What is Memphis saying (spinning)?

[Fabbs]

Kori, LJ or mods feel free to flame this out if another post is too much, but I have not read or heard squat from the Memphis camp on the obvious collusion trade.

Anyone else heard/read their lame excuses for rewarding and bailing out the Lakers?
Kareem for David Meyers?
Spurs giving the Lakers Michael Thompson in the heat of the '87 season? Which was exactly what they needed at the time.

This thing smells foul. Really foul.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

The Grizz had to get rid of Gasol. That was well known. The team wasn't going anywhere with him, and his contract meant they couldn't do anything else. The Lakers were willing to return expiring contracts for him, these are gold for a blow-it-up-and-rebuild team. They are also trying to trade Miller and Smith for nothing, that's what they want to do. Then they can rebuild with lots of draft picks, and with lots of cap room to go after free agents in the next few years. I've also heard that the owner wants to sell, and this trade will actually increase the value of the team.

Don't assume conspiracy here.

[Obstructed_View]

What did Memphis give up that wasn't worth what they got back?

[ThomasGranger]

What were the Grizzlies thinking? The GM explains
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com

When the pundits were throwing around the phrase "executive of the year" Friday after the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, they weren't talking about Chris Wallace.

No, the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies was more apt to draw comparisons to Rob Babcock.

But before we all start equating Wallace with the ex-Toronto Raptors GM whose career will be defined by his trade of Vince Carter for two No. 1s and two warm bodies (Eric Williams and Aaron Williams, along with Alonzo Mourning, who refused to report to Toronto and was bought out), let's give the man in Memphis a chance to explain what he and the Grizzlies were thinking.

Was this really the best deal out there? And why make it now, three weeks before the trading deadline?

"Well, we've been trolling these waters for a while, we've dealt with a number of teams and I didn't see that it would get any better than this," Wallace told ESPN.com Friday night in a telephone interview. "We got what was pretty much the biggest expiring contract out there [Kwame Brown], a player we like in Javaris Crittendon, two No. 1 picks and Pau Gasol's brother [Marc Gasol], who we think would be a high No. 1 pick if he came out this year instead of last year.

"So we're looking at it like we're getting four No. 1 picks," Wallace said.

Wallace also emphatically denied that the deal with the Lakers, in which Memphis acquired Brown, Crittendon, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol and two future No. 1 picks, was ordered by owner Michael Heisley to make the Grizzlies more attractive to a potential buyer. Heisley has been trying to sell the franchise for nearly two years, and the $49 million obligation to Gasol over the next three seasons could have been viewed, for purposes of a franchise sale, as more of a liability than an asset.

"Heisley did not push me to do this," Wallace said. "No one put pressure on me to do this, and Michael Heisley has actually been reluctant to move Pau. So this wasn't about enhancing franchise value."

Wallace estimated the Grizzlies could be about $17 million under the salary cap in the summer of 2009 if they refrain from using their space over the upcoming summer and fill out next year's roster with players on one-year contracts.

Acknowledging the logjam at point guard, Wallace said he does not anticipate going into next season with Crittenton, Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley all on the roster.

"It'll be like locking the three of them in a room. We'll see which two come out, and we'll move the other guy," Wallace said.

As for Mike Miller, whom many expect to be the next high-salaried Memphis player to be moved (he makes $8.2 million this season and $18.8 over the next two), Wallace acknowledged there has been plenty of interest but cautioned: "I'm not trading him for nothing. I can see us going forward with him."

Wallace also said he spoke privately Friday with Gasol's best friend on the Grizzlies, Juan Carlos Navarro, and encouraged him to play hard and try to enhance his value as he enters restricted free agency this summer. Navarro's longterm future with Memphis will be impacted by which direction the Grizzlies go in the draft, Wallace said.

