When Should the Logo Leave?

West said he had extended his deal and would be staying at least through July 1. He will work the draft and -- as he put it -- "put together a wish list of the players we would like to add." West didn't say if he'd have an active hand in recruiting those players, but it's hard to believe he'd cut all ties with the team now that he's finally put it in position to make some dramatic moves.
-Geoff Calkins, Commercial Appeal Editorial, 2/16/2007

Why?

This commentary from Geoff Caulkins has eaten at me for months now. Calkins wrote it in response to a question from a reader asking if Jerry would be continuing in his present role until July 1st or just with the organization. July 1st is the starting date to recruit free agents and with the Grizz having $6 to $10 million available under the cap (depending on things like re-signing their own free agents, the cap number and their draft location) this would appear to be the absolute worst time for a new GM to take over the reins. Ideally current ‘interim’ coach Tony Barone, Sr. would have returned to his role as Director of Player Personnel, a new coach would have been hired and the lottery selection all would have been done before the free agency period began. Right in the middle of this great upheaval of change the VP of Operations retires? That is not the most ideal timing.

Jerry West came to Memphis in April of 2002 with the goal of making the franchise one of the premier teams in the league. Lofty goals for a franchise that had never won more than 23 games in a season and had been called by one sports publication as the worst franchise in professional sports. Prior to this season he had come close to accomplishing that goal, being one of only 9 teams to reach the playoffs the last 3 years and finishing the 2005-06 season with the 4th best record in the Western Conference. Jerry accomplished this while battling constant obstacles. He had to change coaches in the middle of the season twice. At the end of the 3rd playoff season West had only one full time starter (Pau Gasol) remaining from the original squad that won 50 games and reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. With the core of Mike Miller, Shane Battier and Gasol, Memphis appeared to have reached the pinnacle of success the group could attain. Instead of allowing his last season as VP of Basketball Operations to slide quietly into history West orchestrated a draft day deal that sent local fan favorite Shane Battier to Houston in exchange for former Grizzlies player Stromile Swift and the eighth draft pick, Rudy Gay. Later the same night he traded a future second round pick for Alexander Johnson. Combined, those two moves and the drafting of Kyle Lowry, piqued people’s interest in what West was doing in Memphis. The expectations were that this was the first step in a more complete retooling of the roster.

The next major move never happened. The biggest move was re-signing Chucky Atkins to a one year deal. Rumors began to circulate that Michael Heisley had found a buyer for the team and all roster moves had been put on hold. If that actually happened the timing was rotten. The retooling was frozen mid-change. Pau Gasol then broke his foot playing for Spain and the season was basically over before it began. Throw in questionable injuries to Eddie Jones and Stromile Swift with the break in Kyle Lowry’s wrist plus the deterioration of Brian Cardinal’s knee and what was supposed to be a ‘step back to move ahead’ became a free fall.

It is understandable that West would want to atone for this season. However, using the top four lottery pick, picking the new coach and then turning over the keys is not the most beneficial series of events for a team. West would force the new GM to deal with West’s selection of a new coach and draft pick while putting the onus of finding the other missing pieces on the new GM. West must realize that selling a professional basketball player on a small market like Memphis is no easy task. The new GM must hit the ground running around the country talking to players. That means he won’t be in his office getting adjusted and building good will with the city and its fans.That isn’t leaving the team in a position to succeed. That is setting up his successor to fail. Memphis deserves better. West didn’t ask to have his contract extended and it would be difficult to turn his back on this salary once offered. However, West needs to make a decision. Either sign up for four more years and see these decisions through or, if West doesn’t plan on staying at the helm during the rebuilding, step aside after the last game and let a new GM make the big decisions. If West in fact chooses not to remain at the helm for the next few years then he should step aside prior to the draft lottery. If things don’t turn out well for the franchise it won’t look like West stepped down because of the outcome. Also, West doesn’t have to leave the franchise altogether. His contract allows West to stay on as paid consultant to help smooth the transition. West’s role would be to assist the new GM to continue to make this franchise one of the premier franchises in the NBA. West’s time in Memphis helped turn an embarrassment into a success. This last season won’t change that.

