The Warriors were tanking around the same time as the Grizzlies in the late 00's. They obviously maximized their assets and draft position while the getting was good. Curry, Thompson, Barnes, Green, all drafted. The Grizz had like 5 straight years of lotto picks and only have Conley to show for it.

(05-15-2015 11:51 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  

(05-15-2015 09:25 AM)TiminMem23 Wrote:  

(05-15-2015 08:09 AM)Phillip26r Wrote:  

(05-14-2015 12:32 PM)TiminMem23 Wrote:  The only way a team like the Grizz can get a KD or LeBron is to draft one. And their chances of doing that won't happen until they bottom out again.

That's the ugly truth that Memphis fans don't want to admit even though errrbody else knows it to be true.

Unless you catch lightning in a bottle somehow, you are exactly right.

The most painful part of it is that we had our chance and we drafted Thabeet, leaving Curry and Harden on the table.

That's what's really hard to come to terms with: The Grizz had chances to get stars but didn't make the right picks.

At the time, Thabeet was a coveted pick by many teams. I cannot blame Griz management for making the selection.

I disagree. I remember a LOT of GMs, experts and even fans said before he was drafted that he shouldn't be a lottery pick.

Chad Ford was the guy that loved TheBust. All you needed to see was the Memphis /UConn game in 2008 season where Joey destroyed him of the UConn/ Pitt games where he got owned by Dajuan Blair.

Grizz won't be able to afford Kosta. He deserves to be a states and most likely will have that chance. Also grizz don't need Jeff Green back. Trade was a bust and it's time to move away from it.

Let Calathes go back over seas and let leuer go.

Obviously get Marc to stay is priority. Then go try and being in Danny Green. He would be an upgrade over Lee IMO simply because he has origen he can be big on the biggest stage while Lee disappears at times. Next with Kosta gone need to find a decent reserve center. Don't need a great one just one that can eat mins.. Next if they are able to sign Danny Green then try and move Lee.

Bring Adams into the rotation would be the next step.

Need to Draft a PG to back up Conley, and should use or draft pick on Andrew Harrison...He is a great Athlete, good Leader and great passer, can create his own shot, can make plays, really really good mid range shot, Has NBA 3 pt Range and is working more consistant... They Should sign Gerald Green, and Danny Green, thus giving us more shooters...I hope they try and Aquire a second round pick as well and try and draft JP Tokoto......Maybe try and aquire Quincy MIller to replace Leuer as a stretch 4 who can play PF/SF with SF skills and good shooter....The World Is Ours Memphis....

Quincy Miller?


Smh

there are some options out there in free agency, but it will obviously depend on how much the Grizz are willing/able to spend.

Draymond Green and Tobias Harris are RFAs that are most definitely worth an offer sheet.

DeMarre Carrol is an UFA and I would welcome him back in a second.

KK will be tough to retain; he'll likely get an offer that the Grizz cannot match w/out going into Tax Land.

Marc will probably sign a one-year deal; the spike in the cap line occurs in 2016, he can be retained then and receive a much larger increase.

Calathes is probably gone. He's an unrestricted FA and Euro will pay him about 4-6x what the Grizz paid him last year. (That's right, 4-6x)

Jeff Green is a Player Option; the Grizz have no decision in this. If he chooses to stay then the Grizz have to pay him; I don't think they could trade him until mid-year. BUT if he has a full training camp here, maybe he would be a better fit for the team? IDK

Draymond Green is a pipe dream. This dude will get paid MAX dollars; and why would he leave GSW? Great city, Great team...

Demarre Carroll - not sure he'd leave Hotlanta for Memphis. Why would he? ATL definitely wants to keep him.

IMO, Grizz need to focus on SG or SF positions; we MUST get shooters.
- Is Jordan Adams a shooter?
- Is RJ Hunter the answer via the draft?
- Is Devin Booker the answer via the draft?
- Is Danny Green available via FA pick-up?

Also, assuming KK leaves, then who will the Griz get to back-up Marc? Stokes is too short for C, and JaMichael Green doesn't have the bulk.

For a team who's had the "Core Four" for several years, this summer will be one of significant turnover; how we replace and add key parts will be interesting!

(05-15-2015 11:58 AM)UofMark Wrote:  

(05-15-2015 09:25 AM)TiminMem23 Wrote:  That's what's really hard to come to terms with: The Grizz had chances to get stars but didn't make the right picks.

True, but it's not like we're the only team to do that. Sam Bowie? Chris Washburn? Greg Oden? Everyone's wiffed a time or two.

Yeah, but two of those were bad luck injury issues. The other was a kucklehead before he was drafted--buyer beware.

Thabeet was neither. Memphis could have literally pick any of the options other than him and have been blessed with a star. (Tyreke, Curry or Harden).

(05-15-2015 11:51 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  ...

At the time, Thabeet was a coveted pick by many teams. I cannot blame Griz management for making the selection.

It was an objectively bad pick at the time. You don't take a project center with the second pick in a draft with that much talent. Even if he's what you'll think he will be, he's not going to be that until his second contract when he could very well be playing somewhere else. He should have gone in the 8 to 12 range (where he still would have been an immense bust).

That said, even if we pick Harden or Curry in 2009, there's no guarantee either one would still be playing here. We probably also don't have one of Conley (if we take Curry) or Allen (if we take Harden). No telling how that affects the Zbo acquisition, either, since we're probably trying to build a different kind of team. It's really impossible to say what the team would be like today if we'd picked one of those guys. Would Curry or Harden responded to being coached by Hollins? Would either of those players become the MVP caliber players they are today in Memphis? Would the team have built it's identity of defensive intensity? Would Gasol have emerged as a defensive anchor on a team playing with a more wide open style? Who knows.

