State of the Grizz Address
Well, the NBA season has finally ended, and once again the Grizzlies were swept out of the first round of the playoffs. A sweep that put the Grizz in the record books.
What for?
For being the worst playoff team in NBA history, what an honor. The Grizzlies have the longest playoff streak without a win, a streak that is currently at 12 games. To make matters worse the Grizzlies playoff record is 0-12, so not only do we have the streak record, but we are one of two teams without a playoff victory. (Thank God for the expansion Bobcats)
The Grizzlies are managed by THE Logo, Jerry West. However, he has been less than brilliant during his Memphis tenure.
Here's a look at some of Jerry West's offseason/inseason moves in Memphis.
2002 Draft:
-The Grizzlies and West selected Drew Gooden with the number four pick in the draft. Sure, Drew Gooden was a great player in college, but was he good enough to be taken that high. Or here's a better question: Why are you drafting a PF when you already had the ROTY in Pau Gasol on the team. To make matters worse look who was picked after Gooden, Amare Stodamire.
-The second round began and the Grizzlies had the third pick in the 2nd round. Who do we take? We draft Robert Archibald. Ever heard of him? I didn't think so. It is because he played a grand total of 12 games and nearly had more turnovers than points. To be fair this was the second round, there aren't many good players left this late, correct? Wrong! Listen to these next two picks. Carlos Boozer and Dan Gadzuric. Boozer was a great college player and was a star at Duke, why JW took an unathletic, passive white guy over a bruiser like Boozer I will never know.
-Signed Cezary Trybanski. This was not a bad financial move by any means, it is just further proof the Logo has lost his eye for talent.
2003:
-The Logo showed some brain activity and acquired sharp shooter Mike Miller, along with Ryan Humphrey and two draft picks, in exchange for Gordan Giricek and an unwelcome Drew Gooden.
-We have the 13th and 27th draft picksn(Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins) and trade them for Dahntay Jones and Troy Bell. Good move? Well, Bell is now playing in Asia or something and Dahntay is still buried on the Memphis bench. Let's see what other options JW had in this draft in the first round. Just Ridnour, Diaw, David West, Barbosa, Howard, and Kyle Korver.
-Traded Brevin Knight, Trybanski, and Archibald for Bo Outlaw and Big Jake. Personally, I thought it was an OK move. Bo gave us veteran leadership and Jake gave us 6 fouls on Shaq. However, this meant two years of Earl Watson and not Brevin Knight.
-Signed FA James Posey, who had one good year, then came into camp out of shape and couldn't stay healthy his second season.
-Traded Wesley Person for Bonzi Wells, a great move at the time. It seemed that JW had regained his mojo.
2004:
-Drafted Andre Emmet and Sergei Lishouk. Emmet played in about three games before being released, and we still have not Sergei in a Grizzlies jersey, yet again another waste of a draft.
-Despite the poor draft, JW was determined to give us an impact player in free agency, or so we thought. We signed Brian Cardinal, hustle player from GSW, to an obscene contract. Good move? Just check BC's stats while he has been in Memphis.
-Signed Mike Fratello as head coach, a horrible move. Should have given it to Musselman, thank JW.
2005:
-Grizzlies draft Hakim Warrick at number 19. A solid pick by the Grizz, a no-brainer really. Warrick would be replacing the departing Stromile Swift, and would provide youth and energy off the bench, if Fratello would ever play him. We also acquired Lawrence Roberts in the second round, but Fratello has ruined him thus far.
-Let Bonzi Wells walk. We all thought it was Bonzi, not Fratello. We were wrong. Fratello ruined Bonzi, and the Grizzlies, Wells was our only legitimate scoring threat outside of Gasol and we let him walk for nothing.
-Traded Jason Williams and James Posey for Eddie Jones and Bobby Jackson. Leadership? Yes. Veteranship? Yes. Out of control shooting? Courtesy of Mr. Jackson. Eligble for Social Security? Eddie Jones. The move was lateral in my opinion, but in the longrun will hurt us due to age. Jackson isn't even on the team anymore, and EJ will probably be traded.
-Signed Damon Stoudamire as a FA. Great move here, except for the fact he tore his platellar tendon and didn't get to play most of the season.
2006:
-FA's are Bjax, Burks, and Lorenzen.
-Have valuable trading commodoties in Battier, Miller, and EJ.
-Result? Hopefully that picture will be clearer after the draft.
Well, we are in the next phase of the Memphis Grizzlies. Attendance in plummeting, We are getting older, players are restless (Mike Miller wants a trade), Our only center is Big Jake, and we don't have anyone at point guard. Will Jerry West find his old magic and make the Grizzlies a contender? Probably not. Will we end up taking the "safe" pick in the draft and standing pat during Free Agency? Unfortunately, this is our strongest possibility.
So, I urge you Mr. West. Take some chances in the draft/offseason. Get us that center (you know the one you've promised for three years...and resigning Big Jake doesn't count) or slasher, find a way to put people back in the seats at the Forum, and get us that elusive playoff win...the state of the Grizzlies in Memphis depends on it.
