevin Love at #5. Its very in vogue to hate on Kevin Love, because he is an undersized power forward that is not very athletic, and because Memphis beat him up pretty good in the final four. However, Love can shoot better than any big man in the draft in probably 4 or 5 years. He is young, apparently with a high basketball IQ that allows him to pass exceptionally well, and even play solid defense. That being said, I don't think it would excite too many Grizz fans to draft Love. Here is my revised order of who I would like to draft at #5, assuming that we are not going to trade the pick, and that Rose & Beasley are off the board:
  
  
  
  
  
  Obviously, the Grizz need a force at power forward that won't be there with Beasley gone. Next need for me is a dynamic scorer that can shoot and play opposite Rudy Gay. With Beasley gone, I think Mayo or Gordon could fulfill that role. Gordon tested out fantastically in Orlando at the Draft Camp on the physical skills/measurements [check out this link - its a sortable stat list based on all the measurements of draftees - height, weight, wingspan, 3/4 court sprint, vertical, etc - really interesting] , and lets not forget before his injury late in the season, he was considered a top 3 pick at worst. Gordon slid late in the year as things slid at Indiana, so I'm betting on him performing like he did early in the year and in high school. After those two, I think Kevin Love is the safest option. Why? He can shoot the 3, as well as the mid range jumper, which combined with his size, passing ability, and basketball IQ, could make him a very (very) poor man's Dirk Nowitzki. Not just because he is big and white, but I think he can create offense just by stretching the big men on defense, and then making well timed passes or shots. If we don't get Mayo, Gordon, Love, or (hopefully) Beasley in a trade, then I will be officially disappointed. This wish list has changed a bit since my first one, but that's because there is more information available to non-front office folk like myself.


• Heisley expressing doubt about the Pau trade. Many referenced this article in which Mike Heisley, team owner, expresses some doubt about whether the Gasol trade was the right move. Much has been written about his comments, and his later clarification. Wallace also defended the trade in the Boston Newspaper. The only thing you need to read is my previous post, detailing the trade, and calling for judgement on the merits of the trade at a later date. We'll see in a few years.


• Dorsey also looked good in the workout with Kevin Love, as mentioned in the article above(also linked here). Wouldn't that be fun for Memphians to get Joey Dorsey, assuming our draft board worked out to where he was not a reach with our pick at #28? He would give some good minutes in the paint off the bench, and could be a sparkplug-defender specialist (yes I just invented that term).

We'll see how the next week of workouts and speculation goes. Any trades won't occur until during the draft, once picks have been revealed. I think there may be a trade with Miami, but only if OJ Mayo is available for the Grizz to draft at #5. So if you are unsure what to root for in the upcoming draft in 2 weeks, root that OJ Mayo is available for either our team or a trade.

Powerball: Everyone's a Winner

The NBA Lottery selection occured Tuesday night in Seacaucus, NJ. Unlike Baseball and Football, which have the team with the worst record in the league automatically get the first pick, the NBA does a lottery involving the non-playoff teams. Each team in theory has a chance at the #1 pick, but in reality, the bottom 5 or 6 teams in the league have a much higher % chance.

Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls cashed in and won the 1st pick, despite only a 1.5% chance of winning the 1st overall pick. They finished with the 9th worst record in the league. That my friends, is bullsh*t. Horsesh*t. Opinions and sarcasm are the Pope's blog tools, so there is an opinion that you can put in your pipe and smoke it.

Moving on. After last year's lottery debacle, the Tigers last second championship loss last month, and this lottery result, the city of Memphis has had it tough. Beasley and Rose are gone, so lets focus on what we do now, with the Grizz sitting on the #5 pick in next month's NBA draft. After the top 2 guys, it is many's opinion that there are no perennial all-stars in the draft. However, most think the draft is deep with role players and solid starters, just not stars except for Beasley and Rose. Here are some options that the Grizz can consider at #5:

Draft Brook Lopez - The 7 Foot, 260 pound center from Stanford is a bit "stiff" in that he plays like a center and lacks the coordination of smaller forwards or guards. However, he is 19 years old, intelligent, and has shown a good ability to rebound and score. I think this guy would be a "cant bust" guy just because he could, at worst, give you quality minutes on the interior off the bench. I think there is some upside too, so this is not all chalk. Yes there are bad 7 footers out there, but I think he has shown some big time skills in a big time basketball conference.

Draft OJ Mayo - This is a much more high risk/high reward guy. He is big, can play decent perimeter defense, and can score. Character issues abound, as this prima donna has had huge expectations since he was in 7th grade. He played at USC just to get some west coast exposure, so what will he think about little ole Memphis? Could be a nice addition to the wing with Rudy Gay, but I think there is considerable risk here. No Mayo, please.


Trade the pick for two lower picks or next year - A solid move considering a few things. First, this draft is 2 players and then everyone else. Second, this is a deep draft after those two players, meaning that the guy you get at #5 could be like the one you could get at #15. Joe Alexander (West Virginia) is a guy that could slip down out of the top 10 and might be as good as anyone at #5. He is a leader, he can shoot, and he has a bit of "moxy" as they say, as shown by his play in the NCAAs. Trade down, get another pick in the 20s in this very deep draft.

