Grizzlies News

"In an effort to take the sting out of driving to FedExForum, the Grizzlies are offering fans who buy one of the team's 2008-09 Power Pack season tickets a break at the pump as well. When the 11- and 22-seat Power Packs go on sale today, each pack purchase of $132 or more will include a gas card worth up to $150. The deal is part of a new cross-promotional partnership between the Grizzlies and Circle K, which will feature a number of tie-ins throughout the season. "In times like this, every day you look at the newspaper and read about the price of gas and the cost of oil. It seems to be in the forefront of everybody's mind," said Mike Redlick, the Grizzlies' executive vice president of ..."

"Josh Smith was willing to continue his NBA career wherever he had to, either in his hometown of Atlanta with the Hawks or in Memphis with the Grizzlies. The Hawks made the decision for him late Friday night by matching the five-year, $58 million offer the Grizzlies made to Smith, a restricted free agent, earlier in the day. "Tonight, the Hawks organization received an offer sheet from the Memphis Grizzlies for Josh Smith," Hawks general manager Rick Sund said in a statement released by the team. "We are happy to announce that we will match their offer sheet. Ownership, management and the team are happy to have Josh return as a member of the Hawks. We look forward to training camp in ..."

"The Memphis Grizzlies have sent a contract offer worth $58 million to Atlanta Hawks restricted free agent Josh Smith today, according to multiple NBA sources. As the only team left with significant room under the salary cap, the Griz have shifted out of a summer holding pattern and targeted the versatile 6-9, 235-pound forward. Atlanta has seven days to match, per league rules, once Smith receives the offer sheet. Smith's numbers have increased in each of his four NBA seasons since Atlanta made him a first-round pick out of high school in 2004. He averaged 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks last season, helping the Hawks make the playoffs. The Hawks have said they would match any ..."

"The Grizzlies have played their season opener at home in each of their seven seasons since moving to Memphis. They are 0-7 in those games. Perhaps a change in venue is what's needed to get off to a good start. The Grizzlies open their 2008-09 campaign Oct. 29 at Houston, according to the NBA schedule that was released Wednesday. Their first home game will be Oct. 31, when the Orlando Magic come to FedExForum. The NBA schedule makers didn't do the young, rebuilding Grizzlies any favors, though. Six of their first eight games are on the road, including a four-game West Coast trip to Sacramento, Golden State, Denver and Phoenix. In December, Grizzlies fans will get a chance to see their team ..."

"With two minutes remaining, Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick stood at the free throw line, dribbled the ball and missed. Fortunately for Warrick, he only lost a game of knockout. On the third day of the Grizzlies' Be A Player Summer Hoops Camp, Warrick participated in drills with the kids and counseled them on setting goals in school and in basketball. "I didn't get to see a lot of NBA players growing up (in Philadelphia) as a kid, and when I did see one, it was just something I always remembered," Warrick said. "It changes you, and I think it's good for them to see you." In tan drawstring cargo shorts and a navy blue "NBA Cares" polo, Warrick said he enjoys visiting Grizzlies camps and ..."

"The Grizzlies have played their season opener at home in all seven seasons since moving to Memphis. They are 0-7 in those games. Perhaps a change in venue is what the team needs to get off to a good start. The Grizzlies open their 2008-09 campaign Oct. 29 at Houston. Their first home game will be Oct. 31 when the Orlando Magic come to FedExForum. The Grizzlies will appear on national television just once this season, that being their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. game, which will be Jan. 19 against the Detroit Pistons. The game will air on TNT at 4:30 p.m."

"The NBA today released its complete game schedule and broadcast schedules of ABC, TNT, ESPN and NBA on ESPN Radio for the 2008-09 season. The NBA's Countdown to Tip-Off 08 presented by Kia Motors has begun with opening night 83 days away. The 2008-09 season tips off on TNT, which marks Turner Sports’ 25th season of NBA game action, with a doubleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 28, that features the Boston Celtics opening up defense of their NBA championship by hosting 2007-08 NBA scoring champion LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET. The second game features the first regular season game for the top overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft presented by Sprite Greg Oden and the ..."