Now is the time for West to make the tough decision. Either stay on board past the July 1st date or let a new person take over while the exciting parts of the job are still to be determined. The next GM should be in his position for at least the next 5 years and hopefully longer. It will be far more interesting to a prospective GM that he be allowed to pick his own coach, his own draft pick and determine his own FA signing. That excitement and responsibility is what drives successful minded people to the job. Wait until after that time and the interest will drop dramatically. Currently, Heisley doesn’t care about anything but how much money he can get from the sale of the team. West needs to force Heisley’s hand and retire as soon as the last shot is taken in Minneapolis. Force Heisley to make a move to reinvigorate the team or sell the franchise for less money to the local owners. Don’t let Heisley continue this charade of concern any longer.

Anything less would hurt West’s legacy. He needs to be bigger than Heisley and do what is right for the franchise and the city.

Delving into the Draft

I detailed the players that I believe the Grizzlies should target if they wind up with a pick outside the Top 2 on the message board (quick recap -- Hibbert, Brewer, Horford, Conley). But now I want to take a more detailed look at who is out there in the draft, since many people have claimed that this is the deepest draft since 2003, 1999 or 1998, depending on perspective. These same people have also been clamoring for the Grizzlies to find a way to acquire a few more picks in the draft, often through whatever means necessary, no matter how short-sighted they might be. So let's find out who could be the next difference maker or role player. These are not in the order I see them being drafted necessarily either and I'm only going to discuss players I have seen in game action, so no Yi Jianlian, Nicolas Batum or Marco Belinelli here. Go check out one of the dozens of reputable draft sites for info on them.

Greg Oden (Ohio State) -- If you read my earlier post, then you already know what I think about him. The "next Bill Russell" is already a great shot-blocker and a solid rebounder who has shown that he can score in a variety of ways as well. He's #1 on the board with a bullet. The one thing he will definitely have to work on is his conditioning, which was absolutely abysmal during the NCAA tournament. Some time in the weight room, a personal trainer, a nutritionist and a personal chef wouldn't hurt either. You can afford those things in the NBA though.

Kevin Durant (Texas) -- While everyone wants to compare him to Kevin Garnett (something I don't understand now), in reality he is a more athletic version of Dirk Nowitzki.....with better range. Capable of leading his team in scoring, rebounding and dropped jaws, he will need to hit the weight room in order to survive in the NBA. His defense also needs a lot of honing, both one-on-one and help defensive tactics. There is some concern about how much he will need the ball to be effective, as well.

Corey Brewer (Florida) -- The prototype for an all-around swingman. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor, find open teammates and play suffocating defense. Perhaps the most NBA ready player in the draft, he is receiving favorable comparisons from nearly all the experts, with my favorite being referred to as a "young Eddie Jones". He's a good rebounder who is reputed to have an outstanding work ethic, which should make him very attractive for a lot of teams. His ballhandling is somewhat suspect (reminiscent of Rudy Gay in this respect) and he will need to learn how to create his own shot more effectively.

Brandan Wright (North Carolina) -- The first word from everyone's lips when discussing him is "potential". He could be the next Chris Bosh, LaMarcus Aldridge or Channing Frye. Or he could be a guy who never quite lives up to that "potential". That's why the draft is an inexact science. With his great athleticism, massive wingspan, ever-growing offensive arsenal and seemingly natural ability to do anything on the court, he is a tantalizing prospect who will almost certainly go in the Top 5 of the draft. Like many of the prospects, he is going to have to spend a lot of time in the weight room so that he doesn't get broken in half by midseason.

Julian Wright (Kansas) -- Surprised many by declaring for the draft, but I don't think another year in college (particularly under Bill Self) would help him develop into a better NBA player, so what does he have to lose? Another great athlete, Wright is an adept ballhandler, which has been somewhat detrimental to the development of his jumpshot, which is merely adequate at this point. He's a very unselfish player (perhaps to a fault) who rarely forces things. He has developed a nice post game, which will help him as he continues to increase his range on his jumper.

