Overpaid/Underpaid

Dave Berri, one of the masterminds behind Wages of Wins has three very interesting posts regarding who is overpaid and underpaid in the NBA using his own special brand of metrics. Naturally, many of the "underpaid" players are still on their rookie contracts, but it is an interesting read, nonetheless. Check out the three links below and draw your own conclusions, as we will be referring back to Berri's work throughout the season.

Overpaid in 2006/07

Underpaid in 2006/07

The Exploitation of Shaq

Working Out With Kyle Lowry

Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld.com caught up with Kyle Lowry and has a great article about his summer workout routine here. Here's a brief excerpt:

"There's so much you've got to do. He tells you about foot work, speed, intensity, and he pushes you to the point where you've got to go like you play every day. These guys have these jobs for a reason. He's seen it, done it all, and watched it all, so he knows exactly what you have to do to address your weaknesses and even improve your strengths."

Read the full article -- especially if you have lingering concerns about Lowry after last season's wrist injury.

Wait and See?

In an article in Sunday's Commercial Appeal, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley made this statement about this season's ticket sales:

"We're not burning down the fences -- that's for sure," Heisley said, regarding the poor showing at the FedExForum box office. "Going well would be that we're significantly increasing our ticket sales, and I haven't heard that we are."

Upon reading that article, AOL's The Fanhouse's Tom Ziller had this to say in a blog post titled "Memphis Not Excited By Grizz, Also Crazy":

It could be posturing from a reluctant owner, but Michael Heisley told the Memphis Commercial Appeal all the reforms his basketball team made have not translated to increased ticket sales this summer. If Heisley's truthful, this is sort-of depressing for me, as Memphis is probably the most interesting team in the league going into the season.

I understand the reason that Ziller is questioning why exactly fans of this new-look team haven't come out in droves to secure their place to witness one of the most intriguing teams of the upcoming season. After all, having been a frequent observer of the "slow-it-down, bore you to death" style of Mike Fratello for two seasons, almost anything would have to be more entertaining and the hiring of Marc Iavaroni, most recently of the Phoenix Suns, would be enough to send most basketball fans into an excitement induced frenzy. However, this is Memphis, and in Memphis you have to prove yourself...often more than once.

When the Grizzlies first moved to Memphis after flaming out spectacularly in Vancouver, they were not an immediate sellout hit, averaging around 14,400 fans the first year while in the Pyramid. However, they were soon over the 15,000 mark as the hiring of Hubie Brown introduced not only an entertaining brand of basketball, but the concept of winning consistently, leading to the magical 50-win season in their third year on the banks of the Mississippi River. Of course, this led to unrealistic expectations, since the Grizzlies had skipped over several steps that most young teams would have normally taken in becoming a playoff team. The jump from 28 wins to 50 wins was both a blessing and a curse in that regard.

After three trips to the playoffs and three unsatisfying sweeps, the fanbase began to complain about the style of play, the coaching, the talent level of the team and everything else you could think of, right down to the price of BBQ nachos and the choreography of the dance team. Then came Pau Gasol's injury and the Season from Hades that was the 2006/07 NBA season. So, you'll have to forgive the casual fans if they don't buy what Heisley's selling just yet. I, for one, am immeasurably excited by this team's potential in terms of talent, athleticism and growth possibility for the future. But I understand why others are hesitant to jump on the bandwagon -- they feel like they've been burned before, so I can wait for them to have things "proven" to them. I won't have to wait long though, because the bandwagon is going to fill up quickly and then it won't stop for the stragglers to find room.

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.

Darko Act I

Memphis, meet Darko Milicic.

You might have missed his initial press conference this summer. You probably wish you would have missed this story too.

Darko Milicic, the Grizzlies top free agent acquisition and 7 foot Serbian center provided his Memphis fanbase with quite the opening act.

Darko Act I featured a profanity laced tirade directed towards the refs after Serbia lost to Greece. It was, of course, in Serbian. It was not only directed at the refs, but also their families. It was nasty, viscous, appalling, inappropriate, and whatever other negative descriptor that comes to your mind. I'm leaving it up to the reader to find the translation for themselves. Google.

Naturally, Chris Wallace didn’t like what he read. I don’t like reading what he said. No sensible person would approve of what he said.

That's why it is embarrassing to admit that when I first saw the youtube clip of Darko's outburst, I was smiling and enjoying myself. Sure, that was mostly because I do not speak Serbian and had not yet read the translation. But still. My first thoughts was that if we didn't catch lightning in a bottle, we might have caught venom in a vile. And isn't that what we have always wanted next to Pau?

