Trade Club

Since there is a ton of trade talk floating around the NBA in regard to teams looking to move up or down in the draft, we here at 3 Shades of Blue thought that we would outline some of the rules that you are bound by when you join Trade Club. Enjoy.

The first rule of Trade Club is: You do not talk directly to the media about Trade Club.

The second rule of Trade Club is: You DO NOT talk directly to the media about Trade Club!

The third rule of Trade Club is: You do not Trade big for small, unless there is a noticeable difference in talent levels.

The fourth rule of Trade Club is: You will not sacrifice the future for the present unless a championship is within your grasp.

The fifth rule of Trade Club is: Trade talks will go on as long as necessary.

The sixth rule of Trade Club is: Bring in as many parties as necessary to make a Trade work.

The seventh rule of Trade Club is: You will not Trade future 1st round picks for players who have obvious question marks.

The eighth rule of Trade Club is: Only one Trade with any of the following members allowed per year -- Kevin McHale, Isiah Thomas, Billy King, Elgin Baylor, Chris Wallace, Steve Kerr.

The ninth rule of Trade Club is: If you are caught using RealGM's Trade Checker or ESPN's Trade Machine, you will be banned from Trade Club.

The tenth and final rule of Trade Club is: If this is your first season in Trade Club, we highly recommend that you make a Trade as soon as possible.

Unsung Player: Jason Collins

With Malice has declared that today is NBA Unsung Player Day. Well, I am always completely in favor of random declarations, so I felt compelled to join in.

When rooting for a disappointing team that is mired in the bottom of the standings, you find ways to entertain yourself. One thing I have done is to pay closer attention to the subtle nuances of our young players like Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, Javaris Crittenton and Darko Milicic. However, when discussing C Jason Collins, the words "subtle" and "nuance" don't really fit the bill.

(AP Photo/Nikki Boertman)

When Collins came over in exchange for Stromile Swift, many people questioned why a team would trade an athletic F/C capable of crowd-pleasing dunks and blocks for a far less mobile big man who gets confused with his equally non-descript twin brother constantly. Well, Collins showed his value to me within his first few games in Memphis when he began to do something that the Grizzlies hadn't seen in quite some time. Quite simply, he told opponents: "No easy buckets."

This goes beyond the tough interior defense he is known for. He doesn't play dirty (I'm looking at you Bruce Bowen) and he doesn't give unnecessarily hard fouls, but opposing players know that he's not going to give them an easy layup if he's in the area. That might seem like a simple thing, and I'm sure on most NBA teams it is a regular occurrence. But the Grizzlies have been lacking that player for several seasons and it makes a noticeable difference now that they have that intimidating enforcer in the paint, even if he only plays 15 mpg. He averages almost as many fouls per game as rebounds, but his fouls are rarely ever of the ticky-tack variety that allow for an "And 1" situation to occur.

So even as I watch another season limp towards its inevitable finish with my team staring the lottery squarely in the face again, there is a one more thing I have found that provides some comfort -- the toughness of Jason Collins, our Unsung Player.

What Do We Call Them?

Dallas had its Tres J's. Boston has the Boston Three Party. Memphis has three small guards coming off the bench that have sparked the team more than any bench players since Mike Miller won the 6th man award and Hubie had his 10 man rotation.

These guys need a nickname!

Kyle Lowry, Juan Carlos Navarro and Javaris Crittenton have become the best story on the team this season. 'The Great' Kyle Lowry, as Memphis radio heads used to call him, was expected by most Grizz fans to be a spark off the bench. Juan Carlos Navarro came in with the 'La Bomba' nickname and the cute smile and instantly became a fan favorite. Javaris Crittenton is the baby of the three at only 19 years of age but all three should be considered rookies even if Crittenton is the only one who has never played professional basketball before this season.

College teams routinely go small and use three guards. Texas had 5-11 AJ Abrams, 6-0 DJ Augustin and 6-2 Justin Mason playing big minutes this year. North Carolina has 6-4 Wayne Ellington, 5-11 Ty Lawson and 6-5 Marcus Grinyard starting for Tarheels.

