Grizzlies News and Features

Grizzlies announce Summer League schedule and roster

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:40 GMT

The Grizzlies announced the clubs summer league roster, headlined by 2009 draft selections Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young along with Grizzlies veterans Darrell Arthur and Hamed Haddadi, July 12-19.

Letting the dust settle on the 2009 NBA Draft, by Chris Avis

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:24 GMT

The NBA Draft is like a wild-west shootout. It takes a little while for the dust to settle and figure our which teams are still standing and which teams went the way of Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen. To see how the professional NBA scribes viewed the Grizzlies draft, Chris Herrington summed up the reaction already. I spent way too much time reading trade rumors over the last month. I feel so stupid for getting sucked into these trade articles every year near the trade deadline and near the draft. I probably could've learned a foreign language or built a house over the last month if I focused on that half as much as I spent reading Chad Ford and Hoops Hype. Without further ado, here’s my 2009 NBA Draft thoughts: A lot of people assumed Ricky Rubio was the consensus number 2 pick and had a significant amount of trade value. When the Grizzlies passed on him, it wasn’t that shocking. However, when Rubio fell to 5, it showed that there weren’t many teams out that they wanted him. Four teams were okay passing him up, and other teams didn’t offer much for him. Given Rubio’s complaints after the draft, it’s clear that he and his agent did the opposite of selling him to teams over the past month. Whoops. Anyone that defends Minnesota taking two point guards with their two lottery picks should be committed. I understand Minnesota’s rationale to get two top 6 picks, but didn’t Rubio and Stephen Curry seem like the perfect backcourt? You have the slick passer and the sharpshooter. I was already putting Minnesota on my “teams to watch next year.” When’s the last time that was said? And then, they go and draft Jonny Flynn. The highest of comedies ensued at the draft party I was at. When Ty Lawson was taken with their 3rd first-round pick, I was laughing hysterically until the trade with Denver was announced. The Spurs somehow lucked into DeJuan Blair. Even if he does have ACL problems, they really only need him to be a significant contributor over the course of the next two seasons, which seems pretty reasonable. I’m scared of a Duncan, Blair, Jefferson, Ginobili and Parker lineup. I was glad to see Oklahoma City take James Harden. I’m just not that impressed with him and wouldn’t be surprised if Thabo Sefolosha played more minutes next season. My boy (used loosely) Tyreke Evans went to the Kings. Between him and Kevin Martin, there won’t be many shots left to go around. Get ready to start rebounding Jason Thompson. Earl Clark is going to be the surprise of the first round if Steve Nash truly maximizes the potential of his teammates. Austin Daye will be a bust. I don’t trust any “power” forward that weighs less than Calista Flockhart. And, last by not least, what I think of the Grizzlies draft. I understand the idea behind drafting Thabeet. The Grizzlies need an interior presence on the defensive end. Thabeet isn’t the compliment to Marc Gasol, but having Gasol will give the Grizzlies an added luxury of not putting too much pressure on the #2 draft pick right away. If Thabeet develops like you hope that he does, Marc Gasol could be used as a very valuable trade piece down the line. (It pains me to talk about Gasol and trade for the obvious reasons and also because Marc is probably my favorite Grizzly). I don’t know too much about DeMarre Carroll other than he took out my beloved Tigers in the NCAA tournament. Carroll will most likely be the 3rd string PF this year, but he provides insurance in case Hak doesn’t come back. Sam Young was on my sleeper list so I was glad to nab him. He should be ready to contribute immediately. Lastly, Darko was sent to the NY Knicks for Quentin Richardson. The Darko era was a short one, but provided many humorous moments (the shirt rip being at the top). Alas, the Darko-Marko time together will be remembered as a duo that was broken up before its time. Here’s how I see the Grizzlies depth chart for next season. C – Gasol/Thabeet/Haddadi PF – Arthur/Warrick/Carroll SF – Gay/Young/Carroll SG – Mayo/Richardson/Young PG – Conley/Jaric/Mayo Free agency could shake things up a bit and I could see the Grizzlies trying to upgrade the backup point guard position and either address the PF situation by resigning Hakim or going after someone else. Our bench is a vast improvement already over last year’s squad. I see Carroll and Young as high-energy guys that can come in and disrupt opponents. Regardless of whether Gasol or Thabeet starts, whichever comes off the bench should be the best bench Center in the league. And Q-Rich gives the bench a legitimate scorer and three-point shooter. (Sorry Greg Buckner).

