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Good for him to get an opportunity, but if I were him, I wouldn't want that job.
News has Gasol groaning
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Center says he wants to stay with Grizzlies, but team has many decisions to make before draft
By Ronald Tillery
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May 24, 2007
Pau Gasol awoke Wednesday morning on the other side of the world and rushed to a computer searching for how his Memphis Grizzlies fared in the NBA draft lottery.
The Grizzlies' center immediately wanted to go back to bed.
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"We just don't have any luck," Gasol said via telephone from Spain.
He could say that again.
Apenas no tenemos ninguna suerte! (Translation: We just don't have any luck.)
The Grizzlies left Secaucus, N.J., Tuesday with the fourth pick, even though they had the best chance to win No. 1. Portland bucked the odds and walked away with the top pick. Seattle moved up to No. 2, meaning those teams will enjoy the Greg Oden-Kevin Durant sweepstakes.
The Grizzlies finished in the lowest spot possible for a team with the NBA's worst record, something Gasol said is hard to swallow.
"It was a tough hit for everybody," Gasol said. "It's hard to accept the reality. The franchise will still get a good player. But there was a chance to get a great player with the first or second pick."
The stunning development changes the complexion of what promises to be a busy offseason. In need of a coach, general manager and tangible help on the court, the Griz have plenty of angles to sort out.
Gasol's future in a Griz uniform may be chief among the many conundrums the team faces during the June 28 draft.
Do they keep the former All-Star and continue to build around him? Do the Grizzlies trade the offensive dynamo and move toward a full-blown rebuilding plan?
Gasol requested a trade in January but seemed to back off that stance when the season ended. While acknowledging that he could still be traded, Gasol said he wants to remain a Grizzly.
"I do," Gasol said. "But the draft (lottery) didn't go our way, and now other things are going to have to happen to be a better team. I'm talking about the (next) coach and general manager. I don't know how much this affects my situation. We'll see. Let's see how the franchise reacts."
Asked who he would endorse as the next head coach, Gasol said his wishes would remain private.
"I'll give my opinion to Mike Heisley," Gasol said, referring to the team's owner. "I appreciate that he wants my input. When the time comes, I'll tell Mike what I think."
Meanwhile, Griz assistant and one-time Vancouver head coach Lionel Hollins has expressed interest in taking over the bench. Hollins interviewed for the Charlotte Bobcats coaching vacancy and is seeking a meeting with Heisley.
The Griz already have spoken to University of Florida men's basketball coach Billy Donovan and passed. Heisley then interviewed NBA coaching legend Larry Brown and Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni.
San Antonio assistant P.J. Carlesimo, a former head coach, is a person of interest for the Grizzlies. The team likely will seek permission to speak with Carlesimo when the Spurs' playoff run ends.
Also, expect the Grizzlies' list of executive candidates to expand from former Denver boss Kiki Vandeweghe and Boston's Chris Wallace in the coming weeks. The Grizzlies have made contact with former NBA point guard Mark Jackson (now an ESPN/ABC analyst) and the parties have agreed to talk.
The Grizzlies also are interested in former Chicago Bulls guard B.J. Armstrong. Armstrong worked under former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause and then as an NBA scout.
Heisley could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
He said during the lottery that the Grizzlies won't rush to make a hire based on how the draft order was set.
"When I'm ready to make a hire, I'll make a hire," Heisley said Tuesday. "Right now, I'm not close."
The Griz are expected to hire a coach before securing a general manager.
-- Ronald Tillery: 529-2353
Good for him to get an opportunity, but if I were him, I wouldn't want that job.
If P.J. wants back in, this may be his only chance.
Take him please.
Take RC with him.
WTF is wrong with you???
Nothing at all.
RC has ed up enormously too many times, and PJ is not a good enough coach to be the "head assistant"
ed up???
I will give you Malik Rose's bad contract, and his trading Barbosa' rights to Phoenix, but where else has he ed up???
