TSN Season Preview: Memphis Grizzlies

[bballCT]

The team should be fun to watch:

SG - O.J. Mayo
Mayo is one of those players that was so hyped when he was so young that he is already reaching the backlash stage before he's even played a single NBA game. People were tearing at his game early last season as USC until he managed to settle down and play his brand of basketball down the stretch of the season. Going into his first NBA campaign he is dealing with the aftermath of an agent scandal from his college days and with having been traded once already as a pro. Playing alongside Gay will be good for him because he won't be expected to come in and solidify the team's perimeter scoring like he would have had to had Minnesota hung on to him after the draft. In Memphis he'll be given the chance to ease into the game a little and find out where he fits which is an ideal situation for any rookie to be in. It may hurt his chances for a Rookie of the Year award, but it will be good for his development and the rest of his career.

SF - Rudy Gay
If Gay plays his cards right this season, and if the Memphis staff can harness his prodigious talents within the offense, then Gay could be about to break into the stratosphere of NBA celebrity. That could be a mixed blessing (just ask Vince Carter or Tracy McGrady) but Gay has all of the scoring acumen and non-threatening personality traits to make him an ideal poster boy in this league. He's flashy, he's athletic and he plays on a team bad enough that he'll be the focus of just about everything they do for the next year or two, at least. If he can keep rounding out his game, especially on the defensive end of the court, he could leapfrog guys like Gerald Wallace and Shawn Marion as being a statistical and athletic freak who is also able to lead his team on the court. He's a ways away from that today, but it's a perfectly reasonable goal for a 22-year-old forward with his on-court abilities.

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=249898&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nba

[jefe]

Overall, a pretty good read. It's nice to see some positive publicity about the Grizz every now and then. However, I thought the author was way off in his assesment of Conley. Also, this cracked me up.

Warrick is what Rudy Gay could have been if he wasn't as driven or as heavily utilized.

Below the belt, funny, and true IMO.

[Downtown]

Yeah, overall I thought there wera alot of good points. The writer summed it up nicely at the top when he said there shouldn't be any pressure to win and this season will be about developing the core and seeing how it works together.

For sure he was a bit lost on his views about Conley but he was correct in pointing out that Conley didn't live up to expectations in his first real season and was just another rookie trying to find his way.

It was good to see the part about Gasol. There were some positive things in there. He was correct that until we see him it's difficult to say whether he will step right in and adjust like Scola and Garbajosa did, or if he will need time to adjust.

Ever since I started posting on the Grizzlies forum this summer I've said it will be all about evaluating at least up to the trade deadline and by then the picture should be clearer. That's why I wouldn't be in a rush to go after a big name, high profile player unless it was an absolute no brainer like Josh Smith was.

[bobobolas1]

Yep, was a nice read. Anyway, i think they just say the good things. Should we start to list the problems we have?

Well, As they also said, no matter if we lose. This year we are reaching to have the core working for the next seasons.

I hope OJ-Rudy-Mike give us good times this season. Ill keep and Eye on Marc Gasol Since my man JCN is gone. How i loved this guy...he could have helped us this season so much from the bench.