"I told him face to face: 'We don't see you as joined at the hip with Pau. You're entertaining, the fans love you, you're playing in the rookie game and our interest in you continues,'" Wallace said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&id=3226776

[sabar]

Gasol was doing nothing in Memphis. You dump him for expiring contracts and bam, you have a ton of cap room. If they trade him for equal value, then they have a bunch of mediocre players with multi-year salaries. This way, they can sign a bunch of 1 year contracts and let them expire the next year and do a 100% rebuilding.

[Fabbs]

What were the Grizzlies thinking? The GM explains
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com

columnist=sheridan_chris&id=3226776[/url]
Thanks for the link Thomas Granger.
Had nothing to do with selling the team and salaries :rolleyes ...
I buy about 2% of what Wallace is saying.
For you "they had to dump Gasol" Captain Obviouses, you're trying to swill us that NO better expiring contract offers were out there, Memphis just could not wait and see what developed closer to the trading deadline? Also Aaron Mckie came out of retirement to re-sign with the Lakers just so the deal could be equal in dollars? :elephant :elephant

[ss1986v2]

For you "they had to dump Gasol" Captain Obviouses, you're trying to swill us that NO better expiring contract offers were out there, Memphis just could not wait and see what developed closer to the trading deadline?
expirings are expirings. the player with said contract is of next to no importance. they would have taken my pudgy ass if i had a 10 mil expiring contract (see: theo ratliff). the trade netted them nearly 4 1st round picks (JC, 2 1st round picks, and marc gasol, who is having a brilliant euro season, probably on par with splitter).

while it may not seem like stellar value, until the picks are made, you cant judge the deal. for all we know, the grizz draft the next josh howard and tony parker with those picks. you cant pass judgment on these kinds of deals. or you can always go with...

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3803/conspiracyfk2.th.jpg (http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=conspiracyfk2.jpg)

[TDMVPDPOY]

i doubt the class of 03 would wanna play in memphis who is rebuilding, unless you follow the money and show me the money

they basically traded pau for 2 first round low draft picks which is in the 20s....im sure other teams out there couldve provided them 2 high draft picks and expiring contracts....this deal just doesnt sense at all from a rebuilding standpoint..

rebuild with low draft picks? hello memphis doesnt have spurs moles workin in their FO.

[Fabbs]

they basically traded pau for 2 first round low draft picks which is in the 20s....im sure other teams out there couldve provided them 2 high draft picks and expiring contracts....this deal just doesnt sense at all from a rebuilding standpoint..
rebuild with low draft picks? hello memphis doesnt have spurs moles workin in their FO.
Yep. And here is a list of expiring contracts (unless timvp or anyone has a more current one.)
http://www.arinitout.com/2008/01/nba_trade_bait_expiring_contra.php
Out of all these no one could offer more then Lakers? Who is wearing the tin foil cap now ss1986v2 ?

[ploto]

What Memphis was discovering was it could not get commensurate talent for Gasol, who has averaged almost 19 points and nine rebounds over his career. The Lakers initially were offering Brown and Vladimir Radmanovic, the Cavaliers supposedly were offering Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes and the Trail Blazers were believed to be offering Raef LaFrentz and Travis Outlaw. All were veteran players with long contracts at a time the Memphis franchise is for sale and losing upward of $25 million annually.

There were talks with the Bulls about Andres Nocioni, whom the Grizzlies courted last summer, and Tyrus Thomas. Sources say the Grizzlies were angling for a package of young players that included Joakim Noah and Thabo Sefolosha. Though there was no offer, Memphis insiders believed the Bulls eventually would make such a deal because it wouldn't have involved any of their main players and the Bulls also were willing to take on a contract like that of Brian Cardinal...

