The Memphis Grizzlies are Top 5 in the West at this point

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

Actually this is just one aspect of contract negotiation. If it was so cut and dried, why is it most rookies had not been signed going into summer league? Cousins, Turner, and many others played without a contract signed. It is a mistake to oversimply a complex contract negotiation.

Cousins signed on July 7th. Turner signed on July 14th.

As of July 15th, 4 1st round picks from the 2010 draft remained unsigned:
James Anderson was signed on July 23rd by the Spurs.
Kevin Seraphin remains unsigned by the Wizards and will stay in Europe.

The only two 2010 1st round picks still not signed right now are Memphis Grizzlies rookies Greivis Vasquez and Xavier Henry. Congratulations, you're the only team in the league so cheap you can't sign first round draft picks to fair deals because you want to save a couple hundred thousand which amounts to less than 0.5 percent of your total payroll and less than 0.35 percent of the Grizzlies total operating costs.

[aboveAverage]

They're a good team, but not top 5. I would be surprised if they even made the playoffs in the west.

[bullsnewdynasty]

Grizzlies homers out in full force tonight. You know your owner sucks when he won't pay a player some $100,000 difference in contract.

[richboy]

OJ Mayo PER was 14.6
Rudy Gay PER was 16.2
Marc Gasol Per was 19.3

The numbers say Mayo and Gay are well overrated. Mayo's PER is below league average. Gay is only slightly above. They need big improvements for them to have 3 all-star caliber players.

[lilojmayo]

Man, someone beat me to this thread. I have been saying this thread for a few days now. I wanted the showcase to come so they could be some updated substance. It just so happened the Mayo and Gay were easily the best 2 players on Team USA Blue Team.

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/natio ... 07_24.html

There will be a few threads I'll make tomorrow on similar topics you better believe it.

[ahonui06]

I didn't realize that Grizzlies fans were so confident entering the 2010-2011 season. This is very surprising.

[richboy]

Where were those threads when Mayo was stinking it up in summer league.

[mowcrowbar]

Lakers
Mavericks
Spurs
Nuggets
Rockets
Blazers

All are better than the Grizzlies on paper and on the court.

How about the Thunder and Jazz? Maybe Suns and Hornets?

[memgrizzlies]

I didn't realize that Grizzlies fans were so confident entering the 2010-2011 season. This is very surprising.

Not really. Alsmost every Grizzlies fan expects us to end up somewhere in the 7-9 Western Conference range. I believe tthe OP said 5th just to being attention to the thread. Hell, I don't even know if the OP is a Grizz fan.

[360]

Where were those threads when Mayo was stinking it up in summer league.

Stinking it up? Dude, he was **** experimenting.

But anyway, I hate when people try to push players or teams off on other people. I'll throw in my 2cents when I disagree with someone, but let them earn respect on their own. *looking at you lilojmayo

[Dr Positivity]

I agree, OJ Mayo is going to put up 29/5/5 with defense and smart IQ, like Gilbert Arenas but a team player. He is the next Kobe. His dribbling style and star-like face and demeanour reminds me of Kobe. Therefore he will be the next Kobe.

Star-like face and demeanor you say? Tip tip cheerio mate.

In related news, I don't like the green font sarcasm trend. It defeats the purpose.

[lilojmayo]

Or better. Check out, they have 3 all star caliber players IMO. Zbo (all star this season), Marc Gasol (potential all star this season) and Rudy Gay franchise player and underrated SF. Good PG rotation in Mike Conley and Jamaal Tinsley. OJ Mayo is a good SG. And they added toughness and experience in Tony Allen. Their frontcourt Randolph-Gasol was the top rebounder in the league. What do you think about the Grizz??? I really think they can be a big surprise this season.

This guy is a troll. He doesn't watch the Grizzlies. Any Grizz fan can tell you that OJ Mayo is the best overall player on the Grizzlies and franchise player. I have talked to 4 season ticket holders on this and they all say the same thing. He just took a backseat this past season, which won't happen this upcoming season.

Gay just scores. OJ Mayo "he is the whole package" quoted by Kobe Bryant.

[KF10]

What did the Grizzlies do in the offseason to improve themselves? I mean, they were a 40-win team last year so I can see an argument of them making into the playoffs as one of the lower seeds. But as a top-5 teams/seed? I don't see it.

[lilojmayo]

What did the Grizzlies do in the offseason to improve themselves? I mean, they were a 40-win team last year so I can see an argument of them making into the playoffs as one of the lower seeds. But as a top-5 teams/seed? I don't see it.

Here are the key things on why we WILL be a top 5 team.

Experience and developement of our young players. You fans take that foregranted. The Thunder won 25 games to 50 games this year and all they added was James Harden and developement of KD and Westbrook.