"The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Tarence Kinsey to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Kinsey, 24, split last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and with Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul of the Turkish Basketball League. In 11 games with Memphis, he averaged 3.6 points on .421 shooting and 1.1 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. He averaged 9.2 points in 14 regular season games with Fenerbahce Ulker and posted averages of 8.8 points on .492 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 12 Euroleague games. “Tarence is a talented young perimeter player that has good length and athleticism,” Ferry said. “He has ..."

"Will he play in Memphis next season? That appears to be a 50-50 proposition as Crittenton, a 6-5 combo guard, is likely the odd man out in the five-way guard conundrum facing the Grizzlies. Crittenton, whom Memphis acquired in the Pau Gasol trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in February, is expecting to have another address fresh off his summer workout and the realization of where he fits in the pecking order. Reportedly, the Griz and Orlando Magic were engaged in trade talks regarding Crittenton soon after the summer league schedule. But Wallace said Monday that nothing was imminent on any front."

"The would-be world-beaters of the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team will sharpen their games against the likes of Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo. Rose, the former University of Memphis star and top pick of the NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, and Mayo, the No. 3 pick acquired by the Grizzlies, were named Wednesday to the USA men's team. Their mission: to help prepare the USA senior team for next month's Beijing Olympic Games."

"Admirers stacked themselves four and five deep and formed a serpentine autograph line down a sports-arena concourse the other night just to get near O.J. Mayo, the resident rock star of this year's Las Vegas summer basketball league. Inextricably linked with new Timberwolves forward Kevin Love because of their brief collegiate rivalry, an NBA draft-night trade that swapped them between Memphis and Minnesota and their presence in summer league together, Mayo helped pack cozy Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus with capacity crowds over the weekend. His play already has produced two made-for-SportsCenter moments, including a quarter-closing 70-foot desperation shot he stole from Love's ..."

"O.J. Mayo made the most spectacular shot of his career in an NBA Summer League game. Mayo, a Memphis Grizzlies rookie and former North College Hill High School player, made a shot that covered three-quarters of the court - 69 feet from the basket - to beat the first-quarter buzzer against San Antonio Monday night in Las Vegas. Mayo shot the ball with both hands, and it rattled through the rim. "I thought it wasn't going to make it to the rim," Mayo said. "I was surprised. After practices recently, we have been practicing half-court shots. I made a few there, and now I made one in a game.""

"The Orlando Magic have held serious trade talks with the Memphis Grizzlies about point guard Javaris Crittenton, proof that the Magic have abandoned any serious hopes of retaining combo guard Keyon Dooling. Dooling, Orlando’s top reserve off the bench last season, blasted the Magic today for offering him their Bi-Annual Exception, a contract that would be worth $4.2 million for two years. Dooling, who made $3.5 million last season while averaging 8.1 points and 1.8 assists, summarily rejected the offer saying he was ``insulted’’ by it.``I don’t even know why they offered that bi-annual because I rejected it right away. I don’t know if they were trying to devalue me or whatever ..."

"Memphis' Pau Gasol stopped singing the blues and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett came in out of the cold. They were freed by trade and wound up going head-to-head in the Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals. What has become of their old teams? Curiously for Southern California sports fans, it's USC's O.J. Mayo going down to Gasol's old team and UCLA's Kevin Love becoming the new Garnett - after Mayo and Love were traded for each other on draft night. Even more curiously, though, it's UCLA's Russell Westbrook who landed in the best long-term situation. Picked fourth in the draft between Mayo and Love, the hugely underrated Westbrook went to an even more obscure NBA outpost in marquee and relevance ..."

"Kevin O'Neill describes his defensive philosophy in simple terms. And if the Grizzlies can simply stop people this season, then O'Neill -- and a fan base deprived of defense over the past two seasons -- will be giddy. So just how does O'Neill, hired in May as the Grizzlies' assistant coach in charge of defensive strategy, plan to transform one of the NBA's worst squads without the basketball into a respectable protector of the rim? O'Neill preaches man-to-man principles, no easy baskets, no open three-pointers and contested two-point shots. It's a playbook that may seem as though any church-league coach would implement it, but the Griz are expecting more from a man who brings a ..."

"O.J. Mayo couldn't remember the last time he felt uneasy about a basketball game. But the Grizzlies' rookie guard acknowledged being nervous Friday afternoon when he took the court for his NBA Summer League debut. That didn't last too long. Mayo went on to fight the feeling, and at times, gave the New Orleans Hornets a pounding with a performance that filled up the statistical sheet. The 6-5 highly touted first-round draft pick (third overall) showcased everything from defensive intensity to his well-known offensive versatility."