Likewise, the Bulls were prepared to offer their lottery pick and young players and the expiring contract of P.J. Brown last year to Memphis. But the Grizzlies declined to deal Gasol then. When they got ready last month, the Bulls no longer had enough in expiring contracts. They could have tried to do a sign-and-trade deal with Brown, which is permitted since he last played for them, but it would have put the team well into the luxury tax and, in effect, cost $25 million to $30 million this season to have Gasol with money paid to Brown, the tax penalty and revenues not received from teams over the tax.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080201-smith-lakers-gasol-grizzlies-brown,1,5827391.column?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true

[TDMVPDPOY]

look out for jerry to trade mike or whoever on the grizzlies for peanuts to watever friends he has in nba fos

[Fabbs]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080201-smith-lakers-gasol-grizzlies-brown,1,5827391.column?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true
yeah so why did Memphis pass on the earlier Bulls offers and also their own people said Memphis insiders believed the Bulls eventually would make such a deal because it wouldn't have involved any of their main players and the Bulls also were willing to take on a contract like that of Brian Cardinal
So the Bulls no longer had enough in expiring contracts..
Just makes it look fishier that Memphis turned down the Bulls earlier offers including a lotto pick then settled for Kwame Brown and high 1st rounders.

[mrsmaalox]

Sure would loveto see Mike Miller as a Spur!

[ss1986v2]

Yep. And here is a list of expiring contracts (unless timvp or anyone has a more current one.)
http://www.arinitout.com/2008/01/nba_trade_bait_expiring_contra.php
Out of all these no one could offer more then Lakers? Who is wearing the tin foil cap now ss1986v2 ?
if its so easy, show me who would have offered more for gasol?

lets run through just some of the contending teams (because those are the only teams interested in taking on gasol at this point). im ignoring potential sign and trade deals, because i cant really know which teams still hold rights to retired and/or unsigned player that could be added to make the deals work:

boston: doesnt have the pieces
chicago: doesnt have the pieces
cleveland: doesnt have the pieces
dallas: doesnt have the pieces
denver: doesnt have the pieces
detroit: doesnt have the pieces
golden state: doesnt have the pieces
houston: doesnt have the pieces
new orleans: doesnt have the pieces
phoenix: doesnt have the pieces
portland: doesnt have the pieces
utah: doesnt have the pieces

out of the contending team (lakers aside), the spurs and the magic have enough expirings on the books to realistically match the gasol salary. for the magic to take on gasol, it plunges them even deeper into salary hell, but it might have been worth it. but they dont realistically have the ability to add 4 1st round picks worth of value on top of that. exact same for the spurs (unless the lakers value a package of splitter, ian, and 2 1st round picks over the laker package). but do the spurs do that deal (barry+elson+horry+ian+splitter+2 1sts)?

but lets assume that everyone has some scrub they can sign to balance salary. who on that list can match or beat the package of JC, marc gasol, and 2 1st round picks? maybe the warriors, thanks to some tricky simultaneous trades using their TPE and possibly brandon wright. not sure if the warriors go for something like that, but thats where i thought the best value might have been for gasol (lakers aside). and maybe portland, with all that young talent. but they have zero interest in gasol.

so who else is swinging a better deal again?

[Solid D]

look out for jerry to trade mike or whoever on the grizzlies for peanuts to watever friends he has in nba fos

If you are referring to Jerry West, he isn't the President/GM any more. Chris Wallace, who came over from Boston is the GM...although I believe Jerry is still a consultant to the Griz.

[exstatic]

If you are referring to Jerry West, he isn't the President/GM any more. Chris Wallace, who came over from Boston is the GM...although I believe Jerry is still a consultant to the Griz.
:lol I was wondering when someone was going to bring that little salient fact up. I would have let all of the conspiracy theorists off the hook tommorrow if no one brought it up.

[inconvertible]

they did give up 2 number 1 draft choices.

[TDMVPDPOY]

they did give up 2 number 1 draft choices.

THOSE picks are useless to the grizz if the lakers panned out

those picks will be in the mid 20s

[TwoHandJam]

So just because West isn't the GM anymore means he couldn't have put the deal in place before he left or still have any influence in any way? And by the way, he left only about 7 months ago. Now SolidD says he may still be a consultant. More fuel for the fire.

Whenever million dollar deals go down things are always squeaky clean.

GMAFB.

West knows that if this deal goes down while he's still there everyone will cry foul. Thinly veiled collusion is what it is.

