Yuta (You the) GM

[VCfor3]

I had someone on the T&T Board ask what the Memphis direction/plan was since they weren't sure and wanted to know to help with their trade proposals. I answered but I thought I'd see what others thought. So I actually have two questions:

1. What do you think the FO's current plan is for the next 2-5 years?
2. If you were the GM, what would your plan be for the next 2-5 years?

[dark-child]

1. Current F.O. Plan - SELF PRESERVATION - they don't seem to be operating from anything discernible that anyone else can see. Although I will say this. RE: The Chandler Parsons drama - It does not make any sense that they would have such a hard line concerning him being on the roster, unless they thought they could move him and did not want his value decreasing any further. If the coach wanted to play him and the player wants to play and was cleared medically, the team is struggling with Offense, so why would it matter or what does it hurt if he plays and fails? They purposely put him on the shelf for a reason and even though they requested a G-League assignment that was rebuffed you don't respond in this matter unless you are totally clueless. If the latter is the case then the front office deserves to be replaced in the off season. One last little nugget, I heard since Chris Wallace's hire in 2007 as GM the organization has not hired a Head Coach with previous non interim Head Coaching experience. That's a whopping 13 years, so we have not had expertise on the bench and dubious at best competence in the front office, so do we have to wonder why this formula has yielded these results? So when you say Plan, I laugh because that requires foresight, and a strategic thinker and this front office has not displayed either.

2. Now if I were the GM: First things first: STOP LYING TO OURSELVES - GRIT & GRIND is dead and not resurrected with the current roster construction. What we are doing now is thinking that in 2019 Halle Berry is still the prettiest girl in the room. Yes she is still eye catching but her best days are behind her and there is A LOT of dynamic talent out there, so building around her is not embracing a mentality but refusing to recognize the obvious. In Basketball you have to be able to put the ball in the basket first, and to not recognize that and attempt to say you are defense first squad but yet you have the most NON ATHLETIC team in the league is insanity. Team Defense first is best deployed with young athletic similar sized players who can switch everything, not undersized, non athletic, and ageing players whose opponents go for career high in points and 3 point shooting percentages against you. Now that this is understood I proceed with the reconstruction of the roster.

The NOW: BELIEVE - you can move the Chandler Parsons contract. You have close to 17 million in expiring contracts to pair with his contract in a larger deal (Temple, Green, Mack) who should all not be retained anyway. Potential trade partners are New York, Minnesota, Cleveland and Miami. Target scoring wings and backup point guard and combo guards. You are able to maintain a playoff push and at the same time improve the athleticism on the squad and add younger assets. This bargain bin shopping has got to stop.

The FUTURE: Have Marc Gasol opt out and resign him for 2 years and 25 - 30 w/games played incentives, if he opts out and walks even better - "thank you for your service big guy"
Cap Space was gained with restructuring Marc Gasol so we target below 25 year old athletic versatile players with the cap space and mid level exception. Potential targets - Kentavious Caldwell Pope, DeAngelo Russell, Rodney Hood, Emanuel Mudiay, etc.

[BarbaGrizz]

1 - Regain control of our destiny. Erase our pick debt and start rebuilding from there, wherever "there" is.

2 - Same. Search for cheap signs with potential, try to hoard picks, became a salary dump destination. Sign Bruno Caboclo asap (Stackhouse knows him very well and he's the only unicorn available out there, shooting 43% from 3 and blocking 3 shots per game). Play Rabb, Brooks, Watanabe together, with a supporting cast of high character veterans. Give it a chance to G-League standouts: Jordan Loyd (23/5/5 guard), Alan Williams (undersized C that produces a lot), Walter Lemon Jr (21/7.5 asts PG), Cameron Oliver and John Jenkins.

[Jamaaliver]

The 2020 Draft is considered even weaker than this year's. I say tank this season and make another run next year with Jaren more polished plus another prized rookie next to Conley and Gasol.

Jarrett Culver would be a tremendous addition for this Grizzlies team.

Should Grizzlies tank? Some experts doubt 2019 NBA draft depth

...a frustrating December and first half of January have left some Grizzlies fans clamoring for the team to tank and rebuild as the franchise teeters on the brink of missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons.

It's a reality the Grizzlies must consider during the season's second half as the franchise tries to plan for the future without knowing what – if anything – it can expect from this year's draft.

