RealGM

Now that the Draft is over and done with, we have the start of free agency and trades to look forward to. Let's take a quick look at what the team has to deal with in about five days.



Rudy Gay is the center of attention for the Grizzlies this summer. All signs point to Heisley matching any offer for Rudy. With all the teams with cap space this summer and a few of them needing SFs (Clippers, Nets) Rudy's going to get a large offer. We'll see if Heisley is a man of his word. What do you guys think he deserves? What do you guys think he's looking for? What do you guys think he'll get?



Ronnie Brewer was acquired at the trade deadline for a playoff push, but didn't get to help as he suffered a hamstring tear in his first game as a Grizzly. Considering the Grizzlies gave up a future first round pick for him, I'd imagine Brewer will be re-signed even though he can't shoot past 15 feet (if that). I can't wait to see him next season solidify the bench with his athleticism, defense and slashing.

It's safe to say the other free agents on the team (Steven Hunter, Marcus Williams, Jamaal Tinsley) won't be returning.

Any other free agents you want the Grizzlies to pursue to round out the bench as they push towards the playoffs?

The Clippers drafted Aminu so I don't see them going after Gay. Minnesota was the biggest threat but went small forward crazy in the draft. The Knicks are going to be making a big play for Lebron James so I don't see Gay as a priority. The only team that in my mind is a real serious threat is New Jersey.

I like Ronnie Brewer and think he is the defender that they need, but in drafting Henry I have to wonder where the playing time is going to be coming from if they do re-sign Gay. Him and Mayo play at least 36 minutes a game so both Henry and Brewer, not to mention Young, will be scrapping for time. I really don't know what will happen there but if they don't re-sign Brewer it will have been a total waste of a first round draft pick, which they gave up to get him.

I kind of like the idea that GrizzledGrizzFan had with bringing back Hakim Warrick as power forward backup. But without some sort of trade to free some salary I don't know if Memphis would spend to get him.

If the status quo remains with them re-signing their two free agents then with Conley, Vasquez, Mayo, Henry, Youing, Gay, Brewer, Carroll, Randolph, Arthur, Gasol, Thabeet, and Haddadi, there's not much room left on the roster. I expect one minimum contract player to be added and that's it.

But there could be quite the domino effect if a team does make a huge offer that Heisley refuses to match.

NJ wouldn't overpay him. They had a smart GM whose teachings have fallen down through their FO. NO way would they waste that cash by overpaying Gay. I don't see the Knicks overpaying him either.

If the team re-signs Rudy and Ronnie like I expect, I get the feeling Sam will be the odd man out.

And I know this may sound funny, but I want Matt Bonner signed. He'll come relatively cheap. He's one dimensional, but the one dimension he's good at (spot shooting) is what the Grizzlies want to address. He weakness in defense and rebounding should be masked by Gasol, Randolph and Thabeet.

I woudn´t mind see Marcus Willians coming back for a minimun contract as the 3rd string PG. I also would try to sign another 3pt shooter, maybe someone like Kapono or Eddie House

BarbaGrizz,

I couldn't agree with you more. Eddie House would be nice to have on the floor. I know Boston wished they still had him when they were playing LA when Allen went cold.

mike miller can be a good signing

I really want Memphis to keep Brewer. He didn't really get a chance with them last year seeing as he straight away got injured. It'd be good to see what he can do for them in an entire season.

I too want to see Ronnie make it in Memphis. As it stands now, if nothing were to change I like the Grizz's rotations. Note, I still think they need to make a serious upgrade at the 4 spot:

Conley/Vasquez
Mayo/Henry
Gay/Brewer
Randolph/FA To Be Signed
Gasol/Thabeet

Bench - Arthur, Young, Haddadi, Carroll

This lineup provides the Grizz with much needed depth and scoring off the bench. As it stands I believe that there is one signing to come and they'll call it an off season unless a trade pops up.

We really don't have any flexibility unless we trade Conley if we are genuinely going to resign Gay.
The minutes just don't add up on the wing. Granted Brewer and Henry can play both the 2 and the 3 but it would become a lot easier if those two were sharing the bulk of the minutes at the 2. Which can only happen if Mayo is manning the point full time or at least the majority of the time.
Sam Young really doesn't seem to have a place on the team going forward and is basically just filling out the roster at a very cheap price. Ditto Demarre Carroll.

The Jefferson potential trade is short sighted because while it will save dollars this year and help off set cost in resigning Rudy you will be basically bidding againist yourself if you kept Zach so his salary would be a lot cheaper than what you be paying Jefferson.

The goal of acquiring experience to go along with young players was not accomplished yet so a trade has to be in the offering as too many guys are coming due extensions after this year and we just got younger with two more draft picks. The roster is unbalanced again and a few need areas still are not addressed.