[exstatic]

So just because West isn't the GM anymore means he couldn't have put the deal in place before he left or still have any influence in any way? And by the way, he left only about 7 months ago. Now SolidD says he may still be a consultant. More fuel for the fire.

Whenever million dollar deals go down things are always squeaky clean.

GMAFB.

West knows that if this deal goes down while he's still there everyone will cry foul. Thinly veiled collusion is what it is.
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/7720/tinfoilhat2cy2.jpg

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lol

[diego]

i say we pick up the jilted navarro. gasol will hesitate while navarro will sink the dagger!

j/k, just thought it was funny he had a special mention, like francis and mobley

[daslicer]

Its not a consipiracy or even collusion its simply that they are retarded organization the grizzlies that is. They just have stupid management which leads to stupid trades.

[ChumpDumper]

the Memphis franchise is for sale and losing upward of $25 million annually.
This is all you need to know.

[exstatic]

Its not a consipiracy or even collusion its simply that they are retarded organization the grizzlies that is. They just have stupid management which leads to stupid trades.
If Kobe gets frustrated the next two playoffs and bolts in 2009, that 2010 Laker pick would be fucking TASTY. Trades can really only be evaluated over time. Marc Gasol and that 2010 pick could make this trade 100% different that it appears at first glance.

[TwoHandJam]

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/7720/tinfoilhat2cy2.jpg
Nice pic but definitely not your best side.

[exstatic]

Nice pic but definitely not your best side.
I'm not the "tin foil" conspiracy theorist, cupcake. Everyone BUT you seemed to get the joke ON you.

FAIL

[SequSpur]

pau gasol sucks.

[TwoHandJam]

I'm not the "tin foil" conspiracy theorist, cupcake. Everyone BUT you seemed to get the joke ON you.

FAIL
Right. I actually thought it was a picture of you. :rolleyes

I'll try not to go over your head next time. Seems everyone got that but you.

Yeesh.

[ChumpDumper]

The only conspiracy here is the one that saves Heisley some money.

[SenorSpur]

Since the Grizz are cutting salary and having a fire sale in the process, it's not likely that they would resign forward Hakim Warrick. Warrick is to be an unrestricted FA this summer. Any interest?

[Obstructed_View]

If Kobe gets frustrated the next two playoffs and bolts in 2009, that 2010 Laker pick would be fucking TASTY. Trades can really only be evaluated over time. Marc Gasol and that 2010 pick could make this trade 100% different that it appears at first glance.
DING DING DING! Like I said yesterday, the value of that trade improves exponentially once Kobe re-signs with the Lakers.

[Fabbs]

if its so easy, show me who would have offered more for gasol?

chicago: doesnt have the pieces
Had the pieces, but Memphis inexplicably passed. Was that when Jerrdog was still at the GM helm? :rolleyes


so who else is swinging a better deal again?
Didn't have time yesterday with the 'Bowl and whatnot, but yes I'll see what else could have offered to top the Flamers lame offering of Kwame and picks.
Oh yeah once again, did Aaron Mckie unretire and sign with the Lakers just to make the dollars work on this collusion theft?

[ChumpDumper]

There's no collusion. Give it a rest.

[41times]

That we got f#cked in the ass without any lube.

[DazedAndConfused]

If you really look at what went on behind the scenes with this trade the Lakers were the only team that were willing to pony up the cash. The Bulls could have had him but didn't want to pay the $$$. Simple as that, no conspiracy here.

[ss1986v2]

no, chicago didnt have the pieces. memphis wanted a total salary dump, and chicago couldnt offer that. yes, they could have gotten a better deal talent wise, but thats not what memphis wanted. they wanted to dump salary and acquire some long term assets that have zero immediate cost. chicago couldnt offer that.

and even then, chicago wasnt going to offer what the grizz originally wanted for gasol: luol deng. chicago was willing to part with some package of kirk/gordon/nocioni/tyrus/noah. but memphis didnt want that package a year a ago, and they definitely didnt want it last week either. so wheres the issue?

[ancestron]

pau gasol sucks.