If the Grizzlies end up with a top-eight selection, they will keep it. If they end up with a pick outside the top eight, the pick will go to the Celtics to satisfy the requirements of a 2015 trade.

If the season had ended this weekend, the Grizzlies would have been slotted ninth in the draft lottery with a 4.5 percent chance of selecting first overall, a 20.2 percent chance of selecting somewhere in the top four. By contrast, it was clear by this time a year ago that the Grizzlies probably would have a top selection in what most regarded as a deep 2018 draft.

"Last year, even though they slipped out of the top three, they still came upon a really good player in Jaren," Woo said. "That's not going to happen every time."

Commercial Appeal

[SD2042]

The first question:


With the way the current front office as is. They may continue to play the patch up job to keep the team quasi-relative. Given their history, it's one of the reasons why my trust with the current administration is very low. They need to make changes and bring in some fresh eyes who can direct this organization to is inevitable rebuild of the foundation. They already have started with 3J as that player and can build around him. To the Chandler Parsons conundrum, the Grizzlies likely scenario is to do a stretch provision if they do not find a deal for him by the deadline. The Grizzlies need to look into prospects in both G-Leagues and free agency coming up in the offseason. Also look into the possibility of trading away Marc Gasol and see what they can get back in return during the offseason.


The second question:

My plans as GM is to help the team establish an identity where we can build the foundation on and enhance it's growth. Recognize that 3J is the player the team needs to build around and place more players of solid talent around him. These next two drafts are expected to be weak. This upcoming draft, the pick to the Celtics must be convey and settle once and for all. Look to establish a new coach in play who can help usher in the necessary atmosphere possible to deliver this upcoming basketball squad to the fans so they can embrace them. Build on their experiences and hopefully become contenders when the time is right.


Being the Grizzlies have no picks in this 2019 draft, I would take the opportunity to look into young players who may be labeled bust and look into establish veterans and take a chance on them to see what could happen with this organization. (i.e. Justin Patton, Dragan Bender, Ish Smith, KCP, Pat Beverley, Malachi Richardson) for example.


Look for deals around Marc Gasol to happen during the 2019 off season.

Be smart with cap space and utilize on young veteran players who are solid in skills and willing to teach the upcoming Grizzlies players how to put in work to establish themselves.

Work on drafting a PG during the 2020 draft and have him learn from MC11 as much as possible. Eventually, this future PG will be set to replace MC11 as the starting PG of the team. Meaning either MC11 becomes a backup or he could be traded.

[Jamaaliver]

The Whiteboard: The Memphis Grizzlies need to tear this thing down

The Memphis Grizzlies tried to compete with Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, but their core just isn’t holding up well enough out West


The Memphis Grizzlies started the 2018-19 NBA season off scorching hot, winning 12 of their first 17 games and seeming like one of the stronger teams in the entire NBA. Things quickly soured for the Grizzlies since.

Memphis now sits at 19-24, last among non-Suns teams in the West and roughly four games out of the eighth seed at the moment. The most damning part of Memphis’ season is that their two main cogs, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, have missed just one combined game all season. The Grizzlies wrote off their disastrous 2017-18 season due to barely having Conley and Gasol on the floor together, but those two have played roughly 25 minutes per game together across 42 of a possible 43 games.

The Grizzlies have won those minutes by around 5 points per 100 possessions, but that hasn’t been enough to compensate for the minutes those two don’t play.

In this Western Conference that only contains one other truly bad team, tanking would be easy. The Grizzlies have a young core to build around in Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr., and adding another high lottery pick wouldn’t hurt either. The tricky thing is figuring out the pick that Memphis owes Boston.

The Step Back

[BarbaGrizz]

1 - Regain control of our destiny. Erase our pick debt and start rebuilding from there, wherever "there" is.

2 - Same. Search for cheap signs with potential, try to hoard picks, became a salary dump destination. Sign Bruno Caboclo asap (Stackhouse knows him very well and he's the only unicorn available out there, shooting 43% from 3 and blocking 3 shots per game). Play Rabb, Brooks, Watanabe together, with a supporting cast of high character veterans. Give it a chance to G-League standouts: Jordan Loyd (23/5/5 guard), Alan Williams (undersized C that produces a lot), Walter Lemon Jr (21/7.5 asts PG), Cameron Oliver and John Jenkins.

Hire me Chris Wallace, I know you're reading our board!