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Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Leonard, Matthews

January 19th, 2018 at 11:04pm CST by Austin Kent

It’s inevitable, Keith Smith of RealGM writes, that the Grizzlies will need to trade Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. The two veterans were the last longtime core players standing after Zach Randolph and Tony Allen departed during the offseason and could help the franchise land desperately needed assets on their way out.

Although both players are approaching the wrong side of their primes, they could make an impact for contending teams. Gasol, Smith writes, could even land the Grizzlies a package of draft picks and young players if dealt.

Finding a suitor for Conley may be slightly more difficult as he’s owed nearly $114MM through 2020-21. For that reason, the scribe suggests that the Grizzlies should jump at any opportunity to get out of the deal if they get a chance, even if the yield is less than expected.

The moves may be difficult, Smith adds, but they’d put the Grizzlies on the quickest course to building a new contender.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

  • While it was announced that Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard would be out for an “indefinite period” of time to rehab his right quadriceps injury, the injury isn’t as disastrous as some have interpreted it as. “Career-threatening shouldn’t even be in the conversation,” one person close to Leonard told Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).
  • Rockets CEO Tad Brown was surprised that the league didn’t come down on Blake Griffin for allegedly hitting head coach Mike D’Antoni, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. Gerald Green and Trevor Ariza were the only players suspended for their parts in the kerfuffle that unfolded in Los Angeles on Monday night.
  • Unsure of where the Mavs currently fall in the To Tank Or Not To Tank debate, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News writes that there’s no major incentive to unload Wesley Matthews. The economics of the league have changed since Matthews signed his four-year, $70MM contract back in 2015. These days, the approximately $18MM cap hit for the lockdown perimeter defender doesn’t seem as outlandish as it did in the past.
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Grizzlies Notes: Conley, Season Outlook, Evans

January 8th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies currently have one of the NBA’s worst records, with their 12-27 mark putting them in a tie for last place in the Western Conference. Still, in a recent interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, injured point guard Mike Conley expressed optimism that the team can still turn things around and make a run at a playoff spot this season.

“I know we are near the bottom right now, but we definitely have enough time,” Conley said. “We have enough time if we are able to put everything together in a short period of time and put enough wins together to make a run. Health is the key. Health is the No. 1 thing. Not try to rush everything. Just make that push by making sure everything is in order, like myself and the rest of the guys that are banged up.”

Speaking to Spears, Conley also addressed David Fizdale‘s ouster, his nagging Achilles injury, his contract, and the state of the Grizzlies — on that last point, Conley acknowledged that the team’s outlook has undergone “a 180” since the start of the season, but reiterated that he still believes the ship can be righted.

Here’s more out of Memphis:

  • The club would be better off waving the white flag on this season and pointing toward a more realistic playoff push next season, Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial Appeal opines. The franchise could make a quick turnaround by bringing in a high draft pick to go along with its veteran core, Herrington continues. That means reducing the minutes of Marc Gasol and Chandler Parsons and allowing Mike Conley’s sore Achilles to fully heal. They should also move the expiring contracts of Tyreke Evans and Brandan Wright before the trade deadline, Herrington adds.
  • Evans can only be offered the mid-level exception, so the team would be wise to trade him now and perhaps make another run at him in the summer, as Herrington explains in a separate piece. Herrington proposes potential trades involving Evans to the Spurs, Wizards, Pelicans, Pistons and Raptors, mostly involving a player or two and a first-round pick.
  • Earlier today, we passed along an update from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on the Grizzlies’ potential asking price for Evans and the team’s unwillingness to consider moving Marc Gasol.

Dana Gauruder contributed to this post.

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Grizzlies Want To Land First-Round Pick For Evans

January 8th, 2018 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

As one of the NBA’s worst teams through the first half, the Grizzlies are positioned to be sellers at next month’s trade deadline, and Tyreke Evans figures to be their top trade chip. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Memphis wants to land a first-round pick in exchange for Evans.

Evans has enjoyed a career year so far in his return to Memphis, where he played his college ball. The 28-year-old has bounced back from a forgettable 2016/17 campaign to post 19.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, and a .471/.416/.787 shooting line in 38 games (19 starts) this season.

