Tag: Memphis Grizzlies (Page 5 of 10)

      2009 NBA Preview: Southwest Division

      October 16, 2009 /

      This year, we’re doing a division-by-division preview with quick-hitting analysis for every team in the league. If a franchise is a legitimate championship contender, I’ll focus on what stars have to line up for a title run. If a team is a playoff “also-ran,” I’ll identify the weaknesses that have to be shored up via trade, free agency or draft over the next couple of seasons to make it a contender. If a team is likely to miss the playoffs, I’ll take a look at the salary cap, and provide a blueprint for how the team should proceed in the near future to get back in the postseason. At the end of each divisional preview, I’ll provide some (random) thoughts for the fantasy hoopsters out there.

      For each division, I’ll pick the order of finish. You’ll also see the team’s league-wide preseason rank in parenthesis. Be sure to check back over the course of the next couple of weeks for previews of each division.

      San Antonio Spurs (3)
      Did the Spurs do enough this summer to make another title run? On paper, it sure looks like they did. They added Richard Jefferson to shore up the small forward position, which has declined as Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen have aged. He’s a good defender, especially when he’s not asked to score 20 points a game, and the Spurs won’t put him in that position. The Spurs also signed Antonio McDyess, who is 35 years old, but was quite productive last season as he proved that he still has some gas left in the tank. San Antonio also had the luxury of a top 10 talent (DeJuan Blair) falling into its lap in the second round of the draft due to concerns about his knees, which served him quite well at Pitt. And, of course, the Spurs return their three principals. Tony Parker has developed into one of the best point guards in the game, Manu Ginobili is a clutch closer, and Tim Duncan is still Tim Duncan. Since his game isn’t dependent on athleticism, it continues to age well. The key for the Spurs is staying healthy. If Parker, Ginobili, Duncan and Jefferson are all healthy heading into the playoffs, San Antonio will be a very tough out, even for the Lakers.

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      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Iverson could miss three weeks

      October 8, 2009 /

      Per the Memphis Commercial-Appeal…

      Allen Iverson will miss three weeks with a partial tear in his left hamstring, the Grizzlies announced before Wednesday’s preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That means Iverson will be sidelined for the rest of the preseason — and his availability for the team’s regular-season opener against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 28 is in jeopardy.

      Iverson suffered the injury coming to a jump stop during the team’s open intrasquad scrimmage at Birmingham Southern College on Sunday. He said the entire back of his leg turned “black and purple,” and he underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning that revealed the damage.

      Ouch, that doesn’t sound good. The AI era in Memphis is off to an inauspicious start.

      NBA, News

      AI is headed to Memphis

      September 9, 2009 /

      Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal…

      Free-agent guard Allen Iverson informed the Grizzlies this morning that he will accept a one-year offer to bring his explosive scoring to FedExForum this season, according to an NBA source.

      Iverson’s decision came following a Monday night meeting in Atlanta with Griz owner Michael Heisley, general manager Chris Wallace and head coach Lionel Hollins. Iverson, a 34-year-old, 13-year veteran, will play for a contract that pays $3.5 million (what the Griz have left under the salary cap) and the deal will be loaded with incentives.

      Iverson confirmed his decision on Twitter.

      Iverson will join MIke Conley and O.J. Mayo in the Grizzlies’ backcourt. Coming off the bench hasn’t worked for AI in the past, so I’d expect a deal was made that would have Iverson start, likely alongside Mayo.

      AI is a veteran with a unique skill set, so the fact that he landed with the Grizzlies instead of joining a contender is a testament to the current state of the economy and his unwillingness to accept a lesser role to play for a winner.

      NBA, News

      NBA Rumors: Boozer, Gay, Monta and Rubio

      August 31, 2009 /

      Mavs interested in Boozer?

      Add the Dallas Mavericks to the list of NBA teams that were — and perhaps still are — interested in acquiring trade-craving Carlos Boozer.

      Boozer has also been rumored to be heading to New York as part of a sign-and-trade swap with David Lee.

      Rudy Gay wants to stay in Memphis.

      “I know what I can do on the basketball court,” Gay said. “Everything else will work itself out. I love Memphis. Memphis has been my home. This is where I want to be. I really believe this is where I can make big things happen for myself and the Grizzlies.

      “I like what’s happened this summer. There was definitely a lot of thought put into this offseason with all the changes. I guess we’ll know more about what the changes mean when the season starts.”

      GM Chris Wallace and Gay’s agent, Jeff Austin, haven’t gotten into specifics about what they believe to be Gay’s market value, and that’s where things usually get sticky. We’ll see if Gay’s goodwill continues as the extension negotiations continue.

      Is Monta Ellis on the trading block? Yes, according to Warriors beat writer, Tim Kawakami.

      Monta Ellis in Dallas? That I can see, if Dallas would send some short-term deals and if the Warriors would be happy taking a major talent hit just to dump Monta’s money.

      For all the energy the Warriors have placed in telling us that Monta is their centerpiece and all the sweat issued to dispute my reports that he’s unhappy… well, I could very much see Don Nelson working hard to trade Ellis.

      The Ellis-Golden State relationship has been heading south ever since Ellis’s moped accident. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Warriors traded him, though I could say that about anyone on the roster, other than Anthony Randolph, who appears to be untouchable.

      Did GM David Kahn use a second round pick to help fund Rubio’s buyout?

      On draft night, Kahn used a second-round pick to select Henk Norel, a European prospect whose selection had at least one ESPN draft analyst puzzled.

      Norel also plays for DKV Joventut.

      Might Kahn offer Rubio’s Spanish team $500,000 to buy out Norel’s contract, too, invite him to training camp and thus, in essence, fund $1 million of the buyout that way?

      Kahn is in Spain again, trying to free Ricky.

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Did the Grizzlies pick Randolph over Boozer?

      July 30, 2009 /

      If this story is true, it’s mind-boggling…

      The hottest Carlos Boozer tale to blip onto the radar this week: Sources say Memphis had the option of trading for Boozer instead of Zach Randolph earlier this month.

      Yet the Grizz decided, apparently with considerable input from coach Lionel Hollins, that Boozer would have been less than thrilled to play out the final season of his contract in Graceland, thus convincing them that Randolph — starting over for the third time — would be more productive.

      As difficult as it remains for many league observers to digest the idea that Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley felt he could no longer afford Pau Gasol but now is willing to give the combustible Randolph some $33 million over the next two seasons, there’s little doubt that Randolph will feature hugely for the Grizz next season.

      It’s not like Randolph is a guy who has been mired in a bad situation his entire career. He has been with three different teams and they all wanted to get rid of him. It’s unbelievable that the Grizzlies had a shot at Boozer and instead decided to go with Randolph, who isn’t half the player and has a far worse contract. The piece is correct — the Randolph trade makes the decision to get rid of Pau Gasol all the more insane.

      NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

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