This isn’t the same Darko I remember. Admittedly, I did not see Darko play much in Orlando, being restricted only to the few Grizzlies games he made an appearance in. Still, this isn’t the same Darko I remember sitting on the end of the Pistons bench wearing a bandaid on his ear. This Darko is big. This Darko is mean. This Darko is pissed.

Wait. I need to remember what he actually let himself say to a bunch of reporters after a heartbreaking overtime loss. It probably can't be stressed enough that he needs to control his emotions better. He was unprofessional. Right or wrong, we expect players to play hard during the game while pushing their emotional level to the brink without going over, then after the game, be calm, professional and display role model type sportsmanship. When players do go over the edge, whether during or after the game, we then frown upon it to varying degrees. This situation isn't any different.

But screw it. I’m a homer and I don't want what looked like a great offseason tainted right now.

I want this to be a glimpse into a mean Darko who will be the teams enforcer that we’ve always wanted next to Pau (minus the vulgar content about the refs and their families of course). Someone that won't let the Mavs tip out a missed free throw in the closing minutes of a playoff game. Someone that makes opposing guards think twice before driving the lane. Someone that won't stand for Mike Miller to be elbowed in the throat (provided they aren't on the bench and it is a crucial playoff game).

Darko's low rumblings during his initial press conference reminded many Griz fans of Drago from Rocky IV. I'm not sure how this latest incident changes that comparison. Maybe a juvenile Drago.

Darko Act I: Young Drago gets mad

(Aside…Ever since Darko's press conference this summer I have had the idea that Darko would make a perfect pro wrestler. He is already known by a single name (I doubt most casual fans know his last name). He is big. He is mean. And he apparently gives pro wrestling quality backstage interviews after getting screwed by the refs. Maybe him and Pacman could be a tag-team.)

Update: Slam Online has a take on the subject.
Update 2: The always-entertaining Bethlehem Shoals weighs in.
Update 3: FIBA fines Darko $13,770.
Update 4: Chris Sheridan with a hilarious comment:

Speaking of the Serbs, by the way, we invite those not easily offended to seek out a full translation of Darko Milicic's rant against FIBA referees last week. Let's just say the rant is so vicious, we will no longer be accepting nominations for this year's version of the Tim Duncan I Hate FIBA award. In fact, we'll go so far as to say Darko's rant will set the standard for ref-bashing for decades to come. Yes, it was that bad.

Sean Deveney interviews Marc Iavaroni

You can check out the whole interview on Yahoo! Sports. Here's a brief snippet:

SN: I want to talk about your point guards. You are young at the position. And Damon Stoudamire is 34. What level of discomfort does that give you?

MI: We'll have to see. Younger players, you have to be patient. We'll help them, but we want them to make tough decisions under fire. We are not going to spoon-feed these guys.

SN: Are you approaching the point guard spot as an open competition?

MI: I think I have to. To have credibility, I have to tell them what we see as their strengths and how we are going to use them and let them go out and play.

SN: One of the negative things that has hung over the team is whether Pau Gasol has asked for a trade. Have you been able to address that head-on?

MI: Yeah, after my press conference, I was on a plane within 48 hours to go meet with him. It was well worth it. I listened to him, he listened to me. We came out of it knowing we would have very good communication.

I thought it was a good "cover all bases" interview from Sean Deveney (admittedly not one of my favorite sports writers) that touched on some key issues without delving too deeply into any hot-button topics. A nice introduction of Coach Iavaroni to the fans....even if his name is misspelled in the headline.

Navarro to miss 1st round of European Championships

From Yahoo! Sports:

Spain will be without shooting guard Juan Carlos Navarro for the first round of the European basketball championships because of a muscle tear in his right leg.

"This is really a setback, having really worked hard over the past month," said Navarro, who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA. "But I'm not worried. We've got enough players to replace me."

Navarro will miss Spain's Group A opener against Portugal, as well as matches against Latvia and Croatia.

On Sunday, Toronto Raptors guard Jorge Garbajosa was cleared to play with Spain after recovering from leg and ankle injuries.

Before Grizzlies fans get worried about another injury affecting a season in light of Pau Gasol injury in the semifinal of the World Championships last summer, this injury seems to be minor and he should be 100% healthy by training camp.

