Grizzlies Sign Guard Damon Stoudamire
Memphis, Tennessee, August 5, 2005 — Memphis Grizzlies President of Basketball Operations Jerry West announced today the team has signed free agent guard Damon Stoudamire to a four-year contract. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not released.
Stoudamire, a 10-year NBA veteran, joins the Grizzlies after playing in Portland for the past eight seasons. In 2004-05 he produced his best season as a member of the Blazers with highs in points (15.8 ppg), field goals made (457), three-point field goals made (181) and free-throw percentage (91.5%) while averaging a team-high 5.7 assists in 81 games played. He ranked fourth among NBA league leaders in free-throw percentage and tied with Paul Pierce for fifth in triple-doubles with two.
“I’m excited about becoming a part of the Grizzlies and the Memphis family,” said Stoudamire. “I know all of the Grizzlies fans are looking for that first playoff win, and I look forward to not only getting that win, but reaching the ultimate goal and winning a championship for Memphis.”
The 5-10, 171-pound guard, finished his career in Portland ranking second behind Terry Porter on the Trail Blazers’ all-time three-pointers made list (717), second all-time in three-point attempts (1,998) and third all-time in assists (3,018). In eight seasons with the Blazers, he averaged 12.8 points, 5.7 assists and 33.1 minutes in 529 games played.
“Damon is an experienced veteran and proven leader on the court,” said West. “We feel we have added a significant player to our team and know that he will help take us to a different level than where we are today.”
Stoudamire holds career averages of 14.6 points, 6.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 729 career games with Portland and Toronto. Drafted by Toronto in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft, he was named the 1996 Schick Rookie of the Year in addition to being the only unanimous selection to the Schick All-Rookie First Team. He played 200 games with the Toronto Raptors before being traded to Portland 49 games into the 1997-98 season. Stoudamire owns career playoff averages of 11.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 46 NBA playoff appearances.
A press conference date and time to introduce Stoudamire will be announced at a later date.
It's now official so I feel a little bit better now that we got him, now more moves can be done. Also here is another interesting article that I found in the paper that explains the ins and outs of the Grizzlies deal:
Calkins: Griz stuck in the middle with new crew
By Geoff Calkins
Contact
August 4, 2005
pictureI'm here to talk about the trade. Any questions?
Uh, you're not Jerry West.
True.
Where's Jerry West?
On vacation.
How about Mike Fratello?
On vacation.
So you're going to explain this deal to the fans?
Exactly.
You sure the Grizzlies are OK with this?
Actually, no. Fratello is so ticked, he might ban me from the building.
You and Bonzi?
That's the list so far.
Why?
Because Bonzi was poisonous and disruptive and ...
No, silly. Why you?
I didn't do cartwheels in the wake of the trade.
Cartwheels?
OK, that's my word. Handsprings might have satisfied him.
Why would anyone be doing cartwheels/handsprings?
Because the Grizzlies are better today than they were two days ago.
Are they?
Yes, marginally.
Let's break it down by position. Who do you want at small forward, Eddie Jones and Shane Battier or James Posey and Battier?
Jones and Battier.
Right. Because Posey and Battier are too similar and Posey was a lost cause last year. So who do you want at point guard, Jason Williams and Earl Watson or Damon Stoudamire and Bobby Jackson?
Stoudamire and Jackson.
Right again. Because Williams is a proven team wrecker. He went after Sidney Lowe, he turned on Hubie Brown and he got into a public shouting match with Fratello. He also tore into his teammates, most notably Pau Gasol.
So that leaves ...
Shooting guard. Who do you want, Mike Miller and Bonzi Wells or Miller and Dahntay Jones?
Miller and Wells have more talent.
That's true. But Wells was as poisonous as J-Will. He had to go, too.
But didn't West acquire Wells in the first place?
Sure.
Does he deserve credit for getting rid of a guy he gave up a first-round pick to acquire?
You have a good point there. But the team is still better. If you consider chemistry and professionalism, the Grizzlies are more competitive today than they were Monday.
And how about positioning for the future?
They're in a better spot there, too. Eddie Jones is owed more than $30 million over two years but will give the team some flexibility when his contract expires. And getting rid of J-Will's obscene deal was the key to everything.
He was really that much of a liability?
That's what most don't quite understand. You don't try to get value for J-Will, you pay someone to take him.
So does this mean people really should be excited?
That's where I'm dubious. There's a difference between being marginally better and being the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers. Look at what those teams have done this offseason. They've gone nutso.
West said he hates being in the middle of the pack. For all the Grizzlies' changes, where are they today?
In the middle of the pack.
Exactly. They don't have a big man, they don't have a star and they may or may not have a plan to get to the proverbial next level.
The Grizzlies used to say they were going to package multiple players for one impact guy. That didn't work. So what's the new plan? And how come they're leaving it to me to explain all this to everyone?
Because they're on vacation.
Right.
But they'll spell it all out eventually.
One can only hope.
Did you see the Heat's press conference Wednesday by the way?
Yes. J-Will said he forgot the box of pens he normally gives reporters.
That's funny.
Jason always was entertaining.
And how did the Miami media guys react?
I swear I saw some cartwheels.