"It has been a year, and some serious shuffling of the deck, since Chris Wallace took over as Grizzlies general manager. Hakim Warrick is the longest-tenured player on the team, at three seasons. Only three players were on the roster two seasons ago. Of the 12 athletes under contract, seven have less than three years of experience. Although those numbers aren't expected to add up to an eye-popping season record-wise, Wallace sounds optimistic as the Grizzlies begin NBA summer league play today in Las Vegas. "We're setting ourselves up to have a big bang down the road," Wallace said, "but not in the distant future.""

"His parents stood off to the side, triggering cameras to capture a day of deja vu. Wasn't it just about seven years ago that a Spanish 7-footer was being introduced as a Grizzly? That was Pau Gasol bursting onto the scene as a piece to the new puzzle in 2001. Wednesday afternoon, his younger brother, Marc Gasol, officially signed up for the Grizzlies' latest reclamation project. One could argue that Marc is every bit of a question mark now as his older brother was back then. But after signing a three-year, $10 million contract, Marc spent considerable time pointing out the differences with his older brother -- including a frame that's been upgraded since his days at Lausanne ..."

"At risk of alienating that portion of the readership sick to death of the Sonics debacle, there is one question about the pro hoops future worth posing to those whose open wounds still ooze green and gold: Are you willing to poach another city's team? The question needs to be asked now, because the NBA future that the city's dubious settlement with Clay Bennett created virtually dictates that Seattle plays pirate. Having just been plundered, it's important to understand the feeling before becoming the plunderer. Certainly there will be those more than willing to clench cutlass in teeth and, under the guise of "It's just business," prey upon cities with potentially vulnerable ..."

"The O.J. Mayo Era began with the Grizzlies this afternoon with the highly touted draft pick working out with the team for the first time since his rights were traded to Memphis on draft night. Mayo, who has "Dedication" tattooed on one bicep and "Sacrifice" on the other, appeared "smooth" throughout the Grizzlies' summer mini-camp for first and second-year players, and undrafted free agents. Starting Friday, the Grizzlies will compete in the Las Vegas Summer League with a 12-man roster that includes Mayo and late first-round draft pick Darrell Arthur, both of whom signed their rookie contracts earlier today."

"Greg Campbell knows that one factor above all others drives interest in the sports world. "Star potential. That's what the fans want to see every night they come to an event," said Campbell, the Grizzlies' new president of business operations. "Wins are important, but they want to see something exciting." A perennial NBA doormat, the Grizzlies may finally have a reason to roll out the red carpet."

"Whether it speaks more about the franchise he just left or the one he just joined, something seemed peculiar Tuesday when Mike Miller lifted a Timberwolves jersey for the first time and called himself thrilled to be somewhere he can win. At 28, Miller suddenly is the savvy veteran on a Wolves team built around young players who entered the league before their 20th birthdays. "I've been in the league going on nine years now and I've been through winning seasons and losing seasons," said Miller, acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies last week in an eight-player trade that swapped O.J. Mayo's draft rights for Kevin Love's."

"The Griz tendered a qualifying offer to guard Juan Carlos Navarro so that they can retain his rights should he return to the NBA. Navarro already has informed the Griz that he will play in Spain this season. ...The team didn't extend a qualifying offer to forward Andre Brown. That decision would have put more than $1 million on the table for Brown, so the Griz will possibly explore a deal with Brown later this summer. If Brown returns for the league minimum, he still would earn $854,000. Also, the Griz will not attempt to re-sign Casey Jacobsen and Kwame Brown."

"Wearing a red Team USA polo shirt at an Olympic function at The Plaza yesterday, Mike D'Antoni put on his Knicks hat in declaring the team's biggest need is backcourt help, with free agency dawning today. D'Antoni, a U.S. Olympic assistant coach this summer, also supported David Lee, saying he would "love" to coach him next season but admitted Lee is the subject of trade talks. Unrestricted free agent Beno Udrih of Sacramento, Golden State restricted free agent Monta Ellis and Raymond Felton are their top point guard targets, but that may be shooting too high, considering the Knicks' new cap restrictions. Trade options include the Bulls' Kirk Hinrich and Memphis' Mike Conley and Kyle ..."