But this is the NBA. Teams aren't supposed to be able to get by playing three guards, much less three small guards. Kyle Lowry is a generous 6-0. Juan Carlos Navarro is listed as 6-3 and Javaris Crittenton is supposedly 6-5 but he looks more like 6-4...at best. These guys are small, unselfish and very, very fast. The pressure they put on defenses is incredible.

Okay, maybe I am falling under the spell of Kinsey Fever again but all year we have wanted to see uptempo basketball, with three point bombs and slashes into the lane and now we finally are getting it from our 3 rookies off the bench.

They have earned a nickname. I just can't think of one to give them. Beale St Blue and Yellow Fever doesn't really work for me. The Oreo Cookies? No, that plays on race and is offensive to me and just about everyone in the city. Three G's sounds fun but may be too esoteric for some people to catch the meaning.

Anyone have any better suggestions?

Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments section below. It should be interesting to see what people come up with.

2011: A Cap Space Odyssey

The scene opens and we are in the year 2008 (or 1 AP as in After-Pau). It is a dark time in the evolution of the Grizzlies. Seemingly huddled in caves and around camp fires, the men appear weak. Enemies easily defeat the hapless Grizzlies and it appears that extinction (or relocation) is the most likely outcome.

Suddenly there appears a huge monolith. It raises suspicion and fear among the group. Slowly they approach it in an attempt to comprehend its power. They call the monolith…Kwame Brown.


The monolith is gone almost as quickly as it arrived but it leaves behind a gift that seems inconsequential and unimportant at the time but contains the potential for great advancement.

And so begins a new chapter in Grizzlies evolution.

Fast forward three years to 2011. The Grizzlies are taking off into unchartered space, far above the normal teams in the NBA, and trying to reach a new, previously unimagined level of development for the franchise.

Rudy Gay is being called the closest thing to Dr. J since the Doctor himself. The two-time slam dunk champion is averaging over 25 points per game combining a sweet outside jump shot with the ability to leap over any two players in the league for a posterizing finish.

Mike Conley, the fastest point guard in the league and one of the most improved three point shooters as well, has taken control of the assist lead with his drives into the lane only to hit the open man for an easy shot or flipping the ball in the basket himself.

Darko Milicic, finally shaking the reputation as the biggest bust of a #2 pick in history, is consistently getting double figures in rebounds and points while closing down the lane with his ability to block shots. Hakim Warrick, still coming off the bench, is the most feared scoring 6th man in the league averaging almost 15 ppg in that role.

What has really excited the Memphis faithful, who now flock to the FedEx Forum for every game, has been the development of the young players Memphis acquired in the trade of Gasol.


While their future development has yet to be determined, the young guns provide flair and speed off the bench when the starters must rest. The free agent signings have fit in perfectly with Iavaroni’s goal for the team.

Is this science fiction?

Definitely but it is also a possible glimpse of the future.

Whatever people can imagine, can happen. It is not a guarantee that the Memphis Grizzlies will disappear from the city as some have predicted. Teams have turned around seemingly moribund situations before.

Memphis has been given something that most of their competitors don't have, flexibility. They can choose to spend their free money or not, they can trade draft picks for players or use those picks to get players that will better fit into Marc Iavaroni's vision of this team. Chris Wallace’s tenures as GM in Boston and Memphis have given critics more than their fair share of reasons to be pessimistic. Yet few have argued the man doesn't know what players need to be successful in the NBA.

So for now the monolith is here. The opportunity to be an elite team has been given. The team has to make the correct moves to be the next New Orleans Hornets and not the perennially underachieving Atlanta Hawks. It won't be easy but nothing worth achieving ever is.

Wouldn't it be funny if one day Bill Simmons talked about the Grizzlies and said: "My God, they're full of stars!"

'Busting' Out for the Grizzlies

Breaking News: Apparently at least one fan is willing to get down and dirty in her support of the team. According to sources an attractive female in the stands bared her breasts when her image was flashed on the jumbo-tron. At this time we have no word on how the Grizzlies plan on dealing with this situation.

I suggest season tickets in my section for the woman or plastic beads to all men over 21!

A quote from an 'eye' witness of the event:

She wasn't very well endowed (which can be deceiving since lifting your arms/shirt can make you look smaller than when your arms are down), college-aged or close, and I guess I'd have to say her appearance was "average" since I can't remember if I'd put her at either end of the attractive scale. She may have been cold at the time...