Trade the pick for a player - Trade the pick for a player that can come in, start at forward or on the wing, and play defense. I cannot suggest any names out there, as that would require a much more in depth research of salary cap space, etc. This is less likely than other options. There has been some speculation (as noted by Grizzlies blog, 3 Shades of Blue) that we could package the pick with Mike Miller to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony. That would be awesome, but incredibly unlikely. To get a scorer of his caliber would certainly help the team, even though Rudy plays SF like Carmelo. We would adjust.

Draft someone else - The Pope likes Anthony Rudolph of this bunch. There is risk in drafting anyone this year, and certainly Rudolph or Kevin Love have risk just like the two guys profiled above. I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Wallace (we're boys) recently. He said that oftentimes after the top players are gone, you have to draft more conservatively, because you must at least help your team with a player that has shown something, as opposed to a player heavy on potential. To me, that means he would draft a Brook Lopez or a Kevin Love over an Anthony Rudolph, who is largely raw potential at this point.

One interesting player popping up on draft boards is Italian Danilo Gallinari (compared to a Toni Kukoc). Do we really want another white European on our team? Im not a racist, as I dont care about the color or creed of anyone. I do question how smart it is to have multiple European "style" players, used to a different game than the NBA.

The Pope's recommendation of the above, in order:

1. Draft Brook Lopez
2. Trade down, draft someone like Alexander
3. Draft OJ Mayo
4. Trade the pick for a player
5. Draft someone else

Good luck Chris. We need you to work your magic on this one.

il papa's pontifications

This week's il papa's pontifications, perusing all that is objectionable in the sports world.

1. OJ Mayo - The story was broke by ESPN this past Sunday, and you can get a good recap of it here. A main topic on most talk shows this week, about half the people think OJ is at fault, while a surprisingly large % actually see him as a "victim" of the NCAA system that does not pay players, yet profits on them.

This story has sparked discussion about many topics, ranging from the NCAA / professional eligibility rules like the 1 year in college NBA rule, all the way to whether the NCAA should pay players. Since there are so many topics being discussed, here are my main points, packaged and easy to digest:

• OJ Mayo likely broke NCAA rules by accepting cash and gifts from an agent while in high school and college. He might not have known the rules perfectly, but ignorance is not an excuse. Nor is his age, income level, single parent upbringing, or likely "one and done" career. He must be the first person at fault for breaking rules. If we cannot agree that OJ has a large responsibility to follow basic rules of his school/employer/family/his country of residence/whatever, then stop reading and leave my blog now.
  


• Colleges do pay players - they get a $150,000 or more education for free. On top of just the education, many players get $100s of thousands of $$ spent on their teams travel, facilities, meals, etc. Players get unprecedented exposure while they are improving their game for the pros. Colleges offer these players a scholarship in return for their participation, and these players accept, signing a contract, or "letter of intent". The good players could go to Europe and play for a year before going to the NBA if they really wanted $$ and think the one year college rule is so unfair.
  


• College sports makes tons and tons of money - This is the biggest mirage in all of sports. A great article here in the Wall Street Journal discusses college sports budgets. (Interesting note from that article - only 19, yes 19, schools had athletic departments that made money in 2006). Football at major schools, as well as basketball, make plenty of money. Big money. The problem is that most schools have 20 or so other sports programs that lose money. Football and Basketball revenues fund the athletic department, which at most schools lose money. When people say that players should be paid because schools are using them to make $$, thats not a full picture of reality. The money made is for a not for profit organization that is trying to fund its athletic department. Its not going to a few wealthy individuals like business profits might.


• High school players turning Pro right out of high school is a tough call. As a fan, I want them to stay in or go to college. It helps both the NBA improve quality (no 18 year olds using gametime as development time), and the NCAA improve its star power. The NCAA tournament and the Final Four TV ratings were all better because players like Greg Oden, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, and others played for one year in college. But if I were a high school star, ready for the NBA paycheck, I can understand their dislike of the rule. Especially with Tennis, Golf, and Baseball stars all getting paid major $$ well before they are out of high school sometimes. This issue is a tough one by itself, but should not be used as an excuse as to why OJ Mayo took money early from agents.

None of these points above are excuses for OJ Mayo. He broke the rules. Arguing whether the rules are fair or not is another discussion. When will people let persons - not "the system" - take the blame for their own actions?

2. Arlen Spector - Just when it looks like the New England Patriot's "Spygate" scandal is all but finished, Arlen Spector decides to keep running his mouth. I have one question for the Senator from the Keystone state: "WHO CARES!!????" My second question would be "Why does the government need to delve into how the NFL runs things?". What's next, the government trying to regulate my fantasy football league? STAY AWAY.

Video taping other team's signs is wrong. The Patriots did it, were caught and punished, quite heavily I might add. But can this advantage be so great as to warrant all this time we spend talking about it? Would the Patriots have been an average team without these tapes? No way. Its as overrated as stealing signs in my 5th Graders Baseball games - you know whats coming, but still can't stop it. Arlen Spector looks like an older, not as cool version of James Caan. Go away please.

3. Lebron James's Mother - Are you kidding me?





I think I may have seen this once when I was 11, playing in some random game at Willow Road Community Center, likely involving a parent from the BBC (Bartlett-Bolton-Cordova, a triangle of prestige and strip malls). What Gloria James did was ridiculous, but not as funny as this dad:



il papa out