Grizzlies welcome Draft picks to Memphis

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:07 GMT

Grizzlies Majority Owner Michael Heisley, Chris Wallace and Lionel Hollins introduced newly-acquired Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet (2nd), forward DeMarre Carroll (27th) and swingman Sam Young (36th) to local media and Grizzlies Season Ticket Holders on

Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo to participate in USA Basketball National Team mini-camp in Las Vegas

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:33 GMT

Grizzlies players Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo were two of 25 rising NBA stars invited to participate in the 2009 USA Basketball Mens National Team mini-camp that will be held July 22-25 in Las Vegas, Nev. The selections were announced today by USA Basketball

Grizzlies select Hasheed Thabeet with No. 2 Pick in 2009 NBA Draft

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:22 GMT

The Memphis Grizzlies selected University of Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet (Ha-SHEEM THA-beet) with the second overall pick, Missouri forward DeMarre Carroll (duh-MAR-ray) with the 27th pick and Pittsburgh swingman Sam Young with the 36th pick in the

Grizzlies select Thabeet with No. 2 Pick, by LT

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:15 GMT

Post-Draft interview with Hasheem Thabeet “We are very excited about the draft,” Wallace said. “Hasheem Thabeet is the best defensive center this franchise has had since its inception. We felt that a player of his size and defensive capability doesn’t come waltzing down Beale Street every year to play for us. We had to take him. Read comments from Hasheem Thabeet. “We are very excited about the arrival of these three players and feel they are going to make a big impact on our defense, toughness and athleticism as well as bolster our bench.” Thabeet, the 2008-09 Big East Co-Player of the Year along with Pittsburgh’s DeJuan Blair, led Connecticut in rebounding (10.9), blocked shots (4.2, second in the nation) and field goal percentage (.643) in guiding the Huskies to their first Final Four appearance since 2004. A finalist this season for the Oscar Robertson and Naismith National Player of the Year Awards, he also captured the Big East Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second-straight season, making him the first player to win the award in consecutive years since UConn’s Emeka Okafor (2003, 2004), who was chosen second overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 NBA Draft. The 7-3, 263-pound defensive anchor leaves Connecticut ranked second on the all-time Big East blocks list (243) behind Patrick Ewing and holds the conference’s single-season record for swats in league games (94 in 2007-08), besting the old record (93) previously held by Georgetown’s Alonzo Mourning. Read comments from Coach Hollins. | Read comments from Chris Wallace.