Thanks to the woman who thought outside of the box to find ways to attract more fans to the game!

UPDATE: Lauren Lee of Fox Sports News beat us to the punch and got this story. However we are still attempting to get a personal interview.

Predictions: 1st Home Win

This is a site dedicated to the fans of the Memphis Grizzlies. We talk Grizzlies (well write Grizzlies at least but we are working on a podcast), we think Grizz (I am sure some will argue that point as well) and on those glorious occassions when the Grizzlies win we cheer Grizzlies.

What I am curious about is when do most of our readers believe that the Grizzlies will win in Memphis? With an upcoming schedule of Houston, New Orleans and Seattle will the Grizzlies win in Memphis before Thanksgiving?

Give us your thoughts on when the 1st home win of the season will happen.

The NBA as a Fraternity

You hear the comparison all the time: Our team is like a family (or a fraternity). That is usually true of teams, except in occasional cases of dysfunction. When is it ever true of a league though? As I got to the end of this article from Mark Montieth of the Indianapolis Star, I re-read the following passage a few times:

Conley, however, got some in-game pointers from Tinsley, whom he had met but doesn't know well.
"He was trying to help me, even when I was out there," Conley said. "He was telling me to slow down, be patient, let the game come to me. You make the game a lot simpler if you slow it down.
"That's good to know guys around the league will help you out even if they're trying to beat you."

It reminded me of something I had read on AOL's NBA Fanhouse by the incomparable Bethlehem Shoals a few days ago that stated that NBA players will stick together and help each other out, even when that crosses team boundaries. The context he explained it in was in the aftermath of LeBron James wearing a Yankees cap at Jacobs Field, followed by Allen Iverson and Amare Stoudemire supporting the respective teams of their adopted hometowns (the Rockies and D'Backs respectively). Many saw this as them taking a shot at LeBron, but Shoals quickly sought to clear up that misconception. In fact, he even titled the post Amare Likes LeBron, Not You.

Here's a big secret about the NBA: The players are a secret society unto themselves, one that crosses team lines and could care less about on-field rivalries.

NBA players seem to go out of their way to foster relationships with each other. What Jamaal Tinsley did Wednesday night in tutoring Conley speaks volumes about the statement above smacking of truthiness. NBA players, by and large, will help each other out to promote the survival of themselves, as well as their sport. You don't really see that anywhere else. I'm no sociologist or anthropologist, so I won't even try to delve into the possibility of this being racially or culturally related to the predominance of African-American athletes in the NBA, but it does make one stop and wonder. What would the rest of the sports world be like if veterans sought to take young players under their wings to improve the quality of their league?

A look into the Future

Around this time of year every web page you turn to has a prediction involved. You can find predictions of the upcoming season on ESPN thanks to Grizzlies hater John Hollinger, on Wages of Wins thanks to David Berri and even on CNN/SI (wouldn't that sound better as CSI Atlanta?). Some of these will come true and some won't and no one will ever remember who was correct when the season is over.

I am going to make a further reaching prediction. Not about who will win this season or how many games they will win but about how the game will be played sometime in the future.

The Grizzlies are participating in NBA Europe 2008 starting Tuesday and they won't be playing using NBA rules. They won't be playing using Euroleague rules either. They are playing under what the Associated Press is calling:

A hybrid of NBA and Euroleague rules

What exactly is a hybrid of NBA and Euroleague rules anyway?

That took a little digging but I did manage to find what I was looking for. Euroleague basketball has the rule changes posted and it makes for interesting reading. The time is the same as the NBA rules with 48 minutes games divided into four 12 minutes quarters. This makes for longer games than the European teams are used to and that could have an effect at the end of games. It still takes six fouls to foul out and the coach and players can call timeouts. Taking rules from the Euroleague is the trapezium lane shape which makes the bottom of the lane wider than the top. This makes it more difficult for big men to camp around the basket, opens more passing lanes in the middle but also makes it more difficult for backside double teams if a player does get the ball in the paint.

Unique rules for these games include a 3 pt line that is further out than the Europeans are used to playing but closer in than the NBA is used to having to shoot. This should be a decided advantage to NBA players in theory but in reality is an equal handicap. NBA players used to shooting from further away have to decide to take a longer shot than is necessary or move in closer for a shot they are less comfortable taking.