PJ is better than any 1st assistant in the league.
That contract wasn't bad, they had to sign him to that, or the lakers would've gotten him. How bad that contract was is overrated. Definately better than nestero 's bloated up of a deal.I will give you Malik Rose's bad contract,
the barbosa's rights was not the issue, the spurs never wanted him and phoenix picked for the spurs.
He chose to try and sign Jason Kidd instead of drafting Josh Howard.
He also chose Derrick Dial over Raja Bell.
His handling of Stephen Jackson's contract.
Too many screw ups to mention.
PJ is not a good coach, look at how bad the team does when he takes over for pop.
The game in cleveland being a huge example.
Your arguement is almost too stupid to comment on. Both RC and PJ are excellent staff and any team out there would love to have RC Id bet. RC and the Spurs discovered the foreign market. PJ maybe a little less so but he deserves another shot at head coach.
Sam Presti is the reason the foreign Market got discovered.RC and the Spurs discovered the foreign market
Move Presti into RC's seat immediately.
duncan told them to go after kidd
Good for him, but it sucks that he'll be going to a team in the same division. Even if the Grizz suck ass the first few years, they'll probably pwn us in the regular season like Mike Brown and the Cavs.
Wrong.duncan told them to go after kidd
Duncan and Pop wanted Josh howard.
Rc wanted kidd.
RC won for some reason.
duncan wanted howard yes but he also wanted them to go after kidd
Yep, Pop has no say in personnel decisions. Good ol' Tpark...
I think PJ has been an assistant to Pop long enough that he should be ready to go out and take a team into the playoffs I just don't think Memphis is the right place for him for some reason.
Yep, it's a pretty common occurrance for a subordinate (RC) to have final say over his boss (Pop).
Tpark, drinking the Pop flavored kool-aid as usual.
I think P.J. deserves another chance as a head coach in this league. Unlike T Park, I think he's a good coach and a valuable member of the Spurs coaching staf. I would rather have P.J. as a Spurs assistant then loosing him to the Grizz or any other team, but I know that P.J. wants to become a head coach and he's obviously not going to do so in San Antonio. Unless he wants to wait for 5-6 years when both Duncan and Pop retire.
R.C. IMO is a great GM. He's been considered as one of the best for several years now and it would be a big loss if he would leave the Spurs. Although I do think that Sam Presti would be able to handle the GM position, I'd still pick R.C. over him.
No, YOU'RE wrong, ducks is right...Duncan did want Kidd----AND it was Pop who wanted Rasho...so bad he went to Slovenia and tried to convince his parents! Pop speaks fluent Serbian and wanted him. RC just supported him.
The Spurs are considered by many to be a model organization in all of pro sports and you want to get rid of 2 key people in the organization?
What don't you like about PJ and RC anyways?
Pop did want rasho.No, YOU'RE wrong, ducks is right...Duncan did want Kidd----AND it was Pop who wanted Rasho
Duncan and Pop also wanted Josh Howard.
thats a fact.
Typical Aggie with his Pop hate.
The two weakest links, so yes.The Spurs are considered by many to be a model organization in all of pro sports and you want to get rid of 2 key people in the organization?
rc is not the reason sj was not resigned
sj agent did not even return phone calls
sj agent wanted starter clause put in there
not rc's fault
If you guys read the boards a little more closely you would realize that a lot of what Tpark is saying has become the consensus around here.
PJ's style is too similar to Pops. Popovich needs someone who will challenge the way he thinks, and propose alternatives. Someone who will push more motion offense and better rotations. PJ clearly isn't doing that, and that should be his primary role.
RC is overrated. He has been on the wrong side of too many moves. The Spurs are winning in spite of them, but that is more a testament to Sam Presti's eye for picking TP and Manu. Otherwise the Spurs have pretty much been standing pat for the entirety of Duncan's prime. And that is not going to get it done.
I think R.C has done a good job. He has in a way helped win some les right?
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