Lionel Hollins 2009 NBA Draft Night Quotes

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:44 GMT

Hasheem Thabeet 2009 NBA Draft Night interview and quotes

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:36 GMT

Chris Wallace 2009 Draft Night audio and quotes

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:18 GMT

Media interview with Michael Heisley, by Matt Tumbleson

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:10 GMT

Grizzlies Majority Owner Michael Heisley spoke with media following the final Grizzlies Draft Workout on June 24. Here's what he had to say: What are your thoughts on the Draft at this point “My thoughts are that we have a lot of work left to do. We have a lot of people on the telephone, and people keep asking me who we’re going to draft. We have some people we like, but the point is we continue to talk to people because we don’t know what the deal is going to be when we finally make the pick. I’d like to tell you who that will be, but I’m not sure who it’s going to be.” How wild has it been over the last 48 hours? “You saw today, somebody traded the No. 5 pick, Washington did, and a lot of other trades are going on. I think a lot of people are trying to position themselves and a lot trying to get down into cap room. A lot of teams are looking into next year’s free-agency. There’s a lot of maneuvering going around. A lot of people never understood that what one team is looking to do with their team, another team is looking to do something else. All of that plays into it. This is the absolutely, far and away the most active time in the NBA for trading and everything else. I’m not going to sit down and tell you who we’re going to draft because I really, honestly don’t know who we’re going to pick. If you had asked me last year whether we would have picked O.J. Mayo at this point, he wasn’t even on our radar screen. We were trying to get Beasley, and we didn’t get Beasley, we ended up getting O.J. Mayo. And we are very happy with that trade and I’m Minnesota is as well because Love is a tremendous player there also.” How in any way did yesterday’s trade affect you with what you’re trying to do? “I mean I don’t know. It really depends on what Minnesota and those other teams are trying to do. We’re still at the No. 2 pick. I can tell you we talked to L.A. (Clippers) starting right after the Lottery. They’re not moving Griffin, which was pretty obvious right from day one. They brought their fans in and everything else. So that took him off the table. So we’re the No.1 slot because there’s a lot of debate on who is the No. 2 player and what you can do with him. So there’s a lot of movement with people talking.” “There’s a lot of interest. As I told people a year ago, when we started this process, we’re going to get better. We have two first round picks this year we have two first round picks next year. We have a lot of people wanting to do trades. We’re starting to build a team with some very good players on it. We will get a very, very good player out of this draft and that will make our team that much better. We will make a bigger jump this year than we did last year.” What about all the things from the Rubio camp about not taking him and him apparently not wanting to play here? “Look, if I want to pick Ricky Rubio, that hasn’t changed my mind this much. The closest thing it came to doing was making me pick Rubio, not the other way around.

One last look, by Matt Tumbleson

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:48 GMT

Wednesday marked the end of the long and arduous pre-draft saga for the Grizzlies. The players in town to make their final cases in front of Grizz brass, including owner Michael Heisley, were Syracuse’s Eric Devendorf, Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks, Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo and local product Tayloe Taylor out of Livingstone (N.C.). Like the players in town for Tuesday’s workout, these players are also teetering towards the edge of the second round. Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks stands the best chance out of the group to have his name called in tomorrow night’s draft. On the eve of the draft, he knows the process is now out of his hands. “Tomorrow I’m just going to go home and not worry about anything,” said Meeks. “There’s nothing more I can do now so I’ll let the chips fall where they will.” Meeks’ agenda during pre-draft workouts is to show teams that he is much more than just a scorer. “I’ve tried to focus on everything I know I can do,” Meeks said. “I can defend, rebound and show leadership. Everybody knows I can shoot and score, but there are other aspects of my game.” Meeks is one of many underclassmen entering the draft and like all the others his decision to leave Kentucky wasn’t easy. “I gave it a lot of thought over the weekend before the deadline,” he said. “I sat down with my family and Coach [John] Calipari told me to make the best decision for me and my family. It was a tough decision but I feel like this is my best opportunity.” Michael Heisley stopped by and spoke about tomorrow night and says the organization is still unsure who they will be taking at No. 2. “I not going to sit down and tell you who we’re going to pick because I honestly don’t know,” said Heisley. “We have some people we like, but we don’t what the deal will be when we finally get ready to make the pick.” Trade talks are heating up around the NBA, and Minnesota now holds two top ten picks at No. 5 and No. 6, so things might get interesting over the next 24 hours. “This is far and away the most active time in the NBA for trading and everything else,” Heisley said. “You saw today that [Washington] traded the No. 5 pick [to Minnesota]. Teams are trying to position themselves and get under cap room.”