"Jazzy Hartwell would swing by Darrell Arthur's apartment complex to pick him up for basketball practice, but Arthur wanted none of it. At age 8, his heart was set on playing baseball. He would grab a stick and swat tennis balls in the street for hours. "I'd say, 'Darrell, you need to get your tall tail in this car,' " said Hartwell, who recalled his first impressions of Arthur on a basketball court: "Real laziness." But for whatever reason, everything seemed to click when Arthur reached the seventh grade. He began to enjoy the game. He even started to call Hartwell about practice. In Hartwell's mind, the lesson was this: Better late than never."

"Only hours after the Grizzlies acquired him in an elaborate draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, O.J. Mayo landed in Memphis on Friday for his introductory news conference at FedExForum. He wore blue jeans, multi-colored Nikes, a beige vest and an untucked button-down shirt that he cinched with an orange bow tie, an outfit that Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace assessed as "unique." Mayo looked almost boyish, though his words tumbled out in a foghorn baritone that made him sound much older. A 6-5 combination guard, he spoke about hoping to help build a winner and about being involved with the community. Memphis, he said, feels similar to his blue-collar hometown ..."

"Event: The AAU 13-and-under national tournament held annually in Memphis What happened: As a seventh-grader already playing varsity high school basketball, O.J. Mayo led his Ohio D-1 Greyhounds to the national championship with a series of blowout victoriess. "We wanted to let people know we're the greatest (13-U) team ever," Mayo said after an 87-46 title-game victory over the Orlando Raptors. What O.J. said: "I'm just being O.J. I'll let LeBron (James) be LeBron. There's been a lot of comparisons. My goal is to be better than him or Michael Jordan.""

"As the Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves finalized their eight-player trade late Thursday night, a buzz spread through the air. Hope. New additions O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur have given some fans a reason to believe."

"While he lay in bed late Thursday night after his brother's wedding in Cancun, Mike Miller was thinking another draft had expired with his name only feeding trade speculation. Then, a call came from his agent. The rumor mill stopped grinding when a stunned Miller learned he had been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves after enduring three years of constant rumors. "As late as it came down, I was more surprised," Miller said. "I was stunned. When I went to bed, I didn't think anything would happen." Miller, who flew to Minneapolis on Friday evening, said the move was unexpected but certainly not unreasonable given the state of the Grizzlies."

"At 11:02 a.m., he walked onto a stage in the lobby of FedExForum, wearing a bow tie and blue jeans, a tan vest and a blue shirt with both sleeves rolled up. Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo said he had not come to Memphis to be a star. But c'mon, really -- don't all stars say that? He dressed like a star. He was drafted to be a star. He certainly had a star's entourage. Chris Wallace introduced them all. Leon Rose, the agent. Maverick Carter, the agent's right-hand man. Vinny Cheeks, the long-time friend from back home."

"Nestled back in Ohio where he's training for next season, Mike Conley took time out Friday to imagine himself back in FedExForum. The 20-year-old point guard already can envision running a fast break with Rudy Gay on one side and O.J. Mayo on the other. "That," Conley said, "is going to be fun." As the holdover Grizzlies reacted to the team's draft-day deals to acquire rookies Mayo and power forward Darrell Arthur along with veterans Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner, they found it easy to imagine the newcomers fitting in the new program."

""

"Team vice president Kevin McHale said this morning that the eight-player deal that brings forward Kevin Love to the Timberwolves for O.J. Mayo made sense for many reasons. The Wolves dealt Mayo's draft rights along with Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner and their contracts to Memphis for the rights to Kevin Love, swingman shooter Mike Miller, forward Brian Cardinal and center Jason Collins According to McHale: * Miller, a career 40 per cent three-point shooter, fills the team’s big need for a “knockdown shooter” who can spread the floor and keep teams from collapsing on low-post scorer Al Jefferson."

"Assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg went down to the draft party and talked up Mayo. He talked him up as if he still were going to be with the Wolves when the sun came up this morning. Hoiberg told the crowd that Southern California coach Tim Floyd told him that Mayo was "the most competitive player he's ever seen in his life." The fans cheered. Everyone seemed thrilled. Yeah, the Wolves did the right thing. For a few hours. As midnight approached, it was announced that Wolves vice president Kevin McHale still was working on "a deal" and wouldn't be able to make an appearance in the pressroom for some time. We all groaned. His deals usually suck. No one put it past him to trade ..."