Al Horford (Florida) -- I've seen the comparison to Carlos Boozer repeated often and I think it fits with one caveat.....Boozer doesn't have the nasty streak that Horford does. His attitude reminds me of Charles Oakley or Anthony Mason -- a true regulator of the paint. An impressive rebounder with good athleticism and one of the few prospects who won't need as much time in the weight room to adjust, Horford is also an above-average defender and shot blocker. He needs to work on his mid-range game and improve his free-throw shooting, but will definitely be a solid PF for whatever team drafts him.

Roy Hibbert (Georgetown) -- A solid scorer and decent rebounder, Hibbert isn't much of an athlete. He reminds me a lot of Eddy Curry, but with a better work ethic (or maybe just Curry if he'd gone to college?). He has the one thing that you cannot teach or develop in the NBA: SIZE. At 7'2", 280 lbs., he is a beast to deal with for anyone in the league. He has great touch around the basket and is a very good free throw shooter, so any team looking for a center would be wise to give him a second (or third....or tenth) look. His conditioning will have to improve for him to excel at the next level.

Mike Conley, Jr. (Ohio State) -- He displayed his amazing level of skill and talent throughout the season and the tournament, impressing nearly all of the experts along the way. He has great athletic ability, as well as the poise that you demand from your point guard during crunch time situations. With a variety of ways to score, Conley is the threat that opposing coaches fear, since he isn't guaranteed to pass first, second and always with the game on the line. He will need to increase the range on his perimeter shooting to become an even more dangerous player.

Joakim Noah (Florida) -- The very definition of a high motor, hustle player, I think of Noah as a 7-foot version of Brian Cardinal. Ok, ok, Shane Battier. Needless to say, I'm not a huge fan of what he brings to the table in terms of all-around basketball ability. I mean, let's face it, would you spend a high lottery pick on a guy who looks like this:

I didn't think so. I appreciate the fact that he has great leadership skills and a high basketball IQ, as well as a good understanding of defensive principles. But he can't shoot and has a very limited post game, which presents problems for him in the NBA. Much like the case was with Mark Madsen (very good college player, very average NBA player), I see him as a valuable role player, a "glue guy" moreso than a guy you can run plays for with any consistency.

Jeff Green (Georgetown) -- Went from "Who???" to "that guy who just takes over games" to "The Magician (aka "The Disappearing Act") over the course of the season and tournaments. Green is a guy who isn't particularly great at any one thing, but is above average at practically everything. The consumate jack-of-all-trades, master of none, if you will. He does possess remarkable vision for a SF. The biggest areas he'll need to work on in the NBA are his perimeter shooting and his defense, which is only passable at this point due to poor fundamentals.

Derrick Byars (Vanderbilt) -- I'll admit that I only saw him play a handful of games this year (Vandy not being high on my basketball radar, after all), but what I saw from him did convince me that he'll be a solid pro. He's a good defender with no glaring weaknesses in his skillset. He has the versatility to play either wing position, plus he even ran the point some this season, which is always helpful. He's not active enough without the ball in his hands, but that is something that he can learn at the next level.

Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech) -- Phenomenal athlete with unreal potential. He does have a few gaping holes in his game, though. His perimeter shooting needs a lot of work, as he only seems confident when he has his feet set under him. He's not that comfortable coming off screens or pulling up off the dribble. His ballhandling is very suspect as well, which is a problem if he intends to stay at SF at the next level. I see the same problems with Young that I witnessed with Shawne WIlliams at Memphis last season -- he does 2 or 3 things really well, but seems intent on proving that he can do 7 or 8 things really well. He doesn't go to his strengths nearly often enough, which has exposed his glaring weaknesses in his first collegiate season. He would be better served returning for another season at Tech, in my estimation.

Al Thornton (Florida State) -- To me, perhaps the biggest question mark in the draft. He's older than most (he'll be 24 in December), but is also far more athletic than most, too. He's been tagged with the dreaded "tweener" label, but I think his great mid-range game and unreal physical ability will be enough to allow him to squeeze into the top part of the draft. He needs to expand the range on his jumper and hone his ballhandling skills, as well as spend some time getting acquainted with the concept of "passing" -- one of the few weaknesses he has, but is it ever an obvious one. I see him becoming a poor man's Shawn Marion, who is also the best tweener forward in the NBA, so that's not a comparison to take lightly.