Rudy Gay shares his draft night memories, by Matt Tumbleson

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:12 GMT

For an NBA prospect, the night before the draft brings on many emotions. The lottery prospects have a sense of satisfaction knowing that their lifelong dream is on the verge of being fulfilled, while the other hopefuls wonder if their dream will be fulfilled. The prospect’s minds are also racing, wondering which team and city they will be sent to fulfill their dream. This was a new, odd feeling for the then 19 year old Rudy Gay. “It was a weird feeling because you have no idea where you’re going to spend your life” he said. “This is the one time when you don’t have a choice. You get to choose which college you want to go to, but in the draft it’s who wants you.” The hectic draft day schedule kept Rudy and the other prospects busy with multiple meetings and making sure their suits fit properly, along with the onslaught of jewelry brokers. “Somebody is always trying to sell you something.” But it’s the prospects that have the most to offer. They spent the last month showcasing their skills to scouts and GM’s around the country and the time for NBA teams to buy was near at hand. A few pre-draft conversations had the Gay camp excited and a bit confused as to where he would be selected. Gay spoke with ESPN and they told him the Toronto Raptors were showing interest in taking him No. 1 overall, then he had a great conversation with Michael Jordan and got a strong feeling that the Charlotte Bobcats would be taking him with the third selection. This had Gay a bit mixed up. “Some guys know when they’re going to get drafted, I had no idea.” Rudy was confident, excited and nervous when he entered the green room for the draft broadcast, but he had an extensive supporting cast there to accompany him. Flanked by his grandmother, mother, father, brother and three sisters, they patiently waited for the festivities to begin. He also had quite fan base in the stands. “I think I had the most tickets out of everybody. I had about 80 tickets,” Gay said. “When I finally got selected, everybody was screaming for me.” The emotional roller-coaster had just begun for Gay. When Toronto selected Andrea Bargnani as the top selection, Gay felt Charlotte was his team at three, but the Bobcats threw a curve ball and selected Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison. Then Portland came and went at No. 4, Atlanta at No. 5, Minnesota at No. 6 and Boston at No. 7. Then he got the call. Rudy was selected by the Houston Rockets with the No. 8 overall pick and his emotions came to a culmination. “It was the greatest feeling ever,” said Gay. “It’s something that you’ve always dreamed for, and for it to actually happen, it’s one of your biggest accomplishments.” Rudy’s joy for being drafted took him on a high, but it was the fire inside him that started that night was the beginning of things to come. “At that point I was a little mad,” he said. “I felt that I had dropped. I wanted to get out and play so I could prove everybody wrong. I knew I had to continue to improve myself.” Then the trade talk began. As we watch at home and listen to Jay Bilas and the rest of the ESPN commentators speculate who the next pick will be and what the latest trade rumors are, the top prospects in the green room hear much more. “On TV, they tell you what may happen. In the greenroom, we can hear everybody’s comments,” said Gay. “I heard about two drafts picks before that Memphis was thinking about trading to get me.” Houston traded Gay to Memphis, along with Stromile Swift in exchange for Shane Battier. Gay is entering his fourth year here in Memphis and he continues his high-flying style of play and has become a seasoned veteran. The rest is Bluff City history and Rudy is happy to be a part of it.

Grizzlies leave no stone unturned as draft approaches, by Matt Tumbleson

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:57 GMT

Today’s pre-draft workout at the Grizzlies’ Coventry Health Care Practice Facility featured a trio of potential second rounders. Xavier’s Derrick Brown highlighted the group which also included Tyrell Biggs from Pittsburgh and Lawrence Hill from Stanford. View photos. The Grizzlies have been evaluating players for almost two months now and are anxious to complete the grueling pre-draft grind. “We have one more workout to go,” said Grizz GM Chris Wallace. “The players are a little worn down and we’re glad the whole process is about to end as well. We’re very excited for Thursday.” Wallace says this group of players is a busy group because they’re auditioning for a lot of the teams selecting in the second round. Derrick Brown has been a very busy prospect with today marking his 16th workout, including one in each of the last six days. “This is a tiring process,” Brown said. “It’s a part of it though; there are millions of people who would trade to be in this position. I’m just taking it for is.” Brown isn’t through yet though. He travels to Charlotte for a workout on Wednesday and he knows he has to keep fighting to show his best at each workout. Brown has been hearing good things about his play and feels good about his draft status. “I’ve been getting pretty good feedback,” said Brown. “I feel confident of where I’m going to go on Thursday. It would be a dream come true.” Brown’s name has come up in a few mock drafts, with a few even having Brown slated to be selected by his next workout team, the Charlotte Bobcats. Thursday night’s draft will mark the end of a long journey for these prospects, but will also be the beginning of a new journey. If these players aren’t selected, they will head to NBDL tryouts, or will take their game overseas to play in Europe. With Derrick Brown being the only player of the three here today being listed in mock drafts, Europe and the D-League look like the most likely destinations for both Lawrence Hill and Tyrell Biggs. Tomorrow will mark the end of pre-draft workout season for the Grizzlies as they are scheduled to welcome in Kentucky junior guard Jodie Meeks, and Gonzaga senior guard Jeremy Pargo.

