Workout Impressions

Well I have been to 4 workouts now and the perceptions I have gotten have dramatically changed. The first workout I felt like a fish out of water. Now it is more like a fish that is in water but in a different part of the lake for the first time.

I now can make comparisons between workouts and start noticing differences. I am starting to get a feeling for what to expect and am aware when someone fails to reach those expectations. I can get a sense of who is fast and who isn't but more important than my feelings, I have a history of reps that gives me actual numbers to associate with those feelings (for example, how many shots did he take and how many did he make during a particular 60 second drill).

I also have started to get a better feeling of what the players think about the Grizzlies workouts and from their comments I am putting together a sense of the players who like to be pushed and those that don't. To a player I have heard the Grizzlies workouts are the most taxing physically, test the broadest range of skills and that is true for both the individual drills and the one-on-one drills. The players I am getting the best feeling about all say they like the Grizzlies workout because they felt it pushed them to be their best. I like hearing that. One player actually said he was more interested in playing in Memphis after the workout.

Tony Barone is at the same time stand up comic and strict coach. He can break you out in a laugh and then make a small suggestion that really improves a players performance. It seems unlikely anyone could leave his workouts without a good idea of some things he could do to play better. I doubt anyone leaves his workouts without a funny story to tell his friends either!

Usually Chris Wallace and Marc Iavaroni are dispassionate on-lookers, not interrupting the coach as he puts the players through the paces. One noticeable exception occurred with Thursdays workout when Iavaroni altered a particular drill. Outside of that one time I can't remember anyone but Barone directing the show. The interesting thing was at the time Iavaroni altered the drill I wondered why. With the benefit of time I realized that he wanted to see if the players had a particular skill and figured out a good way to test it. I think he was pleased with what he saw as well.

The funniest moment occurred when one player attempted to draw a charge during a contract drill. He sold the flop well and looked like he was completely run over. Immediately Barone jumped onto the court and asked him if that was the image he wanted the coaching staff to remember him by. Point made. Then he said he was going to fine him now because that is what the NBA is starting to do. Great comic relief! The most impressive moment had to be Kevin Love hitting 7 of 10 three point shots at the end of his workout from 5 different locations on the court although DJ White's booming 'taps' off the glass were a close second.

I love the way most of the workouts end as well. Barone offers the players one chance to hit a half court shot. Usually he says one of the on-lookers is offering a Lexus as a prize if someone hits it. So far no one has in Memphis but Barone did say the first time they did this two people hit the shot. Barone regrettably informed the players that since both hit the shot they cancelled each other out!

That is how I see Barone running the workouts. He chastises, he pushes, he demands everything the players have but he doesn't berate and he uses humor to keep the workouts upbeat and moving. Barone also doesn't talk to the other coaches or Chris Wallace during the workout. He gives every player regardless of their chances of being drafted 5th, 28th or not at all, the same respect and attention he gives the big name players. I really think he is an ideal workout coach in that respect (although I admit the sample set is rather small).

And move is the best word to describe the workouts. Players only get to rest long enough to take a drink of water before they are on to the next activity from dribbling exercises to fast break weaves to around the world shooting contests to timed shots and defensive drills. If you want to rest do it while you are shooting free throws. Rarely does a workout pass the 25 minute mark without someone grabbing their shorts. Barone almost always asks that player if he is tired. When he says 'no coach' he chastises him about having better said Hell No Coach (or some other expletive) and that if he says no coach his next move will be taking a seat on the bench. It's funny stuff but it also sends the message that you have to want it more than anyone else to make it in the NBA. That is what separates good players from great ones.

Draft Workout (6/16/08): Anthony Randolph, Darrell Arthur, Courtney Lee

The Grizzlies staff returned from California with another scheduled workout today. This was my first time attending a workout, so my perspective comes from a first time up close observation. Today's workout included Anthony Randolph of LSU, Darrell Arthur of national champion Kansas, Courtney Lee from Western Kentucky, Will Daniels of Rhode Island, Shan Foster of Vanderbilt and Jeremy Crouch of Bradley.