(05-18-2015 11:32 AM)Briskbas Wrote:  

(05-15-2015 11:51 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  ...

At the time, Thabeet was a coveted pick by many teams. I cannot blame Griz management for making the selection.

It was an objectively bad pick at the time. You don't take a project center with the second pick in a draft with that much talent. Even if he's what you'll think he will be, he's not going to be that until his second contract when he could very well be playing somewhere else. He should have gone in the 8 to 12 range (where he still would have been an immense bust).

That said, even if we pick Harden or Curry in 2009, there's no guarantee either one would still be playing here. We probably also don't have one of Conley (if we take Curry) or Allen (if we take Harden). No telling how that affects the Zbo acquisition, either, since we're probably trying to build a different kind of team. It's really impossible to say what the team would be like today if we'd picked one of those guys. Would Curry or Harden responded to being coached by Hollins? Would either of those players become the MVP caliber players they are today in Memphis? Would the team have built it's identity of defensive intensity? Would Gasol have emerged as a defensive anchor on a team playing with a more wide open style? Who knows.

These are excellent points and questions.

It seems like a catch 22 to me. Keep doing what we're doing, which is incredibly fun to watch until we get bumped out in May, or give up on the structure of the team and bottom out to get a lottery pick and start over. hell of a spot.

(05-18-2015 11:32 AM)Briskbas Wrote:  

(05-15-2015 11:51 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  ...

At the time, Thabeet was a coveted pick by many teams. I cannot blame Griz management for making the selection.

It was an objectively bad pick at the time. You don't take a project center with the second pick in a draft with that much talent. Even if he's what you'll think he will be, he's not going to be that until his second contract when he could very well be playing somewhere else. He should have gone in the 8 to 12 range (where he still would have been an immense bust).

That said, even if we pick Harden or Curry in 2009, there's no guarantee either one would still be playing here. We probably also don't have one of Conley (if we take Curry) or Allen (if we take Harden). No telling how that affects the Zbo acquisition, either, since we're probably trying to build a different kind of team. It's really impossible to say what the team would be like today if we'd picked one of those guys. Would Curry or Harden responded to being coached by Hollins? Would either of those players become the MVP caliber players they are today in Memphis? Would the team have built it's identity of defensive intensity? Would Gasol have emerged as a defensive anchor on a team playing with a more wide open style? Who knows.

I respectfully disagree that he was not targeted early (top 5) by other teams, although I concede that time erodes my recollection. We may never know for certain unless we are privy to the plans of other teams that evaporated upon Thabeet's selection.

You never draft need over talent until the later round(s).

Ever.

(05-19-2015 11:22 AM)HoopDreams Wrote:  You never draft need over talent until the later round(s).

Ever.

Seems like the Grizz front office takes the opposite approach.

Concerning my OP ...

I don't think the roster will look the same as it did this year. Tough decisions are made every year.

I expect Marc to be back for $18M or so. After that, I'd love to re-sign Kosta, but if a bottom dweller wants him as their starting C and wants to give him $5-$9M then yeah, I think he jumps on that.

OBVIOUSLY, we need to add shooters. But shooters ain't cheap & unless Jeff declines his PO (unlikely) or we trade him - we will probably have to add a shooter in the draft, which will be harder to do at #24. In today's NBA, shooters are a premium commodity. Guys like Devin Booker and RJ Hunter are loteery pikcs...maybe even Top 10. Heck, Khris Middleton will get close to a max deal this off-season.

So - while I agree that we need more shooters - that is easier said than done. My advise...PLAY JORDAN ADAMS!

I still think this team can COMPETE as constructed. Maybe not for championships, but definitely in the West.

We have shooters. Mike Conley is a good shooter. Clee is a great shooter. Jordan Adams is a good shooter. Carter had a great start to the season but seemed to lose his shot when he hurt his foot/ankle. Mike broke his face. Coach won't play Adams. Carter was hurt. CLee can't get open because teams know he's our only healthy/effective shooter.

The issue is our offense. There is no spacing. We need a stretch 4 a lot more than we need another shooter who can't get open looks. Make Z-Bo the focal point of our bench and play a stretch 4 with Gasol, Conley, Clee and Jeff Green. We would be explosive with both units.

(05-16-2015 10:57 AM)Brother Bluto Wrote:  Chad Ford was the guy that loved TheBust. All you needed to see was the Memphis /UConn game in 2008 season where Joey destroyed him of the UConn/ Pitt games where he got owned by Dajuan Blair.

Destroyed?

2008 Vs. UConn
Dorsey
28 minutes
4 points
12 rebounds
2-2 field goal
0-2 free throw

Thabeet
35 minutes
11 points
9 rebounds
2-6 field goal
7-7 free throw

LMAO

The New York Knicks are considering using their stretch provision on Jose Calderon. His $15M contract could then be paid off over 5 years if waived. That would free up considerable cap space for free agency and the loss of Calderon won't be missed. The fans have turned on him and NYK are expected to pursue a PG in FA/Draft anyway.

That would be an interesting option ... he's very close to Marc's and he shoots 40+% from 3 while getting close to 5 asst. per game on a crappy NYK roster.

He isn't a starting PG anymore so he wouldn't cost much (especially since NYK would be paying him $3M per year for the next 5 seasons).

He could replace Calathes. Never a bad idea to have another veteran PG on the roster.