Down to the Wire, by Matt Tumbleson

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:32 GMT

With the NBA Draft looming just days away, teams and players are finishing up their workout schedules and preparing their minds for draft night. The Memphis Grizzlies hosted another group of players for a draft workout on Monday as they are working to put the final pieces in place for Thursday. General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace, commented on the workout process that the Grizzlies have been enduring. “We are in the home stretch,” Wallace said. “I can’t count how many workouts we have had because we have also been to Houston, Golden State, Minneapolis, Chicago and New Jersey. It all blends together after a while.” The pre-draft schedule has been trying for the players as well. The most important thing that draft hopefuls can do in a workout is make lasting impressions that will hopefully carry over into the draft room. One of the main factors that players must deal with in this process is sustaining their bodies through the stressful schedule that they undergo. North Carolina forward Danny Green, one of the players who worked out on Monday, touched on the process that he is going through. “It was the last one, the 13th one, so the body is a little sore,” Green said. “It is coming to the end. I am not as healthy as I was for the first one. It is over for me right now. In a couple more days, I can sit back, relax and enjoy the draft.” While the players’ input in the process comes to an end with the completion of their workouts, conversations among teams are just beginning to heat up over what will occur during the draft. With the fate of the first selection all but decided by the Los Angeles Clippers, the NBA Draft will truly begin with Memphis at No. 2. The only certainty going into Thursday night is that the front office will have a very busy number of days ahead of them and the future of the Grizzlies will be decided, causing all speculations to finally be put to rest.

Grizz wrap up first round workouts with DeRozan and Hill, by LT

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:04 GMT

Pete Pranica shared insight on today's workouts and the upcoming draft in his latest blog entry and also at Twitter @PetePranica. Notable comments from today's workout included: Jordan Hill On his improvement and upside… “I think there’s a lot more. The NBA is a whole new level. The NBA staffs know more about the game. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t. I know they can help me bring out more potential in me and help me become one of the better players on the court.” Chris Wallace on Hill “Jordan Hill made tremendous progress during his time at Arizona. I was just talking to Coach (Josh) Pastner. They recruited him at Arizona when he was there, and he had virtually no Division I attention. He’s played three years at Tucson. He can block shots and rebound. He’s mobile. As you saw in the shooting drill, he’s got more of an outside stroke than you would see watching Arizona play. He’s a real up-and-comer and is just getting better and better. He’s probably the consensus No. 2 power forward in the draft behind Blake Griffin.” “He’s not an extremely physical player. He gets by more on his finesse and athleticism, but he can hold up. He’s going to get stronger and put on more weight as he gets into an NBA weight training program.” On his motor and energy… “He’s got a good motor and energy. The Pac-10 is always a very talented league with a number of pro prospects, and he was one of the top players in that league, which means a lot. That’s what O.J. Mayo, Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook, players from last year, were.” DeMar DeRozan On what you can learn in these (individual) workouts… “It’s all mental. You get tired, especially going by yourself for an hour. You learn how to push yourself mentally." On Monday, Draft Workouts will include Texas guard A.J. Abrams, Missouri forward DeMarre Carroll, North Carolina guard/forward Danny Green, Tennessee-Martin guard Lester Hudson, Marquette guard Jerel McNeal and Louisiana State guard Marcus Thornton. Grizzlies Draft Workouts will most likely conclude on Tuesday. Follow us on Twitter @memgrizz tomorrow morning from 10 - 11 a.m. for more live updates from the Grizzlies' Coventry Health Care Practice Facility at FedExForum. Plus, stay tuned for video on Monday from the weekend's workouts.