Here are my initial impressions:

Anthony Randolph, LSU
If you read any of my post on the Grizzlies board, then you know that I like Randolph as a player. The first thing you notice is that he does need to add some pounds to have any chance of playing on the inside in the NBA. However, it looks like he will be able to naturally add weight over time. Randolph's explosive athleticism showed through out the workout as he routinely finished off drills with dunks. He did show some of his versatility with his ball handling and he made some great passes in traffic. The one thing that stuck out through all of the shooting drills is that his jump shot is not as far off as I expected. He has decent form for a lefty but just needs to work on a consistent follow through on his shots. Now it wasn't all positive with Randolph. He was a little passive for my liking. He always seemed to be in cruise control even in live drills. He did not fight for rebounding position, attack strong off the bounce, or move with a purpose without the ball in his hand. He just seemed a little lackadaisical. You have to remember that Randolph is almost a full year younger than most in this class and the team that drafts him will be taking a leap of faith of sorts that he will work to maximize his enormous potential.

Darrell Arthur, Kansas
Arthur was my dark horse from last year. His versatile post game and offensive talent always impressed me. Today it seems that he came ready to work. He gave very good effort offensively and defensively throughout the workout. The first thing I noticed with Arthur was that he plays with power. He also did very well in the shooting drills. He nailed a fair amount of elbow jumpers during the drills. He also gave a lot of hustle and his handle was good for his position. He seems like he has a future as one of those solid but not spectacular power forwards in the NBA. He can score, rebound, defend, and block shots. The only question about him was his inconsistent production while in college. If he proves to be a consistent in the NBA then he could be one of the sleepers in this draft. He has very low bust potential and a fairly high ceiling as he good be an offensive post option for a team in the future.

Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
Hands down the most impressive player in the workout. Lee showed great explosion throughout the drills and especially in live action. He consistently got rebounds and finished plays in traffic. He also showed a great jump shot even when pushed through long drills. He just seemed to have a lot of competitiveness in his game today. Picked up on drills fast and executed well. Looks like he will be able to help an NBA team immediately off the bench offensively and defensively. After watching him today and hearing this was his 10th workout, I doubt he will be available at 28 depending upon who stays and goes today. If he does drop into the second round then some team is going to get a real good player for next to nothing.

Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
Foster is well known to Memphis fans after getting to watch him star as a senior in the SEC. Shan was probably one of the best shooters in college last season. Transitioning to the NBA is going to be difficult for Foster. He lacks the explosiveness to thrive on the wings in the NBA and it showed during this workout. He also struggles to create separation off the dribble. Foster might have a long career in Europe ahead of him as his size and shot will be a big asset. Overseas his lack of athleticism and ball handling won't be as big a problem. He will get drafted but I don't see him sticking in the NBA very long.

Will Daniels, Rhode Island
Projected to go undrafted, Daniels showed some decent skill and promise. He will likely get an invite by some team to summer league and spend a few seasons in the NBADL. I am not sure he has the size, skill and position match to make it on an NBA roster but he will probably get several chances.

Jeremy Crouch, Bradley
Crouch showed off a nice shot in the workouts but does not have the game to make a career in the NBA.

Other Grizzlies Draft NewsThe Grizzlies were able to get private workouts with Danilo Gallinari and Brook Lopez while in California. I got the impression from Barone that Gallinari was real impressive and I already understand that Chris Wallace does like him. Also, I don't think the Grizzlies would have a problem drafting Gallinari and getting him signed. Barone referenced Lopez as an "old school, big center" with good hands and surprising quickness. He also said that Lopez is definitely a center only. I seriously don't think Lopez is an option for the Grizzlies with Gasol hopefully coming on board.

Workout Update: Butch, Mays and White

Well I finally saw a 28.

Not necessarily the 28 but definitely a potential 28th pick for the Grizzlies.

D.J. White (Indiana) showed himself to be a man among boys today when he worked out against Brian Butch (Wisconsin) and James Mays (Clemson).

At first I wasn't too impressed. He didn't seem to be that agile. He was obviously winded early on in the workout and his shot wasn't exactly beautiful or consistent. I was seeing the flaws in his game in an environment where the Grizzlies started off testing his weaknesses. Early on I was becoming impressed with James Mays who had the better outside shot, far more speed than White and seemed to be just as tall. It was close early on but I was more impressed with Mays at the beginning.

