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Grizzlies are making moves to get under luxury tax and signing depth.

Ken Berger @KBergCBS
League source confirms Grizzlies agree to send Marreese Speights, Josh Selby to Cavs for Jon Leuer. There is a pick involved in deal.

Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN
Wayne Ellington also going to Cavs as part of deal. Will save Grizzlies $6 million, get them safely under tax line.

Chris Vernon @ChrisVernonShow
BREAKING: Grizzlies are going to sign former Knick Bill Walker and former Celtic Delonte West. Also will sign Sasha Vujacic.

LyricalRico wrote:Wow, Gasol permanently to the bench. Either LA is fine with having the most expensive 6th man ever, or a trade will happen (regardless of what they may be saying).

I have never seen a player's game fall of as sharply as Pau's. Under Phil Jackson, Pau was an elite PF/C. Offense went through him. Once Mike Brown came to the Lakers, Pau's role changed and he began to struggle. With every new coach Pau seems to get worse.

It is hard to believe Earl Clark is a better option than Pau Gasol.

It didn't take long for Pargo to make the most of his second chance:

Horford, Pargo help Hawks rally past Minnesota

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/horford-pa ... --nba.html

Injuries at guard forced the Hawks to sign Pargo to a 10-day contract earlier Monday, and he did not disappoint.

The 33-year-old, nine-year NBA journeyman hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 5:26 remaining to give the Hawks their first lead since the 9:40 mark of the first quarter.

''It's a relief to be able to have a guy like that,'' Horford said. ''He was working out. He was in shape. He was a great teammate last year, and I'm happy to have him back.''

The Griz trade Speights, Ellington, Selby, and a 2015 pick for the Cavs Jon Leur.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1495 ... mpaign=nba

Cap space...ugh, good gosh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

FAH1223 wrote:Grizzlies are making moves to get under luxury tax and signing depth.

Ken Berger @KBergCBS
League source confirms Grizzlies agree to send Marreese Speights, Josh Selby to Cavs for Jon Leuer. There is a pick involved in deal.

Brian Windhorst @WindhorstESPN
Wayne Ellington also going to Cavs as part of deal. Will save Grizzlies $6 million, get them safely under tax line.

Chris Vernon @ChrisVernonShow
BREAKING: Grizzlies are going to sign former Knick Bill Walker and former Celtic Delonte West. Also will sign Sasha Vujacic.

I guess Hollinger could find any suckers for Rudy Gay right now. He had to save a bunch of money and find a replacement good enough to keep Memphis' title hopes alive. He couldn't achieve both so they went with Plan B. They're getting under the luxtax and will wait until the offseason to move either Gay or Randolph.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:I have never seen a player's game fall of as sharply as Pau's. Under Phil Jackson, Pau was an elite PF/C. Offense went through him. Once Mike Brown came to the Lakers, Pau's role changed and he began to struggle. With every new coach Pau seems to get worse.

It is hard to believe Earl Clark is a better option than Pau Gasol.

Its weird because back in August he was playing REALLY well during the Olympics.

closg00 wrote:The Griz trade Speights, Ellington, Selby, and a 2015 pick for the Cavs Jon Leur.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1495 ... mpaign=nba

Dammit I really want Josh Selby

MikeTheKid wrote:

closg00 wrote:The Griz trade Speights, Ellington, Selby, and a 2015 pick for the Cavs Jon Leur.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1495 ... mpaign=nba

Dammit I really want Josh Selby

Why? He hasn't played well in the NBA, and his year at Kansas was lackluster. In YODA, he was solidly in the "don't draft" group. He had an offensive rating of 89 at Kansas. He shot 38% from 2pt range. 23% of his possessions ended in a turnover. He shot the 3-ball okay, but that's hardly a reason to sign him.

MikeTheKid wrote:

closg00 wrote:The Griz trade Speights, Ellington, Selby, and a 2015 pick for the Cavs Jon Leur.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1495 ... mpaign=nba

Dammit I really want Josh Selby

If only he could have been acquired for cap space alone! -.-

Selby played in 1 game in December and a handful of games this month. Perhaps he will get a shot to show something with the Cavs.