In other news, Mike Miller played well for Team USA in helping them to resounding victory in the FIBA Americas tournament. However, it seems likely that Miller will not be part of the Olympic team next summer, as other "bigger name" players will be healthy at that time. That's unfortunate, since Miller provided the one thing that other American teams had lacked in recent international competition: outside shooting. If replaced with Dwyane Wade, the team will be left with Michael Redd as its lone "designated shooter". That could allow teams to once again collapse on the lane and force the Americans to have other, less capable players fire from the perimeter. Time will tell if this potential switch will come back to haunt USA Basketball.

Is Miller worth it?

I agree with PMI about Miller being overpaid. 9 million a year is too much for player that's inconsistent, unreliable, chokes in the playoffs, and basicallly doesn't know how to step up his game when needed.

from Lincoln Mark LT on the Memphis Grizzlies Message Board

When I read comments like this I wonder what people are thinking.

Mike Miller was just selected for the USA basketball team that qualified for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He was one of 12 players selected from the entire country to be on that team. Not only that but he was the lowest paid player on a veteran's contract on the team. Was he the best player on the team? No, he was probably closer to 12th than 10th but he was still good enough to be selected. After all he did finish up with the 7th highest scoring average on the team despite playing the 2nd fewest minutes.

Not bad for an overpaid, inconsistent, unreliable, chokes in the playoffs player who doesn't step up his game when needed.

What is sad is that these comments are being made by one of the people who should be most enthusiastic for Mike. He was acquired for Drew Gooden and Gordan Giricek after all and neither of those players will ever be selected for the USA national team backup squad much less the national team. Of course Giricek isn't a USA citizen but if he was he wouldn't be selected anyway.

Miller has given Memphis everything he has for the team. He throws his body after loose balls, he plays 3 positions when asked and never complains. He plays hurt. He has one of the sweetest outside shots in the game.

He isn't the type of player that creates his own shot but he is the type who will punish a team for not giving him respect. Most importantly he is a Memphis Grizzly. He's one of us. He deserves better from the fans.

August 2, 2005 - A Day to Remember or Forget?

August 2, 2005 was a strange day for most Memphis Grizzlies fans. That was the day that Pat Riley and Jerry West partnered up with a few other GM's in the largest trade in NBA history. Gone from the Memphis Grizzlies were Jason Williams and James Posey, two players who were on the expensive side, from the Grizzlies 50 win season of a year before and in was Eddie Jones, an extremely overpaid and over the hill player.

What was the catch? Had West totally lost his mind? Was he senile? Was he rewarding Riley for his success in L.A.? Surely the Grizzlies were not trading away two important players in their primes from the Grizzlies back-to-back playoff teams for an ancient player.

Miami went on to win the NBA Championship that season and, while the Grizzlies did win the 2nd most games in franchise history, they were swept out of the playoffs again without winning a single game.

In the 2006-07 season, Eddie Jones complained about injury after injury before finally getting bought out of his huge contract and re-signing with the Miami Heat. Abruptly his troublesome injuries were behind him too. It appeared that not only had Memphis traded away the final pieces for an NBA title, but they had nothing to show for it after 18 months while Miami was holding all of the players and a world championship as well!

But nothing was the most important part of the trade as far as Jerry West was concerned.

‘Nothing’, as in the Grizzlies had ‘nothing’ in salary cap issues this summer. ‘Nothing’, as in the Grizzlies had ‘nothing’ in the locker room stirring up trouble and undermining team direction. ‘Nothing’ as in the Grizzlies had nothing holding them back from remaking the franchise and moving forward again after apparently hitting a wall as far as improvement was concerned.

Jerry West was convinced that the team as it was constructed would never improve beyond a 1st rd playoff exit. Something drastic had to be done. And he did about as drastic a trade as one could imagine changing things around.

Most trades take years to evaluate on who actually won or lost. The reasons for trades can be different and the time frame can radically alter the end result of a move. Right now Miami has seen the total benefit of the trade. They won one world championship (mostly in spite of JWill and Posey not because of them). Now the Heat are looking to re-fill the void from Posey’s signing with Boston while searching for a replacement for a suddenly old Jason Williams.

Memphis on the other hand signed Darko Milicic with their free cash. The release of Eddie Jones gave rookie SG Tarence Kinsey court time to develop. The need to fill the PG position allowed the drafting of Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry.

The Heat wanted to win now and did. The Grizzlies wanted to rebuild the team and eliminate the cap overhand that was costing the franchise millions in Luxury Tax every year. The Grizzlies have accomplished what they wanted from the trade and they did it with only one bad season.