"O.J. Mayo was attending an NBA draft party hours after he was selected with by Minnesota when family and friends informed him he'd been shipped to Memphis for Kevin Love in a late-night blockbuster deal involving eightplayers. Moments afterward, Rudy Gay - Mayo's new teammate in the backcourt - walked in the door to welcome him to the South. "It was a great feeling," Mayo said as he was introduced Friday at a news conference in Memphis. "I was happy to see Rudy, and I'm happy to be playing for the Memphis Grizzlies." Kevin Love was out on the town in New York with his brother and friends when he got word. Mayo and Love were the toast of the town in LosAngeles, starring at USC and ..."

"The Timberwolves late Thursday found a team willing to take Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner. This means there are NBA franchises in even worse shape than the Wolves -- in this case, the Memphis Grizzlies. It also means the Wolves couldn't find anybody willing to take Rashad McCants. By shipping Jaric, Walker, Buckner and No. 3 pick O.J. Mayo to Memphis for Kevin Love, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins and Mike Miller, the Wolves found a guy who might occasionally lose to Mark Madsen in one-on-one -- Cardinal. This could be a good deal, as long as O.J. Mayo doesn't someday remind us that the Wolves, on June 26, 2008, once traded a true scorer for a guy, in Love, who is best ..."

"Five hours after more than 2,000 draft-party participants cheered the arrival of new Timberwolf O.J. Mayo, their NBA hometown team made a midnight deal that reshaped its roster. The Wolves dealt Mayo's draft rights along with Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner and their contracts to Memphis for the rights to Kevin Love, swingman shooter Mike Miller, forward Brian Cardinal and center Jason Collins."

"It is 11:20 at night and deadline is in twenty minutes and the Memphis Grizzlies muckity mucks will emerge in half an hour or so to announce that this city’s basketball world has been turned upside down. The Grizzlies have done something. They have done something big and bold and daring andyour own adjective here. They have traded Kevin Love and Mike Miller to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that will bring O.J. Mayo to Memphis. They have traded Donte Greene and a future second-rounder to the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that will bring Darrell Arthur to Memphis. All this from the Grizzlies."

"The Grizzlies fell short of moving up to No. 2 and grabbing Michael Beasley in the NBA draft so they did the next best thing. Memphis grabbed the consensus third-best player in the draft, USC's O.J Mayo. The Grizzlies, who selected UCLA's Kevin Love with the fifth pick, were completing a deal late Thursday night that will bring them Mayo (taken third by Minnesota), Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner for Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. The deal still needed NBA approval, according to two league sources."

"What happened? How did a player projected by many to go in the teens barely squeeze into the first round? Why did he wait hours for his name to be called, then had it called again and again and again as he went from New Orleans to Portland to Houston before landing in Memphis. I assume the Grizzlies are his final stop of the week. Check back later. The easy explanation is the kidney. Nothing showed up on the NBA's physical. Arthur played with this undisclosed condition at Kansas. But when teams heard about it and requested lab work, Arthur declined. Red flags were raised. The former South Oak Cliff star relented and allowed Washington's medical staff to do a complete workup. He ..."

"It didn't take long for the Rockets to say au revoir to their first-round draft pick, Nicolas Batum, from France. Just a short time after taking the 19-year-old small forward with the No. 25 selection in Thursday's NBA draft, the Rockets put together a pair of deals that sent away Batum and got back two players in return. When the night was over, the Rockets had the player they had targeted — Donté Greene of Syracuse — and also added the physical presence of Memphis' Joey Dorsey to their front line... In the end, it was separate deals that ended up completing a three-way transaction that sent Batum to the Trail Blazers, Darrell Arthur to the Grizzlies and Greene and Dorsey to the Rockets, ..."

"The Grizzlies selected UCLA's Kevin Love with the fifth pick Thursday evening in the NBA draft, exercising an anticipated choice given how the draft unfolded. With Derrick Rose (1), Michael Beasley (2), O.J. Mayo (3) and Russell Westbrook (4) off the board, Memphis sought to replace the interior scoring, rebounding and passing it lacked after trading Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers during a February trade. The Griz also own the 28th pick in the first round."