However, the workout eventually moved toward White's strengths and away from Mays. When defense, power play and toughness were tested White left everyone else behind. I don't remember how many times Mays had to pick himself up off the court in the last 30 minutes but it was at least 3 times and probably more. White treated him like a rag doll when he got in his way. White found the range on his shots as the workout went on and Mays' shot seemed to become more erratic the more fatigued he became.

If there was one drill that really set White's power apart from any other player I have seen slotted for the 28th pick it was near the end. In this drill the player had to hit the ball of the backboard twice before starting a full court break. Every player that did this drill tapped the ball off the glass and then took off running. White nearly put the ball through the backboard. BOOM, BOOM came the echo after each touch and still White was in control enough to make a clean pass and haul down the court to finish the break. It got everyone's attention even more so since it occurred so late in a very physical workout.

D.J. White has holes in his game. He showed almost no ability to separate from a defender with the ball, his outside shot has a range to at best 17 ft and he isn't an explosive leaper. However he is strong. Not just because he threw Mays to the court. Honestly a lot of people could have done that. No White's strength revealed itself more at the end of endurance drills. White had the strongest dunks to end the one minute drills that I have seen so far.

I don't know if he is going to be the player Memphis takes at 28 but he is definitely the most qualified candidate we have seen in Memphis so far for that spot.

James Mays didn't have a bad workout. He just didn't have a good one either and where he is weak, Memphis is weak so I don't seem him being a good fit. Mays is thin, athletic and very fast, but was too weak to hold his position in the lane when people got a body on him. His outside shot was nice but nothing to be awed about. He will probably go in the mid to late 2nd round and spend a year in the NBDL before heading to Europe for a nice career. I don't see him contributing in the NBA unless he gets a lot stronger or increases his ball skills on the perimeter. And as so many far more intelligent people than myself have said, if he doesn't have it now, it is most likely that isn't going to be something he develops later.

Brian Butch was deadly from outside. He has pretty close to NBA three point range, was automatic from 15-20 feet and showed a willingness to work very hard and a nice basketball IQ. However, he is slow and non-athletic. I don't like my 6-11 center's best move being a step back three point shot. Call me old fashioned I guess, but I want my center to be a bruiser. He had a couple of inches at least on both White and Mays yet it was White not Butch who made the impressive blocks during the workout. Butch can probably play European ball and find a nice career in some of the less physical leagues but I saw nothing that made me think he will be anything except a late 2nd rd pick who won't make it out of training camp. I could be wrong but I don't think so. I actually thought a few times during the workout that he may have a better career coaching than playing.

White clearly showed something missing from previous workouts with 28th picks including Joey's workout. White has a real nasty streak to him. He is skilled (what else would you expect coming out of 4 years at Indiana) but he also likes contact. I don't know if White will end up being the Grizzlies pick with the second draft spot. Honestly I don't know if he will be available with that pick but if he is then there ought to be a lot of serious consideration about making him a Grizzlies draft pick.

In other news Chris Wallace confirmed the Grizzlies are planning on working out Danillo Gallinari and Brook Lopez this weekend when on the West Coast. He also mentioned that the team is trying to get Eric Gordon in for a workout but have so far been unsuccessful getting a date set.

Workout Update: Hendrix, Padgett and Hubalek

Wednesday brought in three big men who they may be interested with the 28th pick in the draft. Noticeably missing from the workout was Robert Dozier. Apparently Dozier pulled out of the workout due to scheduling conflicts (he was in Washington yesterday and Charlotte tomorrow).

Richard Hendrix from Alabama was the main prospect the Grizzlies appeared interested in. If he wanted to make a good impression he failed miserably. He looked to be in good shape but he was obviously winded within the first 30 minutes of the practice and was exhausted at the 45 minute mark. That isn't good for a one hour workout. It was too bad because he showed a lot of potential to play the 3 spot. His range was nearly out to the 3 pt line and he showed good interior play despite giving up at least two inches in height to the other players. Tony Barone said they wanted to push the big men to see what they had in the tank and by all appearances Hendrix was not prepared for such a difficult session.

