1. Addition by subtraction
Well-documented are the real reasons Hubie Brown retired as Grizzlies coach Thanksgiving Day. Player dissension led to health issues that forced Brown to decide between risking his existence over game losses. Point the finger at Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells -- the two most vocal dissenters.
It's been proven by conventional wisdom that those causing problems in the beginning would be at the center of conflict near the end of the Grizzlies' season.
That the team did nothing at the trading deadline and still earned a playoff berth is a credit to coach Mike Fratello's coaching and the hard-workers (i.e. Battier, Lorenzen Wright, Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, etc.) who put winning first.
Ridding the team of constant distractions is the first step toward moving onward and upward. Trading Williams, and a sign-and-trade for Wells (who will not have an $8 million team option exercised) would create a happier locker room and allow for better leadership. Plus, a sign-and-trade involving forward/center Stromile Swift (an unrestricted free agent) would allow the Griz to add toughness and move Wright to the bench behind Gasol, realizing a five-year experiment with Swift failed.
2. Deal for Ray Allen
You're thinking that the last thing this team needs is a shooting guard. But in acquiring Allen, you get a superstar athlete capable of scoring major points and leading the team to victory on any given night. The Grizzlies simply don't have that player. Allen will be available because the cash-strapped Sonics won't want to pay him market value. The Grizzlies could, with multiple players in a sign-and-trade.
This idea will work, depending on how much salary West can dump from the current roster this summer. Because West would also need to convince a cost-cutting owner that he needs to do this to profit and win.
3. Re-sign Watson
Watson is an unrestricted free agent who earned just $1.4 million last season. He'll command some team's mid-level exception (nearly $5 million per year) this summer. A team that needs to improve toughness and grit doesn't need to lose it. Watson, who despite sentiment to the contrary won games for the Griz this season, wants to run his own team. But being a backup on a team that's willing to commit isn't out of his realm of thinking. He wants to be a Grizzly under the right circumstances. The Griz need him, especially with Williams on the roster.
4. Trade for a brute
All we know in three seasons is that Michael Olowokandi went to Minnesota. Jerome James stayed in Seattle. Erick Dampier went to Dallas. And Nazr Mohammed ended up at San Antonio. OK, so the Grizzlies have tried but failed in trying to obtain a rebounding, defensive-minded and physical big man. Package the 19th overall draft pick with Brian Cardinal and Jake Tsakalidis and come away with a bodyguard for Gasol.
5. Identify West's replacement
Anyone who believes that Jerry West will remain in his role as team president beyond next season is living on Fantasy Island. Part of West's four-year commitment is to ensure the Griz maintain a level of professionalism and competitiveness that he established. Just as West left the Lakers in good shape with a clear right-hand man, he should hire someone who will carry on his philosophy before next season.
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1. Keep Jason Williams
Call me crazy or call J-Will crazy (he would agree), but despite his flaws, he's the only Griz guard capable of breaking down a defender off the dribble and making the impossible shot.
No, he doesn't play great defense and granted it would be nice to see him spend more time in a defensive stance, because he has the quickness and the hands to disrupt. But how many great point guards are dynamic stoppers? Steve Nash, league MVP? Don't think so. Tony Parker? Jason Kidd? Nope.
Granted, J-Will can be a problem child, such as griping about playing time, or sometimes getting into his own little world on the bench. Maybe you solve that by naming him a permanent team co-captain with Shane Battier. Jerry West needs to tell J-Will that for better or for worse, he's the Griz's starting point guard and he needs to show the maturity of someone about to start his eighth pro season.
2. Large, angry presence in the middle
Make no mistake, this isn't a knock against Lorenzen Wright. How can you be critical of a guy, who in his ninth season, had one of the best years of his career? He played in more games this season than ever in his career and he brought it every night.
But if the Griz want to move up the NBA food chain, especially in the Western Conference, they've got to a find physical, big body. That's easier said than done. The list is limited.
Seattle's Jerome James (7-1, 272) is a free agent, but also a huge puzzle. He has career regular season averages of 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 15.2 minutes, yet has started 160 of 268 regular season games. But so far in the playoffs, he's playing like a man (15 points, 8.2 rebounds) who wants to be offered a nice contract somewhere.
There's also a list of other unproven commodities, such as Chicago's Eddy Curry, Seattle's Vitaly Potapenko.
Personally, I'd go after Nene of the Nuggets. He has a year left on his contract (the last year on a four-year deal), he's a chiseled 6-11, 260, he turns 23 in September and he's hungry because his playing time has dropped with the addition of Marcus Camby. He doesn't mind beating on people -- he almost broke Pau Gasol's nose a year ago.
Pau needs an enforcer to deal some pain, and Nene might be the man to do it if a trade can be made.
In going after free agents, you must understand that the Grizzlies are up against the odds. Not only is money a factor, but Memphis is simply not as attractive, considering the history of the franchise and the city lacking a cosmopolitan feel.
3. Sign-and-trades with Watson, Swift
You'd like to get something out of Earl Watson and Stromile Swift before they jump ship.
More teams than you think covet Swift, whose mind-boggling athleticism is overshadowed by his game-to-game inconsistency. And there's the thought that his game would improve if he could play power forward instead of an undersized center.
Watson should also have his pick of teams, because those in the know in the league appreciate Watson's work ethic and his professionalism. If Earl can keep working on his shot and start consistently knocking down the open jumper, he could become a starter somewhere in the league.
4. Get Dahntay Jones on the floor more
No Griz player improved as much from last year to this as did Jones, a 6-6 swingman.
His outside shot took a huge leap (25 percent in 3s last year to 38.3 percent this year), he made better decisions and no other Griz could beat a defender off the dribble and elevate on drives like Jones. Plus, he loves defense and is fearless.
In a four-game stretch in February when he played 30 minutes per game (because of injuries to other players), he averaged 14 points, shot 50 percent from the field and 71.4 percent in 3s. And in the two playoff games he played 29 or more minutes, he averaged 11 points and 4.5 rebounds.
5. Unleash the monster in Pau Gasol
When you're paid to be the man, you must play like you're the man. Gasol has to bring it every night.
He needs to find a drill sergeant personal trainer for cardio and muscle, then have someone close to his size beat on him every day in one-on-one post drills. The only way to learn how to consistently play aggressively and physically, to obtain that mentality, is to practice against it to the point where playing that way is second nature.
As indicated by his jaw-dropping second playoff game against the Suns -- 28 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists -- Gasol has the talent and beast within him. There's no excuse for him not averaging a double-double.
Feel free to post what you think the Grizzlies will do and I will stick with this thread throughout the off-season. Might as well join the bandwagon with everyone posting team threads.
I don't think the Grizz would want to get Ray Allen though, he's demanding way too much money for my taste and signing someone as big as Allen could only be bad for the Grizz's cap space.
Trade Posey, Humphrey (S&T), and J-Will and 1at pick for Miller, Nene,Buckner, and 2nd pick (they need a guard/small forward and we need a big man)(the point guard switch is just for Fratello)