So far the trade is still slanted in Miami’s favor, but as teams continue to pass over Miami in the Eastern Conference and Memphis grows younger, faster and more talented it appears to be only a matter of time before August 2, 2005 will be the day Memphis fans point to as the beginning of the Memphis success story.

Position Battles - Wing Players

Marc Iavaroni has stated that he is going to break down the team into Wing Players and Interior players. I already created a sub-set of Point Guards but I am not going to subdivide the Wing Players any further.

Memphis entered the summer with a need in perimeter shooting with Chucky Atkins being a UFA and unlikely to resign with the team. 3-point shooting was designated an as important a hole to fill as point guard and interior presence. Chris Wallace's draft pick filled the PG role but not the 3-point shooting gap. That he addressed with the FA signings of Casey Jacobsen and Juan Carlos Navarro. They join Mike Miller, Tarence Kinsey and Rudy Gay as the Wing Players on the team. How well this group meshes together and functions under Iavaroni's system will determine if the Grizzlies are praying for playoff success or counting ping pong balls next summer.

The Wing Men...

Rudy Gay was the last major player acquisition of Jerry West's tenure in Memphis. At 6-9 and able to leap with the best in the league, Rudy struggled early but definitely showed the city why West gave up one of the most popular players in team history in Shane Battier to acquire him. Rudy finished 3rd in voting for Rookie of the Year and his personality made him a fan favorite as well.

Mike Miller is the most likely starter among the group after earning a spot on the Dream Team 2007 roster this summer. It's hard to imagine that Mike could be chosen among the 12 roster spots to represent the USA and not be a starter on the Grizzlies. The problem is, with Rudy Gay starting as well, the Grizzlies bench will be short and thin with the two biggest players starting.

Tarence Kinsey joined Rudy Gay with ROY accolades as he won Rookie of the Month in the Western Conference to end the season. After Mike was shelved to rest his knees TK went crazy averaging 18.8 ppg in April along with 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 2.6 spg. Kinsey will also be a restricted free agent this summer so he can't afford to rest on his laurels quite yet. He needs a strong season to cement his future financial security. One troubling situation was a bruised shoulder in summer league play. With his wiry frame TK needs to prove he can handle pain better than he did in Vegas as well as extending his range to the 3-point line to earn those minutes this year. Just because he finished last season strong doesn't mean he is out of the woods yet.

Juan Carlos Navarro is the wild card on the Grizzlies team. La Bomba as he is known in Spain has always been able to score. Whether hitting the 3-point shot or delivering his ridiculously effective lob shot in the lane (which is where the nickname comes from not his long distance shots) Navarro has scored at every level of play including putting up good numbers against AI and the 76ers last summer. The problem is that at 6-3, he is short for a traditional wing player role and not fast enough to play the point in the NBA. He should see time at both spots but defense is going to be a question Navarro has to answer before getting serious court time.

Casey Jacobsen has drifted from the NBA to the Spanish League to the German league before finally finding the success that was expected of him coming out of Stanford. A long range shooting threat with poor defensive skills and slow of foot, Casey needs picks to get open and won't beat anyone off the dribble. Other than that he is an excellent ball player. He has smarts and a dead eye but not enough physical ability to parlay that into success on this scale.

So what is going to happen? Tough to say. There is a good argument for doing the obvious and start Rudy Gay with Mike Miller. After all they are the most accomplished and well rounded players among the group, they have played together the most and can rebound the best among the group. Of course, that leaves the bench with players who haven't got the experience, rebounding ability nor talent. The argument could go that Miller should be the 6th man ala Manu Ginobili because he has shown he is capable of coming off the bench and it doesn't matter who starts but who finishes anyway but who would start? Kinsey is the better defender but moving Miller to the bench means no one off the bench is good defensively. Casey Jacobson should never start in the NBA so that leaves Juan Carlos Navarro. Navarro has the least NBA experience, is too short to guard most of the SG's in the league and hasn't proved he can get his shot off in the NBA yet. Still he is Gasol's best friend and it might not take long to prove he can play at this level and at 27 years old he is experienced even if it isn't in the NBA.

My bet is the season begins with Miller and Gay starting, but if the bench struggles then don't be surprised to see Miller moved to the bench and either Kinsey or Navarro moving into the starting 5.

Damon Stoudamire hints at future trade possibilities

Earlier today, the following story was posted in the Tucson Citizen:

Former UA All-American Damon Stoudamire says he's as healthy as he's been
in some time and is getting ready for another season in the NBA, his 13th.