Acie Law IV (Texas A&M) -- A PG with good size (6'3") and a reputation for being clutch, Law has developed light years from what he was in his freshman season with the Aggies. He has the ability to play at any tempo and remains in control throughout the game. A solid playmaker, Law has also shown that he can be creative in shaking himself free for a shot, too. His defense will need a lot of work at the next level, but his mastery of the offensive side of the ball more than compensates for that. The Sam Cassell comparisons are very accurate, IMO.

Spencer Hawes (Washington) -- He has a great array of post moves in his arsenal and the ability to finish with either hand, which has left more than one defender with a sheepish look on his face. Hawes is also a skilled passer, drawing comparisons to Brad Miller and Vlade Divac. He can also step out and hit mid-range jumpers, even with defensive pressure. Something that has concerned many scouts is his low rebounding numbers, but according to a person who watches a lot of Pac-10 games, this is mostly due to the fact that one of Hawes' teammates is a rebounding machine. Judging by the numbers on their team page, I can only assume that player is sophmore Jon Brockman. Hawes is not a great athlete and is somewhat thin for a 7 footer (although not Shawn Bradley "stick man" thin), but he has managed to hold his own against several heralded big men so far. In any other year, he'd probably be the #1 center prospect in the draft.

Hasheem Thabeet (Conneticut) -- We go from "polished product" in Spencer Hawes to "raw block of wood" in Thabeet. If anyone wastes a first round pick on him, then they deserve what they get. I understand that he's doing it for financial reasons more than anything (his family is still overseas in Tanzania), but that should affect any GM's evaluation of him. He's a great shotblocker......and that's it. He can't score and doesn't rebound well. Much like other "projects" before him (Mutombo and Okafor come to mind), he needs 4 years of school to develop into an actual basketball player. Even one more season in college would help him tremendously.

Aaron Gray (Pittsburgh) -- BUST! Next! Ok, ok, I'll talk about him, even though he doesn't deserve the time or effort. Gray has a variety of post moves at his disposal, but shies away from physicality so much that he neglects to take advantage of them. He has also displayed a level of inconsistency that isn't going to be viewed favorably by many scouts. His games against players that he'd face in the NBA typically produced very poor results for him. He was completely shut down in matchups against Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes this year. I honestly believe that he lacks the heart and the toughness to last in the NBA.

Arron Affalo (UCLA) -- A very good all-around shooter, Affalo has also shown the ability to finish in traffic due to his body control and strength. He's also an underrated rebounder at 6'5" and a decent defender. His lack of great athleticism prevents him from being a great player at the next level, but he should be a solid player in the NBA for the next 10 years based on his solid fundamentals and understanding of the game.

Josh McRoberts (Duke) -- A poor man's Christian Laettner. Any questions?

Morris Almond (Rice) -- His picture should be next to the definition of "scorer" in the collegiate edition of the dictionary. He'll probably make his living in the NBA as a dynamite 6th man/occasional starter, as he is a bigger version of what Ben Gordon was coming out of UConn a few years ago. A lightning quick release from anywhere on the floor and the ability to create his own shot despite average athletic ability has given NBA scouts reason to pause and take notice. He should spend some time on his defensive fundamentals, which to this point have only received token interest, as well as his overall ballhandling skills. Teams in need of instant offense should definitely consider him.

Nick Young (USC) -- Only saw him three times outside of the tournament (twice against Arizona, once against Washington), but he reminded me a lot of both Antawn Jamison and Josh Howard in the way that he scored from unconventional angles and approaches. He is sneaky athletic, almost lulling defenders to sleep with his consistency from mid-range before surprising them with a quick move to the basket for an uncontested layup or dunk. I've seen him play great defense....and I've seen him play below-average defense, so he needs to work on consistency in that area. Another guy who should be a solid pro for the next decade.