Hendrix had motivation issues right from the start. He rarely followed his misses to the hoop and seemed to quit once the shot was missed. That isn't going to impress too many people when the Barone constantly told the players to finish every play. The one bright spot was Hendrix' range was surprising to me who only knew him as Alabama's center. It was difficult to imagine Hendrix being that effective as a rebounder in the NBA but he did average over 10 boards a game as Junior at Alabama. He also didn't look to be 6-9. He looked to be shorter than Kevin Love with less range, in poorer shape and not nearly as skilled. Of course Love is being considered for a top 5 pick not a bottom 5 pick.

David Padgett was the largest player at the workout and he showed great heart and desire. What he didn't show was great mobility or talent. Padgett could hit from 17 feet in and his motor never stopped running. He looked willing to run longer although he too was showing signs of fatigue at the end. He always appeared ready to do whatever the coaches asked. If any player really distinguished himself and raised his stock today it was Padgett.

Jiri Hubalek (pronounced WHO-bah-lek) was a new name for me and one I hope I don't have to put to memory. He has a smooth outside shot but seemed to frail to bang inside and too slow to get off a shot in the NBA unless left all alone. He did prove that if you give him an opening he will shoot lights out however. In one drill from the elbow Jiri went 12-14 shooting in 60 seconds while sprinting from sideline to sideline between shots. He reminded me of the Houston Rockets big man Steve Novak. He has legitimate NBA 3 pt range but is that an important trait in the NBA for a 6-11 center?

All in all it was not a very informative workout. About 10 invited guests were present and I can only assume they were more season ticket holders. I would have liked to talk to them but the real world called and I had to leave immediately after the workout ended. I did get to ask if Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez or any other new workouts were scheduled. Apparently both players have increased their interest in working out for the Grizzlies but nothing has been set in stone yet.

Also absent were Geoff Calkins and Chris Vernon. Ron Tillery and Chris Herrington was present and I expect a more thorough review from Chris' blog this afternoon. You may also want to check out the Edge to see if Ron makes any comments. For those interested David Sparks (The Arbitrarian) has an interesting blog up about the history of the Grizzlies.

Monday's Workout - A Love Affair

Today's workout had a lot of big men with big names but it was obvious very early that there was only one player worthy of the Grizzlies first draft pick this year.

Kevin Love matched up with DeAndre Jordan, Javale McGee and Joey Dorsey with Jeremy Pargo and Kyle Weaver around to make the drills play like game situations. All of the big men had moments of excellence. DeAndre Jordan looked like a promising player with trememdous talent. His skills weren't off the chart but his raw ability would immediately put him ahead of any true center the Grizzlies have ever suited up. Of course when that list includes such non-luminaries as Darko Milicic, Lorenzen Wright and Jake Tsakalidis that isn't saying a lot. DeAndre Jordan fans are probably going to be disappointed on draft night. He has a big hitch in his shot, was easily pushed around in the paint by Love and really didn't appear to have a good feel for the game.

Javale McGee showed his speed and surprising strength at times but he didn't seem to have the same athleticism nor skills that the other players showed. If I was going to rank the players strictly on what we saw today he would have finished fourth among the big men. Joey Dorsey gave the most shocking performance of the day. Despite looking barely as tall as Kyle Weaver, Joey hit 8 consecutive free throws and that was broken up over 4 different exercises. Everyone was flabbergasted watching Joey hit one after another. He also showed his strength and defensive ability but in the end he just looked too short to be anything more than a bench player in the NBA and while he shot the ball well Memphis knows he is not a threat at all on the offensive end of the court.

Then there was Love. Love showed his skills by draining 7 of 10 three point shots, hit a high percentage of his free throw attempts, made some incredibly nice passes and even showed some better than expected defensive ability. His basketball IQ seemed very sharp as well as he consistently caught on to what the drills called for and what he needed to do to impress. On one timed drill however the athleticism question mark raised its head. The players had 60 seconds to run back and forth to hit shots from the free throw elbow. Hitting 7 of 9 shots was impressive (and the most that any of the big men hit). However he took one fewer attempt than DeAndre Jordan got off and a lot fewer than Jeremy Pargo. The full court drills gave Love the opportunity to show his intelligence making great passes but he usually trailed the plays and never beat anyone down the court.