A Word to the Wise, by Pete Pranica

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:46 GMT

First, my thoughts on Sunday's twin draft workouts: No Hasheem Thabeet was a disappointment to me as I was really looking forward to seeing him in person and seeing how he would perform in front of one of his more likely employers. I don't know if this was some type of message Thabeet and his camp were sending to the Grizzlies or not. In any event, Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace didn't seem too perturbed and indicated that the Grizzlies had seen Thabeet twice already and would likely meet with him before the draft. DeMar DeRozan (6-7, 220, FR, Southern Cal) put forth one of the better workouts, if not the best that I've seen. He has an exceptional wingspan and good quickness; I could see him being a very good perimeter defender. His attitude is good and said during his post-workout media availability that he likes to do “the little things” that will make his team successful. He also did a better than average job of making shots. True, he wasn't working against live defenders, but whether it's an empty gym or not, you've got to make shots. He loves the corner three-pointer and was effective from that spot. It was clear that he knows exactly where the weight room is and looks to be one of the better athletes in this draft. The only glaring weakness I saw was a relatively weak left hand—both in ball handling and in short finishes in the paint. That's a deficiency that can be worked out however. DeRozen can play both the 2 and the 3 and would be an imposing defender at the 2-guard. His size and strength would give the Grizzlies and change of pace from Rudy Gay‘s more perimeter-oriented game. Jordan Hill (6-10, 235, JR, Arizona) also had a good workout. He showed that he can finish with half-hooks with both hands and has some decent agility and quickness in the lane. The end of his workout was pretty eye-popping as he hit a run of threes to finish out the workout. Hill probably needs to spent a little more time with the buffet and weights (it appeared DeRozan had bigger arms than Hill). The NBA scouting report pointed out that Hill does a great job of getting rebounds outside his area—that's important for a team that has been one of the poorer rebounding teams in recent years. Based on my limited look, I think Hill has a little more in his offensive arsenal than Darrell Arthur. Then again, Hill is a more experienced player with three years of college under his belt. And now . . . wait for it . . . I just want you all to be prepared for Thursday night. You're not all going to be happy. There is no consensus #2 overall pick, no Kevin Durant to Greg Oden. There's also no consensus (talking to other media members) as to what the Grizzlies should do on Thursday night. So I'm going to preach patience right here and right now because some of you will walk away from Thursday all smiles and some of you may walk away wondering about the future. That's not a reflection on the Grizzlies personnel staff—it's a statement that this might be one of the most ambiguous drafts in recent memory. If the Grizzlies draft Ricky Rubio, fans will be happy to see his free-wheeling, crowd-pleasing style. Other fans will fret about his massive buyout and the perception that he doesn't want to play in Memphis, fearing a Steve Francis scenario. If the Grizzlies draft Hasheem Thabeet, fans will be happy to see a giant defensive stopper in the paint to complement the offensive skills of Marc Gasol. Other fans will wonder if he's more project than finished product. And if the Grizzlies draft anyone else with the #2 pick, fans will wonder why the Grizzlies passed on Thabeet and Rubio in the first place. But what if there's a trade? Well, if the Grizzlies could get a proven NBA player plus a high pick that they could use on someone like Hill or DeRozan or Tyreke Evans or James Harden—hmm. That's something else to consider. So, when Friday morning dawns, there may be no easy answers to much of anything unlike last season when everyone assumed that O.J. Mayo would be a star. But as I've said on many occasions, it's not who you draft so much as how you are able to develop that player's talent and integrate him into your system and style of play.

