The only way i could see this happening is if they moved Batum to the 2 and started Gay at the 3. If nothing else they would be a very long team.
I've never been a big fan of RG. He looks like he should be one of the elite wing players in the league, but his production has never backed up that perception -- low efficiency, high volume and fairly one-dimensional and definitely not worth the money he's making. I'd rather the Blazers tried to address their deficiencies at center via trade with what few assets they have.
100% agree. I never got why anyone other than a Memphis fan would be goo goo for him. He seemed more like a glorified outlaw to me. Inconsistent when you need him the most.
I've got to give you guys props,... you're all pretty on the money when it comes to Rudy Gay. If I were Portland, or any team for that matter, I'd stay as far away from Rudy Gay as humanly possible. I could really go on a lengthy rant about how I can't stand the guy's game, but it's sufficient to say that he's a black hole with no shot and a Jordan-complex. If the Grizzlies were smart, they'd really try to package him off for a player like Matthews and some draft picks, because I honestly believe he's addition by subtraction, not just with his albatross of a contract, but also because of his style of play. Expecting a star in return is really too much to be asking. I'd love to send him off to Dallas for Nowitzki and let them take on both of our rejects, but that's too idealistic. There were rumors a while back that Iguodala for Gay was imminent, but that fell through for some reason. Just thinking about how better off the Grizzlies would be if they had actually pulled the trigger on Mayo for Allen and Gay for Iguodala drives me crazy.
Apparently Gay is likely headed to Phoenix, Golden State, or Sacramento. Phoenix would offer Jared Dudley, expiring contracts (ie: Wesley Johnson, Shannon Brown, or Sebastian Telfair), as well the Lakers' first rounders in 2013 and 2015. Golden State talks have apparently cooled off over the inclusion of Richard Jefferson. Adding a player like Jarrett Jack or Carl Landry to the deal would make that work cap-wise. The Grizzlies are apparently looking for more though and don't want to take on Jefferson's contract, even though it's only got another year on it. Sacramento talks revolve around Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, and one of their three point guards. Essentially, the Grizzlies are just looking to dump Gay's contract on another team. The thing is, the Grizzlies are apparently having problems finding anyone willing to take on his deal, even for a group of mid-level talent and expiring contracts.
I'd try to jump in on the Sac 3-way and give up Nolan to get any one of the 3 (I'm assuming Brooks, Jimmer or Thomas, with Jimmer as my favorite). I'd really like to get Wroten, but MEM probably wants more than I'd give, though they're welcome to the bench (minus Leonard).
That's the one I hope they stay the hell away from. Like I said before, I really consider Rudy Gay to be addition by subtraction. Bringing a guy like Evans on board would just compound the problems that Rudy was creating. Another thing that the Grizzlies are allegedly trying to do is shop Zach Randolph. I don't know why, because he's more than worth his contract based on what the top level talents are being paid, but this new owner seems cashed strapped and determined to get under the luxury tax. He's also appointed some new upper management figures that are apparently trying to mess with a good thing just to make a name for themselves, all the while the team continues to pay a ridiculous salary to our lame duck GM.
so the Grizz are panicking after getting beat by the lowly Blazers in Memphis? Stay the course, and for godsakes dont trade Randolph!
With Rudy Gay, his departure is more like a long-time coming sort of thing. The team's better when he's on the bench, so why not trade his albatross of a contract off for some more efficient players, some picks, and some cap relief? That part of it makes sense to me. The part that doesn't make sense are the allegations about Randolph being on the block, because no one in their right mind would get rid of Z-Bo with the way he's been playing and with the way the city's come to love him. The whole organization is going through a lot of changes though ever since we had a new young owner buy our squad (with celebrity help from guys like Peyton Manning, Justin Timberlake, and Penny Hardaway... even though you'll never see any of them at the games). For some reason, the new owner's cleaning house. Our current GM, Chris Wallace, was never great, but he's pretty much a lame duck at this point. This new dumbass owner is putting people like John Hollinger from ESPN in charge, and it seems like they might screw up the good thing we have going. It seems like they don't understand the team we've managed to build up over the five years in the least.
I bet your power forward somehow winds up on the Lakers in a heist that gives Memphis jack shit and the Lakers a shot at being relevant. I've seen this movie already.
Thank God we don't have a cheap owner. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/e...zzlies-also-considering-trading-zach-randolph Dudes desperately trying to get under lux tax.
I was pretty shocked to see them hire Hollinger. MEM has really done well in recent years, but I thought that this hire was the first chink in the armor and could lead to their demise.
Why? Hollinger's analytics are pretty good and he's just another voice in the room, it's not like he's the HMFIC.
the backlash against guys like Hollinger, Babby, Kahn, Cho (even Olshey, if you want to go there) as not being GM material b/c they weren't players or coaches or whatever never made sense to me. Maybe it's b/c I have the analogy that would be dumb if I said "Presidents who haven't been in uniform all their life shouldn't be Commanders-in-Chief, or SECDEFs. Good leadership isn't confined to one part of life. I, for one, think about 10 people in here would make a heckuva better GM than Isiah Thomas ever would. And not just b/c of basketball knowledge or cap rules or whatever. B/c running a business and empowering good subordinates to do good work and allowing good decisions isn't a basketball thing.