But he'd also like to play for a winner.

"Hopefully I can get out of Memphis - that rebuilding process is
hard,'' he said Sunday, after he scored 21 points in the Lute Olson Classic.
"I've got to be professional but it's one of those situations where you never
think you'll be in. You want to get put in a situation where you want to win.
Individually things don't matter.''

Stoudamire, who turns 34 next month, still has two years left on his
contract that pays him $4 million a season. "I'm going to keep my fingers
crossed (about being moved) but I'm not going to make any demands or nothing,''
he said.

"Anybody who's been in my position knows. You see the writing on the
wall so I'm hoping at the end of the day we can work something out.''

There are a few things that can be gathered from these comments. First, Damon would like to play for a proven winner. Well, who wouldn't? There are very few players that are content to just waste year after year suiting up for a perpetual loser (other Jerome James). So, that is an understandable position to take. Second, Damon feels that he can contribute and doesn't look forward to being the potential 3rd string PG behind two young unproven players. That is also reasonable, seeing as how Damon probably felt assured that he'd be the starter in Memphis for the remainder of his contract prior to his injury two seasons ago. Lastly, Damon sees the potential to becoming unhappy in Memphis, but is not demanding a trade, or even requesting one. That's a smart position, and we're about to examine why.

Damon knows that not only would it be foolish to demand a trade, but it would seriously derail any possibility of him going anywhere anytime soon. Here's why: Damon is coming off two injury-marred seasons and there isn't anyone willing to take on the 2 years and $8 million remaining on his contract until he proves that he is, in fact, as healthy as he claims to be. That means he's looking at a mid-season trade at the soonest. That timeline works out pretty well, because if he proves he's capable of still contributing to a team and either Conley or Lowry show that they are ready to handle the role of starter, then something can probably be worked out to send him to a "winner". Until that happens, he's not going anywhere though. The Grizzlies would be unwise to send him out with only rookies left on the depth chart and prospective teams would be crazy to trade for him until he proves that he is back to 100%. All in all, this story sounds like much ado about nothing on a slow news day for the NBA.

Players to keep an eye on (Part 2)

In Part 1, I looked at a few players that the Grizzlies could acquire at some point this season, in an effort to offload either Damon Stoudamire, Stromile Swift or both. Now, I want to take a look at some players that the Grizzlies organization might want to keep tabs on, as they will be free agents over the next 3 seasons. I won't be discussing any big names, because everyone already knows the book on them and the cash it will require to sign them. I'll also be using the dates that these players become unrestricted free agents, because we all know that it is typically futile to attempt to sign a restricted free agent to a reasonable contract.

2008 Free Agents

Chris Duhon (PG - Chicago Bulls) -- Could be a great backup PG if Ben Gordon presses the issue about starting in Chicago, leading to even fewer minutes for Duhon. Also, Memphis might be ready to move either Conley or Lowry if the other proves capable of being the definitive "PG of the future" this season, leaving room for an experienced player to fill.

Ryan Gomes (F - Minnesota Timberwolves) -- A solid player with a high basketball IQ, Gomes has a good all-around game. He's also the type of player that championship-level teams covet, so there will probably be a lot of competition for his services.

Francisco Elson (C - San Antonio Spurs) -- A capable backup, who can provide enough to allow Darko/Pau a few extra minutes rest over the long haul of the regular season.

Chris Quinn (G - Miami Heat) -- If the Grizzlies are successful at finding a trade partner to take Damon Stoudamire, but still have both Conley and Lowry, they'd likely want a low-priced option in case of injury. Quinn hasn't been provided with much of an opportunity to play, but his 3:1 assist to turnover ratio in 9.6 MPG last season is encouraging.

Walter Herrmann (F- Charlotte Bobcats) -- I already detailed him in Part 1, but if a trade fails, there is a chance that he could be signed outright in the offseason.

2009 Free Agents

Josh Childress (G/F - Atlanta Hawks) -- He's a little more well-known than most of the players on this list, but I see this as a move contingent upon one of two circumstances coming to fruition. If Rudy/Tarence/Navarro fail to develop as a consistent NBA starter that fit in with Iavaroni's system or if Mike Miller's production falls off over the next two seasons, then Childress is a player I'd like the Grizzlies to look at pursuing as an unrestricted free agent.

Chris Wilcox (F/C - Seattle SuperSonics) -- A solid, if unspectacular post player, Wilcox could be a player to pursue if Darko doesn't quite pan out. He'd be a nice complement to Gasol, providing an intimidating presence in the paint.