I came away from the workout with the impression that Love was the best player at the workout by a wide margin but I question his value at #5. Will he be fast enough to play an uptempo style of game? Love made an interesting comment that confirmed that feeling to me. He said "I would love to play here in Memphis and my ability to make the outlet pass should give me a lot of opportunities to watch Rudy Gay finish with a dunk." Watch was the key word for me. He is going to watch those from the other end of the court because I honestly doubt if he will pass the halfcourt line in time.

So from what I have seen Love is an incredible talent and in the right situation will be a very solid player at the worst but in the wrong situation may struggle to keep pace. Assuming that Rose, Beasley, Mayo and Bayless are off the board when the 5th pick comes up I would have no problem taking Kevin Love 5th but I think it would be disappointing for those expecting a major impact player from that pick.

Love mentioned that he worked out yesterday for Miami in case the Heat trade down in the draft. If the rumor about Miami trading their pick is true I hope Memphis steps up to grab it. Love will be a very solid player but I doubt he will be a the type who can really change the fortune of this franchise.

I recommend our readers check out Beyond the Arc, Chris Herrington's excellent blog today to see his comments as well.

A Blogger Among Men

As I mentioned in the draft workout blog, yesterday I was an invited guest at the Grizzlies workouts with Omar Casspi, Devon Jefferson and Charles Rhodes.

I felt like a fish out of water. Like a child among men. I didn't exactly feel comfortable if you get my drift.

Here I was sitting next to Chris Herrington and Chris Vernon, just a few seats away from Ron Tillery, Jarvis Greer and a slew of other well-known journalists and media personalities watching these big, young men getting put through the ringers and thinking "what the heck am I doing here?" I write a blog after all. I am not in these guys league.

I have said many times that I don't really know how to judge talent coming out of college. Well in college at least they are playing the game of basketball. What these guys did looked more like some medieval torture drill or Navy Seal training exercises. What the heck can these people determine from watching someone running up and down the court dribbling a ball as fast as they can? How can they determine who is going to be able to play in the NBA this way? I can dribble the ball up and down the court and not lose control of it with either hand AND I CAN'T PLAY BASKETBALL!

I'm serious. I couldn't make my high school team. I did make the final cut once but these guys are supposed to be slightly better than that yet watching the drills I couldn't tell you who was better among the three men much less whether or not they could make it in the NBA. They were running from drill to drill, alternating from a rapid fire shooting exercise from the perimeter, to one on one 'contact drills' which was an understatement to say the least. Professional wrestlers don't make as much as much contact as these guys did.

And it never really slowed down. One drill ended and another began and I was trying to see something that would make me say 'AHA. That is what I want to see in someone trying to make the Grizzlies.' It never came. Sure I saw some incredible plays by all three of the players but whether that makes them more interesting than a Casey Jacobson or Andre Brown I have no clue.

It really is more art than science. Sure guys took measurements and kept times and supposedly the players took a psychological profile test earlier in the morning but Chris Wallace, Gene Bartow, Tony Barone Jr and Sr were watching these drills intensely. They weren't chatting with the media or talking on the phone. They were watching and looking for clues from how hard the players drove the ball to how hard they charged for a rebound to how many free throws they could hit and I have no idea what they are using as a comparison and how anything I saw could help them make a decision.

Then it got worse.

The workout ended and we were told the players were now available for interviews. What they heck was I going to ask Omar Casspi who plays in Israel? Chris Herrington asked if he had to complete his military service. I didn't know he had military service. Damn what should I ask? I just stood there like a slug on the sidewalk.

What was I doing here?

When Chris Wallace came out to field questions I suddenly found myself surrounded by cameras and microphones. Probably intelligently I stepped out of their way before I was run over. They asked Chris a number of questions about the recent comments from Heisley (Mr. Heisley is free to say what he wants but I am happy with the trade and believe the team got the best deal offered), how he thought the players did (all of them worked hard and showed us a lot. None of these players were being considered for the #5 pick but all could be taken in the draft) and the such.