If I had to guess it would seem a few from this group will be traded this off season:
Mike Conley Sr.
OJ Mayo
Hasheem Thabeet
Sam Young
Demarre Carroll

My bet is at least two get moved and if OJ is involved it would be a big move.

Right now I think we are set at SG, PF and C, as well as backup SG/SF (Young+Henry+Carol) and backup C (we should at least head into the season assuming Thabeet can give us 10-15 mpg behind Gasol).

Realistically, Conley's our starting PG, and while that's not ideal I can live with it, and either Rudy or Ronnie will be our starting 3.

If the bench is otherwise solid, I can live with Arthur as the primary backup at PF. He's nothing special, but he should be able to play 10mpg without hurting us too much. Maybe Carol can show more than he did as a rookie, and I'd also like to see Gasol getting a few minutes at the 4 alongside a hopefully much-improved Thabeet.

I think Vasquez is probably an 11th man, playing foul and injury minutes at the 1 and 2 as a rookie.

I'm starting to think that retaining both Gay and Brewer, while very nice for the quality of our bench, might be a luxury we can't afford. If we can get a decent s&t offer for Rudy, future picks say, or maybe a prospect like Michael Beasley, I'd be half tempted to let him walk and run with OJ/Brewer/Henry/Young on the wings.

Either way, I don't think we need any more wing depth unless Rudy and Ronnie both walk. I'd like to add:

A veteran "true" pg behind Conley. Ideally someone who can hit from outside. Steve Blake would be perfect, but may be more than we want to spend. Ideally I don't want a combo-guard for this slot, since we don't really have a proven pg on our roster. Duhon can't shoot, but would otherwise be ok, or having Lowry back would be fantastic. Suggestions welcome.

A veteran bigman to play a 12th man role at the 4 and 5 - something like what Kurt Thomas gave the Bucks or Juwan Howard gave the Blazers last season. Either of those guys would be fine, as would Brad Miller - ideally we shouldn't spend more than the LLE, and in a perfect world we'd get some acceptable for the minimum. Joe Smith maybe? I don't mind if they've reached borderline-corpse status, just as long as they can step in and play 20 mins for a game or two if someone goes down or Thabeet and/or Arthur start sucking.

That leave Carol and Hadadi looking at the IR/D-league, which is ok by me...

If Rudy stays, Ronnie is probably gone. Grizzlies are going to want to bring Henry along and in terms of minutes, there aren't that many available if Conley, OJ and Rudy are all getting big minutes.

Unless Memphis decides that they aren't going to be cheap with their money, the Grizzlies could easily parlay his contract (packaged with Young, Demarre, etc.) into something cheap and valuable. Considering the budget issues facing the Grizz, it's an attractive option anyway. Then again, with Zach expiring after next year, the Grizzlies have a number of options on the table.

Downtown wrote: Minnesota was the biggest threat but went small forward crazy in the draft. .

We are still after Gay. In our offense the 2 and 3 are the exact same. Johnson might be a better defender at the 2 then the 3 due to his crazy speed and slight build. Everything I am hearing in MN is that we are going to try and do a S/t deal involving Al Jefferson and Rudy Gay. One version involved a 3 way with GSW where Corey Brewer was part of it.

Not sure about details, just keep an eye out. If I hear anything I will try and let you guys know. MN would give Rudy a chance to be the go-to guy with a young team of role players.

revprodeji wrote:

Downtown wrote: Minnesota was the biggest threat but went small forward crazy in the draft. .

We are still after Gay. In our offense the 2 and 3 are the exact same. Johnson might be a better defender at the 2 then the 3 due to his crazy speed and slight build. Everything I am hearing in MN is that we are going to try and do a S/t deal involving Al Jefferson and Rudy Gay. One version involved a 3 way with GSW where Corey Brewer was part of it.

Not sure about details, just keep an eye out. If I hear anything I will try and let you guys know. MN would give Rudy a chance to be the go-to guy with a young team of role players.

Gay or Johnson at the 2 spot would be a horrible idea imo, they have below average handles for 3's and at the 2 spot one of them would probably average around 4 to's a game

As I said, in our offense the 2 and 3 are almost the same. The ballhandling concerns exist just as much at the 2 as they would at the 3.

revprodeji wrote:As I said, in our offense the 2 and 3 are almost the same. The ballhandling concerns exist just as much at the 2 as they would at the 3.

In theory Rudy has the skills to play the 2 or the 4, in reality he has only excelled at the 3. For Rudy comfort level is everything. No disputing the T'Wolves system - just sharing observations...

I appreciate that. I am not concerned about his fit offensively, more of a defensive issue. I know Rudy is not the most willing passer, but otherwise a 23 yr old with his skillset would be a gifted part of our team.

These fools didn't make Ronnie Brewer a restricted free agent.

WOW.

Apparently we are trading for Beasley now. So perhaps we are trying to field a starting line up of all small forwards.

Would the Grizzlies sign and trade Rudy Gay for Wilson Chandler and Eddy Curry?