There are differences in timeouts as well as both squads have to adjust to only 6 timeouts per game. That is one more than the Europeans are used to having but one fewer than NBA teams usually have. There are two 20 second timeouts as well which is the same as the NBA is used to having. Basically the NBA coaches have one fewer full time out to use while the Europeans get one additional timeout plus the additional two 20 second timeouts they don't have in Euroleague play.

The biggest adjustment for NBA players involves touching a ball in the cylinder. This rule exists in Euroleague but is strictly forbidden in the NBA. This means that once the ball hits the rim anyone can swat it away without fear of penalty.

Is this the future David Stern foresees when he discusses having an NBA team in Europe? I think the future definitely requires a single set of rules for playing the game and using combinations of both makes the most sense. I don't know if all of these rules will eventually become the standard but I definitely think we are on the path to such uniformity and knowing the differences will make the games more interesting to watch. Fans of the Grizzlies and the other NBA teams need to know these differences and watch to see how they play out in the games. It may not be too long before everyone is playing the same game and that makes these exhibitions far more interesting than the normal pre-season games.

I predict these hybrids may become the standard before too long.

You can check out all the differences on Anthony's FIBA vs. USA page.

Explain This to Me

Anucha Browne Sanders won her lawsuit claiming that Isiah Thomas sexually harassed her at work. She won $11.6 million from the jury. Jimmy Dolan was held personally liable for $3.6 million of the fine. Madison Square Garden was held liable for $8 million. Isiah is not personally liable for any damages to Ms Sanders.

How can the person who committed the sexual harassment not be liable for anything but Jimmy Dolan who didn't harass her be personally liable for $3.6 million?

Is this a messed up country or what?

Is there a political candidate running anywhere in the country that is for tort reform? I will vote for that person if I can.

Maybe the jury of 'peers' just wanted the rich guy to pay for wrecking the Knicks franchise for hiring Isiah to run the team so this seemed like the best way to do it. That makes a lot more sense than saying Dolan is responsible for Isiah's sexual harassment.

Actually I am not upset with Dolan getting hit since he fired her obviously because she was neglecting her job to drum up support for her lawsuit. Dolan should have realized he would get busted for that but why is it 'sexual' harassment anyway? Did Isiah proposition Ms Sanders? Did he talk lewd manner to her? Did he expose himself or make suggestive comments about sexual favors for certain considerations?

No. He called her a bitch. Judging from the fact that she took him to court for doing that I think he was right but even if he wasn't that isn't sexual harassment. It is plain harassment just like cursing anyone would be.

But that is off the point. The point is how can a jury not decide that the man calling the woman a bitch isn't liable for saying it?

When juries start trying to determine what would be the most fair and who should pay regardless of who is at fault then the system is pretty broken. This trial was about a jury of peers determining that Isiah was mean to a woman but Dolan had the real money so he should pay.

Now comes the interesting part. Will David Stern punish Isiah for being found guilty of harassment or Dolan who has to pay the fine? Maybe neither person will be punished from the league. After all they aren't players so they are allowed to break the law without repercussions.

Maybe it isn't the legal system but society in general that's broken.

Around the Horn

I got a slew of quick hits and links for ya.

My goal is keep the Grizzlies as the main subject around here. But with little Grizzlies news (and only little more NBA news) to talk about I still find myself plenty saturated with sports. I echo what Spartacus said.

So I thought I would take a look at what is keeping my attention around the sports world. Hold on.

