RealGM

hey guys....

some interesting news from memphis tonight....and a brief mention (or hint) at a Pau to Lakers trade....

stay with me here....

cvernon.com is a blog ran by a memphis sports radio host named Chris Vernon.....being a small market with only 1 pro sport team in the Griz, Vernon has developed a solid relationship with some people within the Griz organization....

Within the last year alone, he broke many stories before our beat writer has....including:

--Chris Wallace being hired as the GM (Wallace now has a weekly radio segment on his afternoon show)
--Wallace flying to Argentina to woo Nocioni
--The details of the pick protection in the Navarro trade
--The names of the new assistant coaches
--The signing of Bobby Jones

I only bring those up to say that the guy has some cred and we in memphis usually trust him...

here is his latest blog post...

According to the CA and cbssports.com, the Grizzlies and the Nets are talking about a deal that would send Stromile Swift to the Nets for Jason Collins. I believe this to be completely true. I don't know if the deal will take place for sure, but I would think there is a really good chance. I don't even give a crap about that deal to be honest.

What I do care about is the deal that also may come in the next few days. I don't think that we are going to be as happy as we once thought we would be about a Pau deal. I have pontificated on the fact that a fire sale could be coming so that Heisley can save money and position the team to sell it. I think he wants to be able to sell to someone and be able to pitch that they will takeover a product with quite a bit of flexibility that they can do whatever they want with. Unfortunately I think that Wallace was hired to carry out this plan. I hope I am wrong.

There is nothing that Heisley has done in the past 2 years to indicate that he is doing anything but cutting back on all costs. Saving money is what this franchise is about now.

With that being said, look for Pau to be part of a deal that brings back a big expiring contract. If what I think may go down, goes down, people are going to be really pissed. Have you ever considered what Kwame Brown would look like in a Grizzlies uni? I am just asking.

at the end he hints that pau may get traded for expiring contracts and that it could be to LA for Kwame (and more obviously)....

now, Wallace has stated many times that expiring contracts only for Pau is not acceptable....maybe he was lying...

also, there have been rumors in memphis of a LA deal for Pau earlier this season as someone was said to overheard an Lakers exec talking about it....but that is just a rumor with no evidence of validity....

but just thought you guys would be interested in this....

Thanks for the info, if that went down the Lakers would definitely be a top2 contender in the league.

kwame/critt/1st/ariza. get it done.

They don't need another PG. And I don't want Ariza gone. He should be our starting SF.

Walton/Kwame/1st

please god be true...getting the two way 4 without giving up Odom or Bynum???

Gasol, Navarro, Cardinal

for

Kwame, Vujacic, Mihm, Ariza, 1st RD picks

Thank you, not only for the inside information but revealing the source and even providing evidence for its reliability.

I'd like to add my personal observation: Pau didn't seem really invested into the season, despite the addition of Navarro.

Also, it was reported that Kobe and Pau conversed over last summer, and I think Pau said whatever was discussed was "between us" (correct me if I'm wrong).

Pau Gasol would be a tremendous addition, no doubt.

Interesting...

Is Kwame really the best expiring they could come up with?

TyCobb wrote:They don't need another PG. And I don't want Ariza gone. He should be our starting SF.

Walton/Kwame/1st

you don't get picky when your getting the other team's best player in the deal without giving up one of your top 3 players...

PS: I think the Grizz would ask for Turiaf.

if memphis gets expiring AND LA takes Cardinal, that could be very enticing salary wise....cardinal's contract might not be much for a large market team swallow, but it really hurts the griz who aren't allowed to go over the 55 million salary cap....

crazyeights wrote:Interesting...

Is Kwame really the best expiring they could come up with?

Pau makes only around 13 mil so a deal around Kwame, Mihm, Sasha and Ariza with picks could offset his contract for the Grizzlies.

Having said that Jason Williams + Ricky Davis + Miami's pick beats us pretty easily.

xSABOx wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



you don't get picky when your getting the other team's best player in the deal without giving up one of your top 3 players...

True but with Lowry and Mike Conley Jr. the Grizz don't seem to need another young PG.

But I do doubt they take back Luke's contract.

^True, j-far, that is a better deal on the surface, but only in the offseason. But the addition of Pau before the trade deadline might turn the Heat's season around. In fact, I'd bet on it. And Riley and co. have too much pride to tank the season to ensure a high pick for Memphis.

I think if we part with our heart, Turiaf, with Kwame and filler, the deal would be done.

But losing Turiaf would be so painful, I might choose to keep him over a guaranteed championship. And yes, I think adding Pau Gasol to Bynum and Kobe means game over for the next 5 years, at least.

taking kwame over jwill and tricky ricky allows us not to buy that player out...

no way Jwill comes back to memphis (you might need to be remembered the last game he played in memphis, he broke one of the reporters pencils and said some pretty funny and rude stuff).....and no way they let ricky davis near our young team.....think francis in portland....

but after buying out damon (and eddie jones before that), i don't think they are happy about all the buyouts and might choose to avoid that situation.....

is jason williams an expiring? if hes not then memphis doesnt need another pg. i dont think we cna get gasol without letting go of odom. the best deal we can give them without giving up odom would probably be

kwame/walton/mihm/cash and 2 future firsts. they dont need another young pg because they have conley so farmar and jcritt wont help our chances. if we do trade the people i mentioned the line up would look like

fisher/kobe/odom/vlad/gasol until bynum gets back and then we'd move gasol to the pf spot and have bynum at center.

milesfides wrote:^True, j-far, that is a better deal on the surface, but only in the offseason. But the addition of Pau before the trade deadline might turn the Heat's season around. In fact, I'd bet on it. And Riley and co. have too much pride to tank the season to ensure a high pick for Memphis.

I think if we part with our heart, Turiaf, with Kwame and filler, the deal would be done.

But losing Turiaf would be so painful, I might choose to keep him over a guaranteed championship. And yes, I think adding Pau Gasol to Bynum and Kobe means game over for the next 5 years, at least.

Even if its not lottery that pick would still be in the 15-20 range whereas ours will be around 25-28. Thats just a huge chunk of expiring contracts.

It'd be interesting to see if that deal went through, whether Riley benches Shaq and starts Haslem and Gasol upfront.

Miles I agree on Turiaf. Other than Kobe then Bynum he might be the next player I'd never want to part with. Especially how he's back to playing so well.

Is it wrong to rather trade Lamar? Even based on contract alone, next year Lamar could be a huge trading chip.

I'd trade Turiaf too...

listen, this is the move we've been holding out for almost three years now...if it is legit, you give up any prospects and expiring contracts you have to...

Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol, Bynum will be the start of a new Lakers basketball era...you don't hold out because of your young role players...roster like that, every veteran will be signing with us for the vet minimum in a heartbeat anyways...

I don't think Memphis would want Odom's contract, unless they're unloading larger contracts. For example, taking back Odom's contract for Darko and Brian Cardinal. Which might actually make sense for us, although when Bynum gets his extension, Buss is going to be paying some serious luxury tax.

But Memphis would have zero interest in Walton. Long contract, and they have enough small forwards.

The only functional player I see Memphis interested in is Turiaf. He's a legit power forward, has a ton of talent, plays hard, engages fans, etc.

j-far wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Even if its not lottery that pick would still be in the 15-20 range whereas ours will be around 25-28. Thats just a huge chunk of expiring contracts.

It'd be interesting to see if that deal went through, whether Riley benches Shaq and starts Haslem and Gasol upfront.

But if you were the Grizz, would you rather have a midrange pick or Turiaf?

I'd pick Turiaf in a heartbeat, pun intended.