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/natio ... 07_24.html

Look at the box score. The two best players on Blue were OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay. They just happen to be on the same team.

We didn't have a bench this past season. We have addded Tony Allen " The Kobe Stopper". Xavier Henry who is a lottery and a top 10 player when he was in high school.

Sam Young developement, he was absolutely a beast in Vegas, he was the 2nd best player in summer league behind John Wall. He had a 35 point game there. He is 6'6 230lbs athetic, he is really a Corey Maggette type of player.

Hasheem Thabeet developement: He was a force inside in summer league unlike his rookie season Even had a 20/10 game with 5 blocks. He is going to protect the paint for us.

Zach Randolph is still going to get close to 20/10 like he has done pretty much his entire career, Marc Gasol is a great player and is easily the best player playing in the World Championships not on team USA.

At end of the day it all comes back on our two most talented players with the highest ceilings Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. I expect OJ to have an all-star year, and past Brandon Roy as the 3rd best SG in the league consensus wise. Gay to be a top 5 SF

[richboy]

What did the Grizzlies do in the offseason to improve themselves? I mean, they were a 40-win team last year so I can see an argument of them making into the playoffs as one of the lower seeds. But as a top-5 teams/seed? I don't see it.

Here are the key things on why we WILL be a top 5 team.

Experience and developement of our young players. You fans take that foregranted. The Thunder won 25 games to 50 games this year and all they added was James Harden and developement of KD and Westbrook.

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/natio ... 07_24.html

Look at the box score. The two best players on Blue were OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay. They just happen to be on the same team.

We didn't have a bench this past season. We have addded Tony Allen " The Kobe Stopper". Xavier Henry who is a lottery and a top 10 player when he was in high school.

Sam Young developement, he was absolutely a beast in Vegas, he was the 2nd best player in summer league behind John Wall. He had a 35 point game there. He is 6'6 230lbs athetic, he is really a Corey Maggette type of player.

Hasheem Thabeet developement: He was a force inside in summer league unlike his rookie season Even had a 20/10 game with 5 blocks. He is going to protect the paint for us.

Zach Randolph is still going to get close to 20/10 like he has done pretty much his entire career, Marc Gasol is a great player and is easily the best player playing in the World Championships not on team USA.

At end of the day it all comes back on our two most talented players with the highest ceilings Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. I expect OJ to have an all-star year, and past Brandon Roy as the 3rd best SG in the league consensus wise. Gay to be a top 5 SF

I stop reading when your number 2 reason was the Blue White game.

[NO-KG-AI]

Grizzlies are easily top 5 in the southwest division.

[carrottop12]

Grizzlies are easily top 5 in the southwest division.

[KidDelicious]

What did the Grizzlies do in the offseason to improve themselves? I mean, they were a 40-win team last year so I can see an argument of them making into the playoffs as one of the lower seeds. But as a top-5 teams/seed? I don't see it.

Here are the key things on why we WILL be a top 5 team.

Experience and developement of our young players. You fans take that foregranted. The Thunder won 25 games to 50 games this year and all they added was James Harden and developement of KD and Westbrook.

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/natio ... 07_24.html

Look at the box score. The two best players on Blue were OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay. They just happen to be on the same team.

We didn't have a bench this past season. We have addded Tony Allen " The Kobe Stopper". Xavier Henry who is a lottery and a top 10 player when he was in high school.

Sam Young developement, he was absolutely a beast in Vegas, he was the 2nd best player in summer league behind John Wall. He had a 35 point game there. He is 6'6 230lbs athetic, he is really a Corey Maggette type of player.

Hasheem Thabeet developement: He was a force inside in summer league unlike his rookie season Even had a 20/10 game with 5 blocks. He is going to protect the paint for us.

Zach Randolph is still going to get close to 20/10 like he has done pretty much his entire career, Marc Gasol is a great player and is easily the best player playing in the World Championships not on team USA.

At end of the day it all comes back on our two most talented players with the highest ceilings Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. I expect OJ to have an all-star year, and past Brandon Roy as the 3rd best SG in the league consensus wise. Gay to be a top 5 SF

KD is a top 5 player in this league.. i wouldnt compare any of the grizzlies to the man, nor would i expect the same kind of development from gay and mayo...

if youre looking at that scrimmage to make a point about the improvement of these two guys youre barking up the wrong tree. do you also think andre iguodala will be an all star?

BJ mullens was the #1 prospect coming out of high school 2 years ago. we all see how thats turning out. that means nothing

what happens in vegas, stays in vegas.

ROFL at mayo being better than roy next year

[Foye]

They'll make the Playoffs but a first round exit is pretty much guaranteed.

[RaisingArizona]

Thanks for the laugh