Trevor Ariza (SF - Orlando Magic) -- Similar to the scenario I laid out with Josh Childress, Ariza could be a nice player to add if our young players don't develop. Ariza could also be a solid primary backup if the Grizzlies shorten their roster as the Suns have done of the past few seasons.

2010 Free Agents

David Lee (F - New York Knicks) -- Probably nothing more than a pipe dream, as he is already one of the most efficient players in the NBA, but he exemplifies the kind of player that title contenders usually have on their roster.

Mouhamed Saer Sene (C - Seattle SuperSonics) -- Having drafted a center three consecutive years means that one of them won't be resigned when it comes time for extensions to be handed out. If the Grizzlies cannot trade for Sene, then signing the player who could be another Desagana Diop would be ideal. A raw shotblocker, Sene might develop some rebounding skills over the next few seasons. If nothing else, it is always nice to have a defensive minded center laying around.

Those are the players that I would keep an eye on to chart their development and production. If there is anyone that I have missed or that should be reconsidered, feel free to mention them in the Comments.

Players to keep an eye on (Part 1)

As we inch ever closer to training camp and prepare to call to completion yet another offseason, I thought we'd look into the future to identify some players that the Grizzlies should keep an eye on. These players will fall into 2 groups: players who can be traded for this season, players who will be free agents in 2008, 2009 and 2010. If we've come to understand anything about NBA transactions so far, it is that you have to keep one eye on the present, one eye on the future and both hands on the wheel. That means that you cannot get too caught up in what occurs every day on the practice court and in games, and subsequently lose sight of the bigger picture. By the same token, you cannot mortgage your team's future for the sake of "one big chance" at a title unless that risk gives you a shot at winning a title over a 3 year period. Winning titles is the goal, just in case anyone has forgotten. With that in mind, here are the players that I think could upgrade the talent level of the Grizzlies or provide them with more cap space to pursue free agents over the next two offseasons.

Players available in a trade this season
We know that the Grizzlies would likely have little to no problem with parting ways with Damon Stoudamire or Stromile Swift at some point this season. Those two players provide the basis for whom I will be looking at and evaluating, as there are a few teams looking for help at PG and in the frontcourt. Without taking a horrendous contract in return, there is no way to move Brian Cardinal, so don't even bother suggesting it in the Comments.

Walter Herrmann (F - Charlotte Bobcats) -- The Bobcats have one real PG under contract (Raymond Felton) after letting Brevin Knight sign with the Clippers. They could use a player like Damon Stoudamire (with a future 2nd round pick added if necessary) to allow Felton a breather each game, and possibly a night off here and there. Herrmann proved to be a valuable player last season, showing a surprising ability to score after Gerald Wallace suffered a season-ending injury, allowing the Argentine to move into the starting lineup for the final 12 games of the season and post the following stats in that span: 19.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, .585 FG%, .483 3PT%, .789 FT% in 37 MPG. The BETcats went 7-5 in the games he started. Charlotte might be willing to part with him, given the amount of frontcourt talent they have and the dearth of help they have at the PG position.

Donyell Marshall (F - Cleveland Cavaliers) -- The Cavs have a similar issue at PG, but are also reportedly looking to add interior help, so either Damon or Stro could potentially land this versatile forward who has seen his minutes dwindle despite relatively steady production. He's always been a 3-point threat and has grabbed double-digit rebounds in two of his 13 seasons, the most recent being 2003/04. He's a capable performer off the bench and has two years remaining on his contract, during which time he would likely be of more value that Damon.

Eduardo Najera (F - Denver Nuggets) -- A dirty player? Only if he's playing for the other team. He's a gritty hustle player, which the Grizz have been missing since Shane Battier was traded away and Brian Cardinal forgot to bring his knee ligaments with him to the arena. The Nuggets allowed Steve Blake to leave in free agency, leaving them with Allen Iverson, Chucky Atkins and the relic that used to be Anthony Carter manning the point. Don't be surprised if they start looking for some insurance at that position by mid-season, giving Memphis the opportunity to send Damon their way. Najera's contract expires at the end of the season, making it a win-win situation no matter how well he plays.