The Potential Downside, by Chris Avis

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:51 GMT

The words upside and potential are thrown around constantly when talking about the NBA Draft. When the majority of potential draft selections only have 1-2 years of college or high-level international experience, it’s hard to tell exactly what type of player they’ll turn into after being in the league a few years. That’s why each player is talked about in terms of their potential, of what their upside is, of what player they could be. Not many talk about the downside of each player. In a post last week I detailed how the players on the Grizzlies draft radar would fit in. It’s time to see what the downside is of each of potential draftee. Ricky Rubio Rubio probably has the most upside and downside of any player in the league. He could be a star. He could be a flash in the pan. Plus, Rubio comes with more baggage than Britney Spears. He’s comes with a big buyout clause from his European club contract. His agent and him are posturing to try to get Rubio in a big market. Plus, Rubio doesn’t fit with Mike Conley, so if you draft him, you have to reshuffle the deck as well, which is easier said than done. Hasheem Thabeet Thabeet has bust potential. He could be Dikembe Mutombo, or he could be Michael Olowokandi. You never want your draft selection to be mentioned with “The Kandi Man.” Thabeet is offensively raw and maybe he never develops a low post game. He was a terrific shot blocker in college, but can he maintain the same level of intimidation when facing off against bigger, stronger and more athletic players on nightly basis. Is he athletic enough to make it in the NBA? Lastly, he can’t play at the same time as Marc Gasol, so once again, drafting Thabeet ultimately means the Grizz roster would have to be shuffled around to accommodate him. Tyreke Evans I’ve come around on the idea of Tyreke Evans as a legitimate prospect for the Grizzlies. However, just look back at some of my initial thoughts on Evans only 5 months ago to see the potential downside he has. Sometimes I think all of the draft hype makes people sell themselves on players a little more. Maybe this is happening with Evans. I’m selling myself on the idea because I want the Grizzlies to succeed and want whoever they draft to be the right choice. I also want a chicken biscuit, but Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. So it goes. James Harden I went to youtube this morning to watch clips of Harden to see if I could sell myself on drafting him. After watching the clip, I’m scared that Harden is the most unathletic shooting guard in the draft. He just looks like a slow old man with a jumper. He’d get drafted first in my Tuesday night pickup game, but that doesn’t mean he’s worth the 2nd pick in the NBA Draft. For more of his potential downside, just read Chris Herrington’s post about Harden’s workout with the Grizzlies. Stephen Curry I like Steph Curry and would love to have him on the Grizz. I can’t betray my mancrush so I’ll let former Grizzlies.com writer Graham Kendrick tell you the downside of Curry. Here’s what Kendrick emailed me back in December, “Is it me, or is all the hype around Stephen Curry a little too much? Isn't he just another JJ Redick? How's he going to get his shot off in the NBA? Who's he going to guard?” Take it back Graham, Curry is awesome! Uh, I mean, point taken.

Lottery pick workouts continue with Harden, by Matt Tumbleson

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:36 GMT

Lottery pick workout week tipped off Wednesday with Tyreke Evans and continued Friday with James Harden. He’s an old-school player. You know, the kind of guy who you hate to guard and just has a knack for getting to the basket and scoring the rock. Harden may not be the most athletic guy, but he knows how to gets things done. He learned at an early age that he had to do the little things to be successful. Harden is a self-proclaimed “non-scorer” and he feels he feels he is more of a facilitator than a scorer. “I’m not a scorer,” he said. “Plenty of guys in the league can score. I want to come in and do the other things like defend and handle the ball and be able to play multiple positions.” The silky-smooth lefty from Arizona State likes to compare his game to that of Paul Pierce of the Celtics and the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili. Both are crafty veterans who know how to score and he feels he is more of a facilitator than a scorer. “Both those guys combined is part of my game,” said Harden. “They know how to get to the basket and shoot the ball. Ginobili is left-handed, so we draw some comparison there.” Harden struggled with his shot early in the workout, but started to find his rhythm later on. “I couldn’t make a shot,” he said. “They say it doesn’t matter if you’re making shots because they know I can play. It’s always good to make shots and feel good about yourself. Overall I think I did some pretty good things.” Harden comes to the Memphis following a workout in Chicago last week, but he has been recently slowed down by some illness. “I worked out for two days in Chicago and was in bed for about four or five days after that,” he said. “I’m still trying to get my feet back under me and my shot back, but overall I feel pretty good.” Teams have been impressed with Harden’s workouts over the last month and nearly all the mock drafts out there have him going inside the six or seven. Grizzlies G.M. Chris Wallace feels Harden has what it takes to make it in the league. “He had a tremendous two years at Arizona State,” said Wallace. “He is a consensus pick to go in the first five in this draft. He’s a terrific scorer.” Wallace likes Harden’s style of play and feels he can be very productive at the next level. “He’s a guy that isn’t always looking to go in and dunk the ball and make the spectacular play,” Wallace said. “He’ll kind of dribble around and size you up and lean into you and draw the contact. “ “Lottery Pick Workout Week” continues this weekend as DeMar DeRozan, Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet are scheduled to workout Sunday.