Despite those numbers, Wojnarowski is skeptical that the Grizzlies will be able to secure a first-round pick for Evans, noting that he’d be a rental — the former fourth overall pick will be eligible for unrestricted free agency six months from now. Still, Evans’s affordable salary ($3.29MM) and his impressive production make him an intriguing target for contenders, so perhaps there will be a team willing to part with a protected first-rounder, especially if Memphis is willing to take on a modest unwanted contract (like the Nets did in last season’s Bojan Bogdanovic swap with the Wizards).

Of course, even if the Grizzlies were able to acquire a first-round pick for Evans, there are some doubts about the front office’s ability to get value out of that selection. Memphis’ first-round picks from 2012 (Tony Wroten), 2014 (Jordan Adams), and 2016 (Wade Baldwin) don’t currently have NBA contracts, and the team also waived Rade Zagorac, the 35th overall pick from 2016, this past fall.

In addition to Evans, Marc Gasol would represent a significant trade piece for the Grizzlies as the deadline approaches, but the club continues to say it plans to keep the standout center, according to Wojnarowski.

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Kyler’s Latest: Lakers, Mavs, Grizzlies, Magic

January 4th, 2018 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Mavericks both currently sit comfortably in the lottery, with little chance of making a run at a playoff spot this season. Still, there’s a sense in NBA circles that the two teams could be logical trade partners, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.

Kyler cautions that there have been zero talks between the Lakers and Mavericks about a potential Luol Deng trade, but he suggests that if any team is willing to roll the dice on Deng and his exorbitant contract, Dallas might be that team. The Mavericks have some expiring contracts that would appeal to L.A., and if the Lakers attached Julius Randle and a future draft pick to Deng, that could pique the Mavs’ interest, Kyler writes.

Of course, within the last month, we’ve heard that the Lakers aren’t interested in parting with future first-round picks in order to move Deng, and a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that the club had essentially given up hope of another team taking on the veteran forward’s unwieldy contract. So even if the Mavericks represent the best potential fit, the odds of a deal remain slim.

Kyler’s latest piece for Basketball Insiders includes several other items of interest on a handful of lottery teams, so let’s round up a few highlights…

  • The Grizzlies are unlikely to make any franchise-altering moves before next month’s trade deadline, which means Marc Gasol probably isn’t going anywhere. Still, they’re a team worth watching, according to Kyler, who points to Tyreke Evans as a potential Memphis trade candidate.
  • The “dream scenario” for the Magic would be to move Bismack Biyombo before the deadline, but they’re highly unlikely to find a taker for that contract. Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier may also emerge as trade chips, but Aaron Gordon almost certainly isn’t going anywhere — the “prevailing thought” is that he’ll be retained by Orlando as a restricted free agent this summer, says Kyler.
  • The Hawks appear open to listening to inquiries on Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore, but their current asking prices are probably too high to work anything out, reports Kyler.
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Marc Gasol Talks Fizdale Firing, Future With Grizzlies

December 26th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by marksuleymanov

Marc Gasol made himself available to several reporters following Grizzlies practice on Monday to answer any questions pertaining to him, firing of former coach David Fizdale, and his future in Memphis. In an hour-long question and answer session, Gasol said no question was off limits but he was overall vague with his answers, Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal writes.

Gasol continually reiterated that he did not push for Fizdale’s dismissal but admitted that they were not on good terms. The Grizzlies center noted that a December 18, 2016, loss to the Jazz was the beginning of the relationship deteriorating. Fizdale blamed him and Mike Conley for the loss, causing tensions to escalate, Gasol said.

“We couldn’t make it work,” Gasol said. “We both wanted what was best for the team. We just couldn’t get on the same page. Things got of control fast.”

The 32-year-old Gasol, who is in his 10th season with the Grizzlies, said that the poor relationship with Fizdale was due to both parties. Fizdale was fired on November 27 after Gasol was benched in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Nets. By that point,  Gasol accepted that the relationship was beyond repair, despite an agreement made during the offseason.

“We both understood we had to keep it professional,” Gasol said. “That was the agreement. That was agreed upon at the end of last season. … I’m responsible for some of the things but not all of the things.”

Gasol said that has not asked the Grizzlies for a trade and remains confident that things can improve. Memphis currently owns the second-worst record (10-23) in the Western Conference. However, Gasol’s personal issues with Memphis go beyond the coaching staff. The Spaniard was also critical of the Grizzlies’ decision to not bringing back Zach Randolph and Tony Allen in free agency — breaking up the “core four” of Gasol, Conley, Randolph and Allen.