"Assuming the Chicago Bulls take former University of Memphis guard Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick, Beasley is the logical choice to go No. 2 to the Miami Heat. Numerous reports, however, indicate that Miami executives aren't sold on the power forward from Kansas State and are exploring other options. One of them could be a trade to the Grizzlies, who are slotted at No. 5 but have been mentioned prominently in trade speculation. "I haven't heard that," Beasley said. "I mean, I guess it's cool. Wherever I end up, I'm fine. I just want to play; no matter what team it is, I'll play my hardest and play my best. Obviously it means a lot to go No. 1, but I just want to get drafted. As ..."

"The Grizzlies are working to acquire the No. 2 overall pick Thursday in the NBA draft, but they aren't willing to sacrifice point guard Mike Conley. The inclination to keep Conley, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2007 draft, was characterized Tuesday by those familiar with the discussions as an organizational decision -- meaning ownership, management and the coaching staff are opposed to a deal that would send Conley as part of a package to the Miami Heat in exchange for the presumed right to draft forward Michael Beasley of Kansas State at No. 2."

"The Knicks have polled NBA personnel the past few days, trying to figure out the chances of USC combo guard O.J. Mayo falling to them at six. With the chances slim, Knick president Donnie Walsh is exploring ways of swapping picks with Memphis at No. 5 or Minnesota at No. 3, according to a league source, with their goal of drafting Mayo. Walsh believes Mayo can play point guard and has deemed him the best player after Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley. According ESPN.com, the Knicks even discussed a trade with Memphis about acquiring the fifth pick altogether, in dealing popular David Lee and Malik Rose for Brian Cardinal, who has two years left on his pact."

"As the Grizzlies' management continues to plan for however the NBA draft unfolds Thursday, they will seemingly enter the day with a 7-1, 270-pound weight off their collective shoulders. Marc Gasol, whose rights were acquired in a larger deal for his older brother, gave credence Monday to a recent Spanish report that he is willing to join the Griz for the 2008-09 season. The Internet report indicated that Gasol would sign a three-year contract worth $9 million, and forgo more lucrative offers in Europe. "Now I've got a good opportunity and I'll give it a try. I'm excited about it," said Gasol, whose brother, Pau, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February."

"LeBron James will get another shot at Olympic gold, and this time, he'll have reigning MVP Kobe Bryant alongside. James and Bryant, making his first Olympic appearance, will lead a U.S. team that hopes to capture the gold medal in Beijing in August after a third-place showing in Athens four years ago. They'll have plenty of help. Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Jason Kidd were among the 12 players placed on the team Monday. They were joined by Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams."

"Brook Lopez: Stanford man, opportunist. In an NBA draft devoid of depth and likely stardom at center, a year after Greg Oden went first overall, Lopez might be the only top-10 pick from the position. Certainly, depending where DeAndre Jordan lands, he's the only solid bet at that spot in the lottery. "I guess they're going to have to choose me," Lopez said in full deadpan and full control. They will, whether it's the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 3 or the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 5. Both need big men, with Minnesota ideally moving Al Jefferson to power forward and Memphis loaded with perimeter players, and both are realistic destinations for Lopez."

"Mike Miller has not been selected for the 2008 Olympic men's basketball team, but he harbors no ill feelings about the decision. The Olympic roster will be announced by USA basketball today, and the Grizzlies' sharpshooter won't be among thegroup. Miller confirmed Sunday that he's been selected as an alternate to the 12-man squad, meaning he won't travel to the games in Beijing. "I'd rather be a part of it," Miller said. "At the same time, I understand as many people as they had to choose from, it wasn't an easy decision." The only way Miller can participate is if a player on the squad has an injury that prevents him from performing."

"Derrick Rose is campaigning to be the first pick. Michael Beasley has displayed his best comedic routine with regard to it all. This much is for sure about Thursday's NBA draft: Rose and Beasley are the first two names mentioned in draft discussions -- but the rest of the field is not exactly fodder for punch lines. Although most NBA executives acknowledge a drop-off, the draft is considered to be deeper than two players. If true, that notion would be the best news the Grizzlies will have received in the past two years. "The public is fixated on Rose and Beasley, but there's more in this draft," Griz general manager Chris Wallace said. "We're going to get ..."