The story here is that a good team that might've knocked off the Spurs or Thunder or Clippers just gutted its bench.

If I were a Memphis fan, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Nor would I be thrilled with the constant floating of names that has been going on with Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay.

Nor with the hubris of the new guys in ownership and management.

badinage wrote:The story here is that a good team that might've knocked off the Spurs or Thunder or Clippers just gutted its bench.

If I were a Memphis fan, I wouldn't be thrilled.

Nor would I be thrilled with the constant floating of names that has been going on with Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay.

Nor with the hubris of the new guys in ownership and management.

You gotta think that one of Gay and Z-Bo could still be traded cause if there still in win now mode there gonna need some bench guys bad especially someone to replace Speights who was basically there first guy off the bench

Just saw this on MEM board:

vanjulio wrote:http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/jan/22/grizzlies-trade-speights-selby-and-draft-pick-cavs/

Grizzlies to trade Speights, Ellington, Selby and draft pick for Cavs' Jon Leuer

By Ronald Tillery
Posted January 22, 2013 at 8:25 a.m., updated January 22, 2013 at 8:56 a.m.

929espn: From @ChrisVernonShow : #Grizzlies to sign F Bill Walker G Delonte West G Sasha Vujacic.

Then saw this on Twitter:

Chris Vernon ‏@ChrisVernonShow
More News: If Grizzlies don't sign Walker/West - are considering Micah Downs, Eddie House, or Joe Ingles (currently in Barcelona)

If I were a Grizz fan I'd be really pissed!!!

The thing that puzzles me a little about the Memphis trade is that they included both Speights and Ellington. Selby is irrelevant -- he didn't play much, and he played badly when he did. Speights was decent, though. Ellington isn't all that good, but he can at least shoot the three.

Memphis could have gotten under the luxury tax threshold by trading Speights alone -- they needed to shed ~$3.8 million, Speights is getting $4.2 million. They could have gotten to $4.1 million by trading Ellington, Haddadi and Selby. Considering Memphis gave up the pick, they should have been able to hang on to either Speights or Ellington.

Illuminaire wrote:Cap space...ugh, good gosh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

And this was for very little cap space. It's an ALT (avoid luxury tax) trade rather than a BOYD, and Cleveland gets basically a free top 5 protected 2015 1st rounder from Memphis (if what I read is correct). That could easily be a lottery pick. For Memphis, it's another cost of the Gay contract.

Nivek wrote:The thing that puzzles me a little about the Memphis trade is that they included both Speights and Ellington. Selby is irrelevant -- he didn't play much, and he played badly when he did. Speights was decent, though. Ellington isn't all that good, but he can at least shoot the three.

Memphis could have gotten under the luxury tax threshold by trading Speights alone -- they needed to shed ~$3.8 million, Speights is getting $4.2 million. They could have gotten to $4.1 million by trading Ellington, Haddadi and Selby. Considering Memphis gave up the pick, they should have been able to hang on to either Speights or Ellington.

They might be planning on another move that would cost a little in cap space - and they probably don't think a whole lot of Ellington (as well as Speights and Selby) - and getting rid of him gives them room for a contingency move or 2.

I wonder if Hollinger also thinks Leuer can help on the court. I know he was a favorite of several stat guys and he hasn't stuck anywhere or gotten consistent run.

Milwaukee did give Leuer a shot early on but Scott Skiles lost patience with him (as he had a tendency to do with young players) and put him in the doghouse. I think he could become a useful player - especially if he takes MORE 3 pointers, and his lack of strength is something he's got to work on. Guys his height with his jump shot are always going to intrigue, but still being in the D League at this point isn't the best of signs.

Another sign that GMs are eyeing the incoming new luxury taxes with terror. Maybe EG was just being super forward looking with the Okariza trade?