“I didn’t understand the why,” Gasol said of the Grizzlies not bringing back their veterans.

It is safe to say that Memphis is currently not in the hunt for a playoff spot. It is also true that Gasol, a three-time NBA All-Star, wants to win. Whether or not that happens in a Grizzlies uniform remains to be seen.

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Southwest Rumors: Tanking, Pelicans, Ferrell, Rockets

December 25th, 2017 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grizzlies dismiss the notion of tanking to improve their chances of moving up the lottery, Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Tillery the team still believes it can make the playoffs, despite its 10-23 record. “In our mind, there is no tanking,” he said. “We’re competitive. We just need to find a way to get over that hump. We’ve continued to take steps.” Center Marc Gasol has no interest in playing for a team that intentionally waves the white flag, Tillery adds. “My job is not allowing that to happen,” Gasol said. “My job is not allowing anyone to throw away the season. Because at 32, 33 next month, I don’t have a season to throw away.”

In other news around the Southwest Division:

  • The Pelicans are hovering around the .500 mark and need to take advantage of a soft spot in their upcoming schedule, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders examines. They face the Nets, Mavericks and Knicks before the New Year, which could help them make a move in the standings. If New Orleans continues to wallow in mediocrity, trade chatter will increase with DeMarcus Cousins heading to free agency this summer, Kyler notes. The lack of a bona fide leader, plus a penchant for turnovers, are two of the major issues confronting a team that should be better than its current record, Kyler adds.
  • Mavericks combo guard Yogi Ferrell has boosted his 3-point shooting average to 40.2% during a recent seven-game hot streak, which doesn’t come as a surprise to head coach Rick Carlisle. One of the reasons Dallas signed Ferrell last season was his superior shooting mechanics, as Carlisle told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. “I feel good anytime any of our shooters have a good look at a three,” he said. “But when Yogi has the space and the pass is on time and on target, he does a great job of stepping into it.”
  • Rockets GM Daryl Morey recently said in a radio interview that the club is obsessed with beating the Warriors and Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders opines that it’s not wise to take that approach. Hamilton explains that the Rockets can’t afford to look past or show a lack of respect to the Spurs, who are always dangerous during the postseason.
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Southwest Notes: Gentry, Noel, Grizzlies

December 22nd, 2017 at 7:44pm CST by Austin Kent

The Pelicans are a fringe playoff team in the Western Conference, competitive enough to keep striving for the postseason but not quite ready to shed the mediocre label and genuinely compete. Unsurprisingly, Pels fans have started calling for head coach Alvin Gentry‘s job, William Guillory of The Times-Picayune writes.

While axing a head coach is often the first knee-jerk reaction that fans – and sometimes teams – have when things aren’t going as well as they could be, this could be a particularly bad time for the Pelicans to let Gentry go. For one, it would display a sense of desperation that could send a negative signal to their pair of superstar big men.

Guillory writes that both the coaches and the players should be to blame for the Pelicans’ woeful defense. They’ve ranked dead last in defensive efficiency this month, futile enough to overpower any offensive strides the team has taken.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

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Southwest Notes: Gasol, Pelicans, Paul

December 21st, 2017 at 4:29pm CST by Austin Kent

While they may not be pleased with their 9-22 record through mid-December, there’s still hope for the Grizzlies to contend for a playoff spot. So long as that’s their goal, Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, center Marc Gasol will be working alongside them toward it.

If circumstances change, the big man’s goals may change with them. Gasol, who turns 33 next month, cites his age as the primary reason why he has no interest in throwing away the season in an attempt to rebuild or retool.