--The Patriots scandal has me fired up. And I think I am extra fired up because it is coming on the heels of the NBA ref scandal and the MLB steroid scandal (among a number of other sports scandals in cycling, racing, etc). Cheating and breaking league rules to gain a competitive advantage is not fair for the fans. I feel the amount of time I spend watching and discussing sports is wasted if the athletic competition is not on a level playing field. I'm there to see gifted athletes compete against each other honestly. I understand every team and player pushes the limits of their league rules. But I would hope when warned, they quit, and when caught, they graciously take their punishment without excuses. Back to the Patriots, I think they got off easy. Peter King, Dr. Z, and Mark Clayton agree with me. I would have liked to have seen a suspension for Belicheat. Especially in light of Wade Wilson getting 5 games.
--Greg Oden is out for the year (see below). Good news for the Grizzlies. I'm sorry to see that happen to him, though. And I don't feel very bad for the Blazers. I'm still resentful for getting #4 (instead of #2, haha). But I'll shyly admit the news didn't surprise me (wink, wink). Even without Oden though, I think the Blazers will be better than predicted. Probably better than Seattle and should-have-been #1 pick Kevin Durant.
--Which reminds me of the oh so obvious Bill Simmons article that has been posted. The Sports Guy is saying I told you so, of course Durant should have been the #1 pick. I do like his story about seeing both Oden and Durant walking down the halls at the ESPY's and how Durant glided down the hallway, while Oden staggered like 50 year old Fred Sanford.
--Enough of all of the Patriots and Oden stuff. Do you know what is really consuming my sports addicted mind? Here is a hint. Yep, that's right...
--Titans vs Colts. Noon. CBS. First home game. Defending champions. Divisional rivals. Peyton Manning. Vince Young. I am about to explode with excitement. My homer tendencies have probably blinded me. I see a Titan win. I am totally convinced. VY is not always the prettiest and most polished quarterback, but there isn't a football player in America that I trust more when a play needs to be made. Especially in big games. And this game is big. Last year the Titans played the Colts (or Clots as I like to call them) close, splitting the season series with both games decided by a 3 points or less. But that was without tag team champion cornerback Pacman Jones (2nd best cornerback and best return man in the league, IMO). I'm curious to see how the Titans new cornerbacks, former Colt Nick Harper and sophomore Cortland Finnegan, fare against Harrison and Wayne. I'm pretty confident that the Titans can win the battle between the tackles. Haynseworth will be good and pissed after his $5000 fine. The Titans have one of the most under-rated offensive lines (read this story about Roos, it is good). I like the combination of LenDale and Chris Brown. My prediction is Titans 17 - Colts 13.
--Around the NFL...Why can't the Ravens and Bears fix their offensive woes...Romeo needs to start Brady now...The Giants just have the look of a team ready to implode...In week 1 I was surprised by the amount of teams that looked worse than expected...I'm taking the Chargers against the Pats...Packers over the Giants...and Eagles over Skins...
--Some turmoil surrounding the Memphis Tigers of late. Players in a brawl and making it rain. Recruits decommitting. But I still see them being the best team in the country for most of the year and am excited about seeing them at the Forum this year. Maybe even a few Tigers-Grizzlies Saturday double-headers.
--After the opening week loss to Ole Miss, I have no idea what to expect from the Memphis Tigers football squad this year. And I'm worried about 3 games in 11 days.
--How are your fantasy teams doing? Right now my best fantasy move has been taking Andre Johnson as my #1 WR in all my leagues.
--In College Football news, I'm looking forward to the USC-Nebraska matchup Saturday night. --Put me down for Nebraska pulling off the upset.
--In MLB news, looks like the Cardinals won't push past the Brewers and Cubs.
--In Nascar news, my money is on Smoke to win the Chase.
--What sports blogs do you like to read? These 4 get a lot of my attention. Profootballtalk. AOL Fanhouse. True Hoop. All of the blogs under the SBNation banner. And in that spirit, let's take a cruise thru the sports blogsphere and see what is out there...
--Mike Conley reports that pick-up games at the Forum at heating up. I'm pumped for next season. Bring on training camp.
--Hakim Warrick reports that he is still getting his legs when playing Madden '08. Did I say that I'm pumped for next season?
--I'm enjoying the the Chris Wallace radio segments with Chris Vernon. In case you haven't heard, I'm pumped about next season. Go Grizzlies!
--I echo Henry Abbott at True Hoop about former Tiger Shawne Williams arrest. Why do it in the car? Keep the illegal drugs at home.
--Whoa, this thing is getting long. Let's quit there. Enjoy a weekend stuffed to the brim with sports. Cheer for the Titans.

Edit....a big WOW regarding the post above by Chip...much props to Chris Wallace...and Chip for getting it set up and informing us about the discussion that occurred....I can't believe I missed an opportunity to meet Chris Wallace...