The NBA:  Where Royal Ivey wants more money happens, by Chris Avis

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:35 GMT

Sometimes, I just don’t get it. I was browsing the NBA rumor mill today on ESPN.com and came across this: Royal Ivey declined his player option for 2009-10 yesterday. Agent Keith Glass believes Ivey is worth more than $959,111 (league minimum). “This was really the plan all along,” Glass told the Philadelphia Daily News. “The player option was my idea, to ensure Royal against injury. Now, the plan is to get him a contract that more accurately reflects his contributions to a team. This has nothing to do with the Sixers, because he'd like to go back with them. From our standpoint, this is very amicable; we plan to speak with them after July 1.” “It probably sounds strange for us to be doing this, but it's me,” Glass said. “The only risk would be is if no one wants to sign him.” “The only risk is if no one wants to sign him,” says his agent. Isn’t that a legitimate risk? Isn’t this draft point guard heavy? Is there a GM out there that is saying right now, “Royal Ivey is on the market. We have to get this guy!” Royal Ivey, who played 12 minutes a game last year and shot 33% from the field, is worth more than almost a million a year? This is the world we live in?

Grizzlies pre-draft workouts brings more familiar faces, by Matt Tumbleson

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:37 GMT

There was no lack of athleticism at the Grizzlies’ pre-draft workout at the Coventry Health Care Practice Facility on Tuesday. Once again a familiar face was on hand to showcase his skills to the Grizzlies as former Memphis Tiger, Robert Dozier was one of four prospects in attendance for the workout. Joining Dozier were UCONN’s Jeff Adrien, Temple’s Dionte Christmas and N.C. State’s Courtney Fells. The workout was yet another sampling of prospects that the Grizzlies are looking at for their second round selection at No. 36. Once again, it was no easy workout for the NBA hopefuls. “It was very exhausting,” said Dozier. “There was a lot of full-court drills and running. It’s starting to get down the stretch and I think everybody’s body is getting a little tired.” Today’s workout marked the 11th team that Dozier has auditioned for and his trip isn’t over. He travels to Dallas for a workout on Wednesday and then to Portland this coming Sunday. Dozier has learned a lot on the pre-draft workout circuit and is taking it all in stride. “I’m playing against some of the best players in the world,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different coaches. It’s a grueling process, but at the same time it’s fun.” Dozier is the second former-Tiger to workout for the Grizzlies (Antonio Anderson on June 9) and wouldn’t mind hanging around Memphis and playing for the Grizzlies. “I’ve thought about that. If it does happen it would be neat, even for me Antonio [Anderson], [Shawn] Taggart, or Tyreke [Evans]. But right now I’m hoping any team picks me.” Evans is expected in for a workout sometime this week. Following his junior season, Dozier tested the NBA waters. He was told he would most likely be a second round pick and if he returned to school, it would help solidify a first round selection in this year’s draft. That hasn’t proven to be true with all mock drafts having him selected in the second round. “I just have to take it for what it is and make the best of the situation. It does kind of bother me because I have played against some of the top players in other workouts. It’s just how it is.” Dozier has had some contact with several teams and hopes he has done enough to warrant a selection. “The three teams who have been calling the most are Miami, Detroit and San Antonio. Hopefully my name will get called. If not, I’ll start getting ready for summer league for somebody’s team and I’ll find a way to make it.” Today’s workout marked the first time Dionte Christmas had worked out in a group. “This was the first time I had a work out with four players,” he said. “It was pretty tough, very competitive.” Christmas feels he can bring a lot to the table and really give the Grizzlies a boost off the bench. “I can bring a spark to the team,” he said. “They’re a young team on the rise and I think I can bring some shooting to the team. I can bring some good energy and some more youth. I could be a real asset to this team.” Even if the Grizz decide not to take Christmas, Grizzlies brass gave him some promising encouragement. “They told me you’ll have a career in professional basketball,” said Christmas. “They said I’m a great shooter and have a good professional body. They don’t know where I’ll end up, but I’ll be somewhere making money playing basketball. It’s always a good sign when somebody from a NBA team tells you those things.” One mock draft (nbadraft.net/2009mock_draft) even had all four of today’s participants being selected in the second round with Christmas being the highest selection at No. 33 to Portland. Jeff Adrien was projected at No. 36 by the hometown team, Robert Dozier to Minnesota at No. 45 and Courtney Fells being the final selection in the draft to Miami at No. 6. Note: Rudy Gay dropped by briefly to take in some of today’s workout and support fellow UCONN Husky Jeff Adrien.