I'll be working on a list of Sleepers next, so look for it sometime next week.

Who's to Blame

There have been a lot of articles and commentary recently about the state of the ownership of the Grizzlies. Why can’t a team with a decent core of young players in a brand new state of the art building and no competition from major sports franchises find a buyer? Granted the asking price of $365 million is not only high but a more than 16% above the Forbes valuation of the Franchise this season. Sure the team’s best player has been grumbling about getting traded and the fans have been lukewarm at best about the team but it is still one of only 30 such franchises a person can own. It is not like there are plenty of other options for the multi-millionaire to billionaire jet set to crow about owning.

So why was team sold relatively quickly in Seattle but the process continues to drag on in Memphis? After fighting their local and state government for two years to build a new stadium the owners decide new leadership was needed. The deal was closed with the Oklahoma City investment group relatively quickly afterwards.

What’s the hold up?

It has been speculated that the major hold up has been the local owners with the right to match any offer. Pitt and Staley have long wanted the team for themselves and have made it known publicly. Their right to match any offer for up to 60 days would slow down any attempt to sweep in by a new owner(s) but is that the real reason for the difficulty in selling the team?

I don’t believe so. First, the only way local owners like Pitt Hyde and Staley Cates would be seen as a hindrance would be if the owners secretly wanted to relocate the franchise. Under the current contract any attempt to move the team for the foreseeable future would be prohibitively expensive. Numbers nearing $1 billion in fines and penalties above and beyond the sale price would effectively kill any owners attempt to relocate at this time so it isn’t likely that someone would even enter into negotiations knowing about the leases (and no one is likely to offer $365 million for anything without knowing all of the particulars).

So the right to match by the local owners shouldn’t be a hold up for a serious candidate for ownership on the grounds that they would block the sale to prevent relocation. What about the idea that the local owners right to match artificially inflates the offering price? Surely the bid would have to be high enough to keep Pitt and Staley on the sidelines and their pockets are pretty deep. Does this right actually force a higher value on the team than is justified?

Again I don’t believe so. First, the Brian Davis offer was the asking price of current owner Michael Heisley. The offering price has not come down despite the collapse of Davis’ bid. The local owners want to pay less than $365 million for the team. Significantly less according to some accounts (no more than $300 million is one number I have heard but I believe it could be higher personally). That means there would be no need to offer an amount greater than the asking price to acquire the team. The local owners simply won’t match at that high an amount. They may take all 60 days to decide this but they aren’t going to pay that much for the franchise.

This brings us to the asking price as the main sticking point. Seattle’s owners sold their franchise to an investor group from Oklahoma City for $350 million and that included the Seattle Storm WNBA franchise. Seattle is a wealthier city than Memphis and larger as well so their populace is better positioned to support the new franchise than Memphis’ is. There is more competition in the form of the Seahawks football team and the Mariner baseball team and the stadium will need to be replaced at some point (or the team moved to Oklahoma City), but do those issues account for a $15 million lower price tag for an established team with a successful history?

Actually I don’t believe the price is grossly out of range. Personally I feel the Sonics have greater goodwill and should have been sold at a premium to the Grizzlies but that is just my opinion. So, what is the hold up in selling our franchise? Why has it taken us years to get a deal done and it only took Seattle a few months?

Perhaps it is the process of negotiations that make it so difficult. Michael Heisley can be very gregarious and charming. He is a successful businessman but he is successful because he knows what things are worth and buys and sells them at levels where both sides feel well served in the deal. He hasn’t gotten to where he is today by being unreasonable in contract situations. He has gotten to where he is today however by hiring a shrewd negotiator to handle negotiations. Stan Meadow was almost a deal breaker when the team was discussing moving to the Bluff City. The local owners wouldn’t sit in the same room with Meadows when discussing the deal. Michael Heisley has said publicly that he won’t conduct negotiations in public but that sounds more like Stan Meadows talking than Heisley. Is it any wonder that with such an unlikable person spear-heading your negotiations that people don’t want to buy the team?