Sports Overload

This is something of a random post, but I'm just about to crack. Let's review my TV viewing over the past few days:

Thursday: Louisville vs. MTSU -- absolute scoring bonanza

Friday: U.S. Open
NASCAR Busch Series race

Saturday: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt
West Virginia vs. Marshall
Nebraska vs. Wake Forest
Oregon vs. Michigan
Fresno State vs. Texas A&M
Florida State vs. UAB
South Carolina vs. Georgia
Hawaii vs. Lousiana Tech
LSU vs. Virginia Tech
U.S. Open Women's Final
PGA - BMW Championship
NASCAR Nextel Cup race
UFC 75 - highlighted by Quentin "Rampage" Jackson vs. Dan "Hollywood" Henderson

Sunday: Titans vs. Jaguars
Panthers vs. Rams
Redskins vs. Dolphins
Chargers vs. Bears
Cowboys vs. Giants
U.S. Open Men's Final
PGA - BMW Championship
Braves vs. Nationals

Needless to say, I've been living a sports fan's dream life the past few days. And I've still got Monday Night Football tomorrow to look forward to! It is entirely possible that my head will explode when basketball season starts. Training camp alone might be enough to push me over the edge.

LeBron James is not the saviour of the NBA

This isn't a post that will denounce LeBron James or his accomplishments. If that's what you're looking for, then move along. At the same time, this isn't a piece that will exalt "The King" either, so be prepared for what is to follow.

I would not even had to have seen the final game of the series between the Pistons and the Cavaliers to have known who won the next day when listening to talk radio. The effusive praise being spouted forth engulfed me like a swimming pool full of Jell-O (quite a sight to behold, by the way) -- and it all centered on one man: LBJ. "LeBron has saved the Finals", "LeBron saved the fanbase of the NBA", "LeBron has proven his doubters wrong", "This is the coming out party for LeBron". These were the things I heard over and over that morning and have continued to hear over the past few days. Well, I don't agree with all of them and I'm about to tell you why.

First, let's address the issue of LeBron "saving us" from another Spurs vs. Pistons NBA Finals. I might have been the only one who remembers what a fantastic series that was.....albeit mostly because of the outstanding final three games, since the first four were somewhat boring due to their lack of suspense. Both the Spurs and the Pistons play phenomenal fundamental team basketball -- the way basketball was meant to be played, in fact. After the lottery results were announced, some of us settled in to watch the Spurs-Jazz playoff game that followed. Time and again we were amazed at the crisp passing and movement by the Spurs on offense, as well as their ability to help each other on defense. Was it as "entertaining" as watching the Suns run and gun? No. Was it still a joy to watch a team execute plays perfectly over and over? Absolutely. The Pistons play the same way, as the Spurs, which makes for a lack of contrasting styles, but is a display of the fundamentals of basketball that has been sorely lacking for some time now. So, count me out of the group that thinks that LeBron "saved us" from something by willing his team to the Finals.

I do believe that LeBron's emergence will help create new fans, draw interest from the "casual fans" and will certainly help the television ratings, I think that Cleveland's presence in the Finals will be a short-lived blessing for them. I think that LeBron has managed to do two things that most people are not considering. He has met very high expectations.....and simultaneously raised them for the remainder of his career. Chip and I discussed this the other day, in fact. By making the Finals in only his 4th year as a pro, he has actually reached the unrealistic bar that was set for him before he even got drafted. Unfortunately for him, now the expectations are going to be raised to the point of people expecting, nay demanding a championship next season, even though he has the worst supporting cast I've seen since watching Jimmy Chitwood play for Hickory High. Larry Bird had more help at Indiana State, I think. But, if there is one thing I've come to know, it is that once you have proven you can do something, then it becomes the "new standard". If you don't believe me, look at how the expectations were raised for the Memphis Grizzlies after vaulting from 28 wins to 50 the next year. By the time the next season had begun, people were talking about title contention! Don't ever forget that the word "fan" is short for "fanatic".....and fanatics are rarely ever coherent or lucid about the things nearest and dearest to their hearts.

So having said all that, let me conclude by saying that LeBron has had a remarkable run so far this postseason and that I hope his team will have a very competitive series with San Antonio over the next few weeks. Let's not have him fitted for a new crown, robe and scepter just yet though.