What for?
For being the worst playoff team in NBA history, what an honor. The Grizzlies have the longest playoff streak without a win, a streak that is currently at 12 games. To make matters worse the Grizzlies playoff record is 0-12, so not only do we have the streak record, but we are one of two teams without a playoff victory. (Thank God for the expansion Bobcats)
The Grizzlies are managed by THE Logo, Jerry West. However, he has been less than brilliant during his Memphis tenure.
Here's a look at some of Jerry West's offseason/inseason moves in Memphis.
2002 Draft:
-The Grizzlies and West selected Drew Gooden with the number four pick in the draft. Sure, Drew Gooden was a great player in college, but was he good enough to be taken that high. Or here's a better question: Why are you drafting a PF when you already had the ROTY in Pau Gasol on the team. To make matters worse look who was picked after Gooden, Amare Stodamire.
-The second round began and the Grizzlies had the third pick in the 2nd round. Who do we take? We draft Robert Archibald. Ever heard of him? I didn't think so. It is because he played a grand total of 12 games and nearly had more turnovers than points. To be fair this was the second round, there aren't many good players left this late, correct? Wrong! Listen to these next two picks. Carlos Boozer and Dan Gadzuric. Boozer was a great college player and was a star at Duke, why JW took an unathletic, passive white guy over a bruiser like Boozer I will never know.
-Signed Cezary Trybanski. This was not a bad financial move by any means, it is just further proof the Logo has lost his eye for talent.
2003:
-The Logo showed some brain activity and acquired sharp shooter Mike Miller, along with Ryan Humphrey and two draft picks, in exchange for Gordan Giricek and an unwelcome Drew Gooden.
-We have the 13th and 27th draft picksn(Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins) and trade them for Dahntay Jones and Troy Bell. Good move? Well, Bell is now playing in Asia or something and Dahntay is still buried on the Memphis bench. Let's see what other options JW had in this draft in the first round. Just Ridnour, Diaw, David West, Barbosa, Howard, and Kyle Korver.
-Traded Brevin Knight, Trybanski, and Archibald for Bo Outlaw and Big Jake. Personally, I thought it was an OK move. Bo gave us veteran leadership and Jake gave us 6 fouls on Shaq. However, this meant two years of Earl Watson and not Brevin Knight.
-Signed FA James Posey, who had one good year, then came into camp out of shape and couldn't stay healthy his second season.
-Traded Wesley Person for Bonzi Wells, a great move at the time. It seemed that JW had regained his mojo.
2004:
-Drafted Andre Emmet and Sergei Lishouk. Emmet played in about three games before being released, and we still have not Sergei in a Grizzlies jersey, yet again another waste of a draft.
-Despite the poor draft, JW was determined to give us an impact player in free agency, or so we thought. We signed Brian Cardinal, hustle player from GSW, to an obscene contract. Good move? Just check BC's stats while he has been in Memphis.
-Signed Mike Fratello as head coach, a horrible move. Should have given it to Musselman, thank JW.
2005:
-Grizzlies draft Hakim Warrick at number 19. A solid pick by the Grizz, a no-brainer really. Warrick would be replacing the departing Stromile Swift, and would provide youth and energy off the bench, if Fratello would ever play him. We also acquired Lawrence Roberts in the second round, but Fratello has ruined him thus far.
-Let Bonzi Wells walk. We all thought it was Bonzi, not Fratello. We were wrong. Fratello ruined Bonzi, and the Grizzlies, Wells was our only legitimate scoring threat outside of Gasol and we let him walk for nothing.
-Traded Jason Williams and James Posey for Eddie Jones and Bobby Jackson. Leadership? Yes. Veteranship? Yes. Out of control shooting? Courtesy of Mr. Jackson. Eligble for Social Security? Eddie Jones. The move was lateral in my opinion, but in the longrun will hurt us due to age. Jackson isn't even on the team anymore, and EJ will probably be traded.
-Signed Damon Stoudamire as a FA. Great move here, except for the fact he tore his platellar tendon and didn't get to play most of the season.
2006:
-FA's are Bjax, Burks, and Lorenzen.
-Have valuable trading commodoties in Battier, Miller, and EJ.
-Result? Hopefully that picture will be clearer after the draft.
Well, we are in the next phase of the Memphis Grizzlies. Attendance in plummeting, We are getting older, players are restless (Mike Miller wants a trade), Our only center is Big Jake, and we don't have anyone at point guard. Will Jerry West find his old magic and make the Grizzlies a contender? Probably not. Will we end up taking the "safe" pick in the draft and standing pat during Free Agency? Unfortunately, this is our strongest possibility.
So, I urge you Mr. West. Take some chances in the draft/offseason. Get us that center (you know the one you've promised for three years...and resigning Big Jake doesn't count) or slasher, find a way to put people back in the seats at the Forum, and get us that elusive playoff win...the state of the Grizzlies in Memphis depends on it.
posted by Jason Smith at 9:48 PM
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