The 2001 Ridiculous Upside Redraft

By Joshua Coleman

Ridiculous Upside is helping all of us hoops fanatics to pass the remainder of the offseason with a redrafting of the Class of 2001.

Washington Wizards (Bullets Forever) - Gilbert Arenas
Los Angeles Clippers (Clips Nation) - Pau Gasol

So, with the #3 pick, the Memphis Grizzlies select Joe Johnson from the University of Arkansas.


Knowing what we do about the health of Michael Dickerson, the team needs a solid backcourt player. Who better than local Little Rock, Arkansas product Joe Johnson to fit the bill with his great shooting and playmaking ability? Capable of playing and defending 3 positions, Johnson might not be a true franchise player, but he's certainly better than anyone on the Grizzlies' roster at that time. Adding him to the recently signed Jason Williams makes for an exciting backcourt with lots of fan appeal -- something that is very important in the Grizzlies inaugural season in Memphis.

Be sure to keep checking Ridiculous Upside for the rest of the 2001 Redraft.

Draft Live Blog Tonight

I will be joining a host of other quality bloggers over on Ridiculous Upside tonight to live blog the draft tonight. Drop by to see what kind of shenanigans we are up to, why don't you?

Links: Marc Gasol News, Draft Scuttlebutt

It was reported late last week that the Memphis Grizzlies had negotiated a 3-year, $9 million contract with F/C Marc Gasol, whose rights they had received in the trade that sent his brother, Pau, to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, of course this can't be entirely true, since the Grizzlies cannot officially discuss contracts with Gasol until July 1st (winkwinknodnod), but the reports continue to trickle out with Marc stating that he will be in the NBA next season.

If this is true (and I suspect that it is), then this is great news for the Grizzlies. I said a few weeks ago that Marc Gasol was the key to the offseason. The fact that he will be on board for the upcoming season and that the front office is aware of this before the draft is very good news indeed. As we get more news on this, we'll be sure to update this developing story.

USA Today has a list of the Top 5 Sleepers in the draft, including some notable names of local interst.

Check out the Mock Drafts we participated in on Ridiculous Upside and on About.com.

Mike Miller was the recipient of the NBA Community Assist Award for the month of May.

Geoff Calkins had a great column about Eric McMahon in Sunday's Commercial Appeal. It's great to see that Eric is recovering and is looking forward to returning to the role of Grizz next season.

Calkins followed that up with some humorous insight into the upcoming draft.

Make sure that you check out our much funnier, harder drinking compatriots over at the the newly formed blog The Nation of Grizzlam.

Links: Counting Down to the Draft

We participated in the Mock Draft being hosted by Ridiculous Upside today. You can click over there to find out who we selected at #5 after Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo and Eric Gordon went off the board in the first four picks. Also, check back on their site later this week to see who we take at #28.

DraftExpress has the details on who is in and who is out for the draft.

One of the players that is in, despite a knee injury, is Kansas State's Bill Walker, who the Grizzlies are reported to have some interest in. The Pistons (29th pick) are also said to be high on Walker.

Catching up with Mike Miller about the Grizzlies, Team USA and basketball clinics.

For a fantastic look at bloggers vs. traditional media on the issue of objectivity, head over to the Portland Tribune to see what Dwight Jaynes has to say about it.

Mike Kahn (FoxSports.com) says that former Grizzlies big man Pau Gasol is "in a much better place now".

Blog of the day: Eric Musselman's Basketball Blog