Pen to Paper

[NJ To BK]

Pen to Paper I think that the Memphis Grizzles are the best team in the leauge, and this is not coming for a Memphis fan. After you guys got A. I I looked at your roster and you guys are NASTY!

Starting Lineup?

Allen Iverson - used to be on kobes level, playing to prove himself this year, I think he still as much talent as vince Carter

Oj Mayo- Nothing to be said... Everyone knows hes the next nba superstar

Rudy Gay- great slasher to go with mayo and iverson...he is going to create so many problems this year

Zach Randolph- Has one of the best offensive post games in the NBA

Haseem Thabeet - next mutumbo....he is going to close the middle

YOUR BENCH!!!
CONLEY- one of the best back up PGs
Darrell Aruthur- Tough Kid
Gasol- Could start easily...reminds me of zaza pachiula
Haddidi- BIg body
Steven Hunter- very underated defender
marko Jaric- idk if hes going to play... but regardless he is a high IQ guy who is good to have around
marcus willams- Master of the pick and roll
Sam young- can jump out of the gym... I hope he gets a shot to prove himself in the NBA...he looked good in Pitt

Top to bottom you guys are the best.
You are not getting any respect because you are...no offense...the " Memphis Grizzles"
But lets not get over the fact that I said pen to paper...away from that you guys have a lot of High character basketball players that might create trouble. If not, you should be the number 1 team in the NBA.
Can't wait to see what you guys look like on leauge pass...
S.KIRP

[360]

I have a feeling that OJ will be coming off the bench.

[BarbaGrizz]

Wow! This is pretty odd. Every other guy who came here was to bash us. I really don´t think we´re that good.

And there´s no way OJ will come from the bench. He´ll start, in the PG or in the SG, but he´ll start.

[360]

Wow! This is pretty odd. Every other guy who came here was to bash us. I really don´t think we´re that good.

And there´s no way OJ will come from the bench. He´ll start, in the PG or in the SG, but he´ll start.

I definitely want OJ to start, and I feel that he SHOULD start, but alot of things just make me feel that Hollins will bring him off the bench. I hate to say it, and I hate to see it. I think it would be extremely unfair to him and not even the best move to make basketball-wise either.

[jefe]

I don't know about best team in the league, but we're certainly an NBA-quality team now - unlike last year when our regular bench rotation consisted of Hak, Darko ..... and then QRoss, Buckner, and Jaric.

[syxx87]

This team is definitely improved but I think calling them the "best" is a stretch. The way A.I. has been talking it seems as if his request of atleast getting to compete for a starting spot in training camp will be granted since neither A.I. nor anybody from the Grizzlies staff have clearly stated that he will in fact come off the bench. IMO, between that and the fact that it seems as if he has already been given the role of the leader/Star Player Conley might be the one coming off the bench since I dont see anyway in hell that OJ gets moved to the bench. Hollins definitely has his hands full for the season and I'm worried how the season will play out but the team certainly has potential to surprise everyone and sneak in the Playoffs.

[OneAnswer]

AI should not come off the bench, he's better than Conley

[dark-child]

A.I. is a light that shines awfully bright and it may be too much to have him come off the bench when Mike Conley truly hasn't established himself.

With Conley in the starting lineup the ball will at least get distributed to others albeit 8 seconds into the 24 second clock. (He is still on college time)

With Iverson starting too many times down the floor Randolph and Gay will be standing watching which will lead to when they do touch the ball it will not be passed.

With Iverson coming off the bench he will have the green light to do what he does best and have the offense run thru him as most of his time will be aganist second unit cats, and with defensive minded Grizzlies who don't need shots.

Before the Iverson signing, if Conley continued improving it could easily become a financial dilemna as he has to be extended the same year or a year prior to Mayo. Gay will already be making 10 mil plus by then and the organization can ill afford to pay him what the market for him is so I advocate trading him only if Mayo and Iverson as a backcourt is doable and meshes well.

The Grizz as an organization is not completely sold on Conley because if the Rubio buyout was not an issue he definetly would have went #2 this year. His position is precarious at best and based upon the options the organization has in front of them.

Remember the owner is not above telling the coach who to play, as he ended the Casey Jacobson experiment and given the reaction the city has to A.I., a coach with a one year contract shouldn't have to be told who to play.

[bgassassin]

Well Rudy's main weakness is being a slasher. That is what he has to get much better at. If he does he will become a big threat on offense.

[SD2042]

On paper I think this team can be a potential dark horse for a playoff spot if things happen to play in our favor like playing consistant bball on both ends, have better leadership foundation, and avoid any major injuries during the season. If we're able to do these things it will help out a lot along with improving fan morality. Emphasis on the last part.

[bobobolas1]

I dont think we are the best team in the league. I hope we are playing for the 8th seed at least. Id like to see a gasol-gasol2.0 in the playoff and we win the first game agains PAU. Wouldnt it be nice?

I think Iverson is starting this year. he is better than conley. I think also that Iverson is not willing to shot 20 shots a game. he is taking the ball and making spaces to his teammates. OJ also can move the ball. About Zach and Gay.... well, they just shot. let them do what they do. Gasol is starting over thabeet, at least at the beggining of the season but since i watched a game he did 27pts and 15 rebs, he looked more like shaq than Pachulia, ZAZA sucks.

[Bukcic3]

haha wow... best team?
as much as i would like to see them go far, they are still last in their division.

[vanjulio]

haha wow... best team?
as much as i would like to see them go far, they are still last in their division.

Houston can easily be beaten and hopefully we are competing with New Orleans finally this year. Dallas has somehow maintained but this could be the year they fall out of relevancy if the Shawn Marion experiment fails and Josh Howard stays injured. JJ Barea and Jason Terry are not gonig to get it done.

[GopherIt!]

Wolves fan here, if he gets the minutes, I think Marco will fit nicely with either Mayo or AI in the back court as sort of a point-GF coming off the bench.

I think Conley will be the key for you guys though, this is a big year for him and he's got a lot of mouths to feed (AI/Mayo/Gay/ZBo.) If he accepts the role, AI is a near perfect super sixth man coming off the bench. After all the criticism he went through this past year/off season, I think he will be motivated to prove his doubters wrong (read: keep his ego in check.)

Good luck to you guys.

edit - looks like Marko won't be in memphis! lots of guys getting paid not to play.

[rocketsballin]

no where near the best team on paper, but a playoff team on paper for sure. if they can share the ball and play off the ball offense, they will in the playoffs. im rootin for them