It was very surreal.

I want to thank Chris Vernon, Chris Herrington, Chris Wallace and especially Dustin Krugel for helping as much as possible to make me feel welcome and at ease. It didn't help a lot but it was nice of them to try. I really am not sure I belong at these events. I have nothing to add. Maybe if MemphisX or Zack were there they could garner something from these workouts but I sure didn't.

Not that I won't be back on Monday watching Kevin Love, DeAndre Jordan, Joey Dorsey and Javale McGee battling it out. I may be a fish out of water but I'm not stupid after all!

Workout Update

The Grizzlies held their first private workout today with Israeli Omri Casspi, Davon Jefferson and Mississippi State's own Charles Rhodes.

I have never attended an NBA workout before and was very impressed with how physically taxing the hour long session was. They really put the players through the paces and tested everything from their shooting range, stamina, physicality and determination. While I was asked not to reveal the actual drills I can tell you I was beat from watching and all three players were very tired at the end of the workout.

Noticeably absent from the workout was Head Coach Marc Iavaroni but Coach Joerger, Coach Davis, Chris Wallace, the Barone's and Gene Bartow were all there as well as a lot of other Grizzlies personnel. Coach Iavaroni had a previous engagement and is expected at the other workouts. I wouldn't put too much stock into his absence. The private workouts are important but not as much as the totality of the work the players have produced in their careers.

The most interesting thing I can write about came from Chris Wallace who opened up the workouts by announcing there is no truth to the rumor that Memphis is struggling to get top players in for workouts. The list of people who are excluding Memphis are few and most have good reasons. Derick Rose and Michael Beasley don't expect to be available at #5 (you have to assume that is a safe bet too). Jerrod Bayless doesn't want to workout but that isn't surprising given the makeup of the team and the likelihood he won't be around at #5 either. Brook Lopez is only working out with the top 4 teams right now but I have a feeling that could change over the next couple of weeks. Danilo Gallinari hasscheduled only one workout in NY and his father doesn't understand why any more are needed. Apparently Italians don't do things like the NBA does. OJ Mayo has not scheduled any workouts anywhere while he decides on who his agent is going to be. Expect Lopez, Mayo and Gallinari to all work out at sometime before the draft. Here is the schedule so far:

Monday, June 9th: Kevin Love, DeAndre Jordan, JaVale McGee, Joey Dorsey, Kyle Weaver and Jeremy Pargo-

Wednesday, June 11th: Richard Hendrix (Alabama), David Padgett and Robert Dozier

Thursday, June 12th: DJ White, James Mays and Trent Plaisted

Friday/Saturday, June 14-15th: The team is going to Oakland, CA for a large group workout involving most of the late lottery to 2nd round picks like CDR, Darnell Jackson and Courtney Lee. There will be around 24 guys at this workout attended by most of the NBA teams.

Monday, June 16th: Courtney Lee, Sonny Weems, Will Daniels, Anthony Randolph and Darrell Arthur

Wendesday, June 18th: JR Giddens, Bill Walker, James Palacio and someone else who's name escapes me.

This list is not inclusive and people could be added or dropped. It is very fluid right now as players expect to go higher than they probably will end up being drafted. I anticipate more names coming in as the draft gets nearer. Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon are still working out when they can fit a workout in with their schedules. Three weeks and 30 teams is a lot of workouts for these guys to attend especially having to travel all over the country.

Grizzlies Announce 1st Set of Pre-Draft Workouts

Memphis to Conduct First Session on Thursday

Memphis, Tennessee — The Memphis Grizzlies will hold their first pre-draft workout on Thursday, June 5 at Methodist Healthcare Practice Court at FedExForum. It has been reported that this workout will include Israeli small forward Omri Casspi, USC small forward Davon Jefferson, and Mississippi State big man Charles Rhodes.

The Grizzlies have also scheduled workouts on June 9, 11, 12, 16, 18 and 21. Memphis has two selections (5th and 28th overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 26. It was reported that Kevin Love and DeAndre Jordan will be at Monday's workout but this has not been confirmed yet.

The workouts are subject to change.