Kwame Brown (FC - L.A. Lakers) -- Yeah, he's a bust, but you're missing the point here: $9,075,000 of expiring contract. That's very close to the combined salaries of Damon and Stro ($10.15 million). The Lakers are another team with a potential lack of PG's, with Jordan Farmar and Derek Fisher (who has always played like a SG) the only guys on the roster that don't have that "R for Rookie" designation by their names. I know that this is true for the Grizzlies as well, with Conley, Lowry and Navarro all being rookies for all intents and purposes, but I'd be willing to roll the dice to get rid of those two contracts in exhange for cap space next offseason. Another player like Maurice Evans might be included to make the salaries work. Who knows, they might throw in Marc Gasol to make the deal work......just kidding.

Ricky Davis.......or maybe not. I wouldn't mind taking the "Grizzly Killer" off the market and then have him become the towel boy, but that's about the only way I'd want to trade for him.

Other players I considered, but didn't deem realistic acquisitions: John Salmons, Josh Childress, Jeff Foster, Francisco Elson, and Mouhamed Sene.

That left me with four players that I can see being legitimately moved this season that our two veterans could potentially land. I'll tackle the upcoming free agent markets in my next post.

Position Battles - Point Guards

This may be a bit too early to really discuss. After all Pau Gasol hasn't made it thru the summer FIBA exhibition games yet much less the actual tournament in September and this season we have Darko, Navarro and Miller all competing in FIBA events as well.

However this year appears to be shaping up to be the most competitive camp in team history. Not since Billy Knight and Sydney Lowe had rookies Shane Battier and Pau Gasol in camp with newcomers Jason Williams and Lorenzen Wright have their been so many new faces with opportunities to start entering training camp. Looking at the positional breakdowns in a different light than the simplistic PG, SG, SF, PF and C battles reveals a myraid of optional lineups that could and most likely will start at different points of the season.

Marc Iavaroni believes in running positions as two areas of focus: Interior players and wing players. I will be looking at positional battles over the next few weeks in this manner except the Point Guard position which will be broken out seperately. I will also overlap certain players into different groups. This is done to fully cover the possibilities.

So here they are...

Point Guards

Outside of Damon Stoudamire the Grizzlies 3 other point guards have a total of 10 games of NBA experience and Damon Stoudamire while essentially the returning starter probably won't be competing for the starting role this season. With Kyle Lowry healed from his broken wrist, top draft pick Mike Conley, Jr and Pau's best friend Juan Carlos Navarro all available to play the point and the oldest of these players being 6 years younger than Damon there doesn't appear to be much chance the veteran will be on the court after November and only a slim chance before then. Damon came to Memphis to replace JWill and provide leadership and experience to the point. He can still do that now but instead of leading on the court, he will need to lead in practice. Damon will have to help the young guns to learn the NBA game fast if the Grizzlies are going to have a successful season.

The real battle appears on paper to be Kyle Lowry vs Mike Conley.

Lowry has the quicker hands and more physical style that will frustrate oppenents attempting to drive into the lane against the Grizzlies. He also has a great nose for the ball and no fear in attacking to get it. His 3.1 rpg and 1.4 spg last season can attest to that. However that was accomplished in limited minutes and in limited games. If Kyle Lowry played 48 minutes a night he would average 8.5 rpg. Of course he would only last about 9 games that way before dying from exhaustion as well. Kyle's biggest weakness is his outside shot which was terrible last year (36.8% from the floor).

Mike Conley is faster, a better playmaker and can jump higher than Lowry but he has no outside shot either, is to thin to be a physical player and two years ago was preparing for his senior season in high school. Conley appears to have the tools to be an excellent point guard but you have to wonder how prepared he is for life in the NBA. Rookie point guards have a history of struggling in the NBA and those who have succeeded were more experienced and polished entering the league. Conley's main drawback outside of his age is his lack of an outside shot but that is somewhat mitigated by his speed with the ball. That extra speed should allow him to get past his initial defender and into the paint where his passing and rainbow shot are more effective.

The wild card is La Bomba, Juan Carlos Navarro. Navarro is spoken of as more of a shooting guard than a point guard but he does have a nice passing game for a shooter and should be able to fill the role in emergency situations. He is the only potential PG who actually could create fear at the 3 pt line also. Previous Iavaroni coached teams had Steve Nash, Mark Price and Tim Hardaway at the point so he can appreciate the impact a shooter can have on a team from the outside. Navarro could struggle learning the NBA game after establishing himself in the Spanish and European leagues but having Pau Gasol and Damon Stoudamire around could soften the blow somewhat.

So what will happen?