For those that think I am being too harsh against Meadows and Heisley think of this. You can find many people that know or have done deals with Pitt Hyde and Staley Cates and no one speaks badly of them. There are many examples of people who have had issues dealing with Heisley and Meadows. The unfortunate off-shoot of this situation is that the community is being held ransom while Meadows attempts to squeeze every last penny out of any prospective buyer. The owners have a poisonous relationship, the front office is in flux, the coach is trying to get off the bench and the players seem to want to either get to the bench or on a trip out of town. How much longer can this franchise exist in this manner without a full-fledged meltdown and mass exodus?

The traditional avenue for differences such is this is to lock the parties involved into a room and force them to come to conclusion before you let them out. In this instance perhaps it would be better if the local owners and Stan Meadows were forced not to be in a room together or be able to communicate directly in any way. Let a messenger bring the offers and counter-offers but in no way should the two parties be allowed to speak directly to each other (or to the media for that matter). Or perhaps a mediator could be hired to work out an equitable solution which is binding on both sides.

One thing seems certain however. As long as Meadows and Heisley are involved directly, nothing is getting done anytime soon and with the team looking at hiring a new GM, Head Coach and staff in the very near future, having the ownership settled would seem to be a prima facie requirement to hiring the best people available. After all, would you take a job as a GM if you knew the team could be sold the next week and the new owners would want their own people in that job?

Pick a Coach, Any Coach

Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about who the Memphis Grizzlies are going to hire as their new coach for next season. The name on everyone’s lips first is that of Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni. Over the weekend, Dick Vitale mentioned that Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan might receive some interest from the Grizz front office, as well. A few other names have been bandied about, too, so let’s explore the options out there.

I'm not in favor of bringing in a coach from the college ranks who has virtually no NBA experience as a player or an assistant, since the differences between coaching the two are miles apart in reality. That's why guys like Marc Iavaroni and Mario Elie are among those at the top of my potential candidates list, while Billy Donovan is on the outside looking in.

I know there has been a lot of talk about not wanting to hire a "retread", but some of these coaches could be good for a rebuilding team (and don't fool yourself into thinking that this team is anything other than that). Names like Rick Adelman, Alvin Gentry, Del Harris, P.J. Carlesimo, Paul Silas, Rudy Tomjanovich and Stan Van Gundy have been mentioned and were hastily dimissed by many fans who screamed for "new blood" at the position. This team is going to have to re-learn how to win after this season -- just like they had to initially learn how to win under Hubie Brown. Will a coach with limited head coaching experience be able to do that? Is it that we don't want to give these coaches another chance based on how the relationships ended with "dragged from the mothballs retreads" Hubie Brown and Mike Fratello?

I think we have to recognize that some coaches are put into situations where it is impossible for them to succeed, so we can't hold that against them in terms of their coaching record. By the same token, you cannot dismiss the mistakes made by those coaches who didn't do enough with the talent placed in their hands *coughDocRiverscough* on more than one occasion. It can be a fine line determining which party a coaching candidate falls into, sometimes.

A name that is starting to receive more consideration locally is that of former assistant Eric Musselman. Rumors abound that he is going to be let go in Sacto, putting him on the open market once again. Rumors from earlier this season mentioned that Jerry West wanted to fire Fratello in the offseason and promote Musselman to the top spot, but was denied the ability to perform this action by the team owners. I believe that Muss was unjustly let go from Golden State, where he achieved more than I thought was possible, given the team he had to work with, and I think that if he is fired from Sacramento it will be undeserved as well. If he were to become available, I'd put him in my top 3 with Iavaroni and Elie. I have a hard time determining why exactly they would want to get rid of him after just one season, though, given the injuries and distractions he has had to deal with. Think about how far Sam Mitchell (a guaranteed lock for the chopping block at the beginning of the season) has come in the space of just one year. Sometimes coaches just need to be given a little more time and patience to see what they can produce. And sometimes they need to be let go before an entire organization is left in ruins.

Right now, my candidate rankings look like this:

1. Marc Iavaroni
2. Eric Musselman
3. Mario Elie
4. Rick Adelman
5. Stan Van Gundy

Feel free to chime in with your own choices or thoughts on mine in the comments.