“If they decide to go a different direction… I’ve said it before, I’ll do anything,” Gasol said. “I’ll make everybody look good. I’ll say to you guys whatever I need to say if I need to go anywhere else and they need to [pursue] a goal where I’m not the guy.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

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Kyler’s Latest: Jordan, Gasol, Bazemore, Hornets

December 19th, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA trade deadline is just over seven weeks away, so it’s only a matter of time before teams start discussing potential deals a little more earnestly. In anticipation of trade talks heating up, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders takes a closer look at a handful of players whose names figure to come up frequently in trade rumors in the coming weeks, passing along the latest nuggets of info on each of those guys. Here are a few highlights from Kyler’s piece:

  • Source close to the situation tell Kyler that a Cavaliers offer for DeAndre Jordan would be built around Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and a first-round pick, though Cleveland is only willing to discuss its own pick at this point, rather than the Nets’ first-rounder. It remains to be seen whether the Clippers will be willing to move Jordan, but the big man’s future in L.A. is “anything but clear,” writes Kyler.
  • More and more people around the NBA believe that the Grizzlies would be willing to explore the market for Marc Gasol, but it may require Gasol telling them he wants out, per Kyler.
  • League sources tell Kyler that the Hawks might be open to moving Kent Bazemore for the right combination of expiring contracts and a first-round pick. Even if that pick is “highly protected,” as Kyler suggests, I’d be very surprised if any team is willing to pay that price for Bazemore, who is owed $18MM+ in 2018/19 and $19MM+ in 2019/20.
  • The prevailing belief around the league is that the Hornets would like to move one of their big contracts, such as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist‘s. However, Charlotte would likely need to attach a young player to a deal in order to dump salary. Kyler suggests Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon likely aren’t going anywhere, identifying Frank Kaminsky as a possible name to watch.
  • The Magic and Kings are also worth keeping an eye on, according to Kyler, who identifies Nikola Vucevic and George Hill as a pair of potential trade candidates. Orlando isn’t looking to shake things up for the sake of it, but Vucevic figures to draw interest. As for Hill, his significant cap hit limits his trade value, but he’d probably “welcome a move,” says Kyler.
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Marc Gasol Talks Grizzlies’ Struggles, Bad Habits

December 18th, 2017 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Grizzlies parted ways with head coach David Fizdale last month, the move came on the heels of Marc Gasol publicly complaining about being benched in the fourth quarter of a loss to Brooklyn. In the days following Fizdale’s firing, multiple reports suggested that the relationship between Gasol and Fizdale had been strained, though both the player and the team downplayed the influence that tension had in the club’s head coaching decision.

Things haven’t gotten much better in Memphis since J.B. Bickerstaff assumed the head coaching reins, but Gasol hasn’t shied away from answering reporters’ questions, recently reiterating that he has no desire to leave the Grizzlies.

Gasol sat down with TNT’s David Aldridge to answer a few more questions about what has been a disastrous 2017/18 season in Memphis. Here are a few highlights from that Q&A, which is worth checking out in full:

On whether he’s concerned that his reputation has taken a hit this season, given the Grizzlies’ struggles and the circumstances surrounding Fizdale’s ouster:

“No. Because I believe that whatever the scenario might be, whatever people might think, things don’t work that easy. It’s not that simple. Obviously, the first instinct is to think, ‘Well, Marc got Fizdale out of there.’ This is an NBA team. Things don’t work that way. Was it an ideal situation? Were we agreed on everything? No. I could have done a better job, for sure. Anything having to do with basketball, I’m the second-most responsible guy out there. But as far as the other stuff, it doesn’t work that way.”

On whether the Grizzlies’ struggles in 2017/18 can be chalked up solely to injuries:

“I think we allowed some bad habits to be built up. We got away with it for some time. Eventually, we kind of got hit with a lot of stuff at the same time. And we haven’t been able to recover as fast as possible. Obviously we lost, I don’t think it’s only selfish stuff that’s hurt us. Everybody’s trying to fix it their own way. And everybody’s so focused on what we need to do offensively. Which, obviously, is a huge part of the game. But I think consistency is found in defense. And our defense has been everything but consistent.”

On whether the NBA’s move toward small-ball has hurt Gasol and the Grizzlies defensively:

“No, I think, obviously, the change that we’ve been through the last couple of years. We had tremendous trust on the court. The guys knew exactly what their job was in every position. I knew the way Tony [Allen] fought off a screen. I knew, like we were all connected in our minds, and our bodies were moving at the same time. It wasn’t always pretty; it wasn’t always perfect. But it was always connected. And I think, obviously, building that connection again takes some time. And you have to go through the same process over and over again. And I think we got kind of away from that a little bit. We got away from that and tried to build something too quickly, when the foundation of stuff, that connection wasn’t there yet.”

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