I previously thought that Damon would be the starter because of his experience. After watching the summer league games I became convinced that Mike Conley was the man with his superior ability to get others involved. Wait until after the FIBA Europe tournament and I may be singing Navarro's praise. In other words this competition is honestly wide open. Damon has to have the inside track as his knee should be fully recovered from his patella tendon injury and while old and slow he is still the only experienced point guard on the team and opening night is against Tony Parker, the reigning NBA Finals MVP. Somehow I don't see Iavaroni starting the matchup with a rookie.

Next review will be Wing Players

Conceding Conference Championship to the Celtics? Not so fast.

I've seen it said on several websites, blogs and message boards that the Celtics are all but guaranteed to win the Eastern Conference, if not the NBA Championship. While they have accumulated an enormous amount of talent with their own "Big Three", I'm not quite prepared to just hand the Larry O'Brien to them just yet. I'm fully aware that they aren't done making moves and signing players, but since it is their Triumverate that has everyone so excited, let's take a look at how the Big Three really stack up against the rest of the East and break things down, shall we?

Detroit Pistons - Perhaps the best team in the East over the past 5 years, although they only have one title to show for it. Known for their defensive prowess, they proved it last season by holding Garnett to 16.5 PPG on .354 FG% (two games) and Allen to a .292 FG% in their only meeting. It should also be noted that the Celtics have no one to stop the offensive exploits of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton. Star power or not, I have to give the edge in this matchup to the Pistons.

Chicago Bulls - Another fine defensive team, they held Pierce to 13.3 PPG on .318 FG% (3 games), Allen to .321 FG% (one game) and Garnett to .395 FG% (two games) last season. The common refrain I've heard is that each of these players were the only "serious threat" on their teams, making it easier to key in on them. Well, that may have been the case last year, but with Hinrich, Nocioni, Deng and Big Ben manning the fort, I doubt they will find the prospect of facing the denizens of the Windy City any more welcoming. Hyperactive jumping beans Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah are sure to grab most of the loose balls within the zip code, limiting KG's dominance of the boards, as well. Plus, their defensive deficiencies will show up as a glaring weakness when Ben Gordon comes off the bench to light up the scoreboard. Edge: Bulls.

Toronto Raptors - With their uptempo pace and decided advantage in the youth/fresh legs department, it is hard not to like the chances of the Raptors vs. the aging Celtics. They managed to hold Garnett to .341 FG% last season in two meetings (both wins over the T'Wolves). The frontcourt of Bosh, Bargnani, Garbajosa and Nesterovic frustrated KG to no end, which is no great surprise since Bosh has developed into a younger, left-handed version of "The Big Ticket". The Raptors have had difficulty covering Pierce and Allen, but I think that this could prove to be a very close playoff series, were it to occur next May/June.

New Jersey Nets - Vince Carter vs. Ray Allen = Draw. Richard Jefferson vs. Paul Pierce = Draw. Kevin Garnett vs. Nenad Krstic/Jamaal Magloire/Josh Boone = KG. Jason Kidd vs. Anybody on the roster or that they might sign = Huge edge to Kidd. The Point Guard position is something that cannot be ignored, especially when you consider that the Celtics have Rajon Rondo and virtually no one else capable of playing that spot. Kidd's leadership and playmaking could turn this potential playoff series.

Miami Heat - Who's gonna stop Dwyane Wade? Who can contend with the Diesel...even at half-speed? Their PG situation is still shaky, but against the Celtics that's not a huge concern, now is it? If they can avoid the injury bug that torpedoed their season last year, then they could be right back in the thick of a title hunt as Shaq, Zo, Penny and GP look to ride off into the sunset. This is a tough matchup for the top teams in the West, so it goes without saying that the Celtics would have their hands full in a series with the former champs.

Cleveland Cavaliers - You didn't think that I'd forgotten about the defending conference champs, did you? While I don't believe that they'll be able to repeat last year's success, I think we've all seen that LeBron James has proven capable of being a one-man wrecking crew in the playoffs -- even against the best defensive teams in the East. The Celtics are not going to be a great defensive team, so it would surprise no one if LBJ reprises the role he played so masterfully in leading the Cavs to the NBA Finals.

That makes six teams that I believe are capable of beating the Celtics in a 7 game series in the postseason. Their defensive inadequacies and gaping hole at PG are going to be a huge roadblock for their title aspirations. I didn't even broach the subject of Head Coach Doc Rivers -- but it wouldn't surprise me to see Danny Ainge pull a Pat Riley and take over on the bench at some point this season. Of course, I could be wrong and the Celtics could be returned to their former status as one of the premier teams in the NBA by winning a title (or two). As they say, that's why they play the games.