An Ode to Oden

You might think it is strange that I start off with a post about a player still in college, but bear with me. Having seen Greg Oden in person -- if he's a day younger than 30, I'd be amazed -- I can now unequivocally say that he is without a single doubt the player that the Memphis Grizzlies should select, if they are fortunate enough to get the #1 pick in the draft. Let me tell you why.

Oden is an otherworldly force of nature in the paint. He only played 18 minutes against Tennessee and still managed to wreak havoc on their post players every single second he was in the game. His two huge weakside blocks happened because of his recognition of what was happening on the floor and then he took the perfect angle to erase the shot from existence. On one, his teammate got a blocking foul called on him -- and a deep bruise courtesy of Oden landing on him, no doubt -- but the other block finalized a stirring comeback that resulted in a Buckeyes victory. That is the game-changing element that the Grizzlies have been lacking since they moved to Memphis.

I read a quote from the Sports Guy today where he referenced that end-of-game block, where it seemed that Oden kept rising up until it seemed that he was 12 feet off the floor. He also mentioned that many people have whispered about the fact that Oden hasn't been going 110% "all out" every game due to worries about his recently injured, still healing wrist. On both of those blocks, you saw the "real Greg Oden", not the guy who has been content to play each game with little to no concern about his touches or minutes, deferring to teammates at all times. In those two instances, you saw a guy who nearly killed two of his own teammates when he landed, making sure that the opponents' shots didn't have a chance at ever seeing nylon.

I know many of you are absolutely enthralled with the freakish dynamic that Kevin Durant brings to the table, and believe me, I think that he is something special, too. He truly is a hybrid of Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, Julius Erving and many other NBA greats. He makes everything look so effortless that you're not even sure that he's trying hard. But when I look at NBA championship teams, I don't see the names of guys like that leading their teams. I see names like Russell, Chamberlain, Mikan, Parrish, Abdul-Jabbar, O'Neal, Duncan, Olaujuwon, Walton, Malone. The swingmen I see in leadership roles are hard-nosed competition junkies who would sooner slap their mothers than concede a single point in a playoff game. Guys like Jordan, Bryant, Pippen, Wade, Bird, Thomas. There are guys who were important to their team who made things look easy -- James Worthy, Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry, to name a few -- but they weren't the "leaders" of their teams that won titles. In fact, the only guy who did manage to make everything look easy while winning everything in sight was Dr. J, who was notorious for his mean streak on the court. His battles with Larry Bird in the early 80's were legendary for their intensity.

So, in saying all that, count me in with those who continue to believe that championship teams are built from the middle outwards. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (future Hall of Famers and NBA Top 50 members) are the only ones to reach the pinnacle of the sport without the presence of a great center. And it took both of them to achieve that, which is what other players are starting to figure out -- like Kobe in L.A. for instance. Great big men make the game easier for everyone else on the team. They block shots and intimidate guards in shooting pull-up jumpers. They rebound, allowing for more fastbreak opportunities, which translates to easy points. They make an entire team's defense better just with their presence. Does anyone truly believe that Jason Williams suddenly became a markedly better defender upon his arrival in Miami? Or does having Shaq and Zo behind him make guards a little wary of going into the paint once they get around him?

Will I be unhappy if we have to "settle" for Kevin Durant? Not at all. Because that means that things were out of our control due to the "luck of the draft". But if we get the top pick, I don't see that there is any way we can pass up the prospect that is the answer to 85% of our problems with this team -- especially since fans have clamored for a "big man" since the moment the moving trucks arrived in Memphis. Or did everyone forget that?

Purpose

With more time on their hands than any normal person should ever experience, a few posters from the Memphis Grizzlies Messageboards decided to share their knowledge and opinions with the masses -- although I suspect there will be more of the latter than the former. So, I welcome chipc3 and Zack, as they will join me in bringing fans a wide variety of news, analysis, opinion, satire and a general enjoyment of the Grizzlies, the NBA....and a few other things.

Be sure and let us know if there are any subjects that you would like for us to cover, too.