| Will The Grizzlies Rebound Next Season? Authored by Andrew Russell - March 8, 2007 - 8:00 pm
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Simply put, this season has been a massive disappointment, but never fear Jerry West is still your GM and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
First things first, Jerry West is an excellent GM with a basketball IQ that is off the charts. While many anxious fans may have turned mutinous at West’s reluctance to pull the trigger on a big time Gasol exit move, it was the right decision at the time.
Chicago, the most likely suitor for Gasol, was not offering appropriate value for the Spanish center, and West was not about to pull a Rob Babcock and deal away a franchise player for peanuts in an extremely selfish buyout headache. Right move. If Luol Deng and Ben Gordon had been available, I believe the deal would have been completed.
So what does this leave you with? One definite bright spot is West’s implementation of a youth movement. A nucleus of young players in Hakim Warrick, Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry is a big positive. Let’s not forget odds will be with Memphis in the draft lottery. The historical misstep in drafting Big Country Reeves in the Vancouver days will not be repeated. The possibility of landing an instant impact rookie in Greg Oden or Kevin Durant is something to get excited about. Along with a core of young players, the Grizzlies have great outside shooting in Mike Miller.
Now that we have highlighted a few positives, there are vast expanses of room to improve in Grizz country.
Inconsistent guard play from deteriorating veterans is a great place to start; Chucky Atkins and Damon Stoudamire are both at the tail ends of their careers, (more so in the case of Stoudamire). Together this veteran guard core is averaging a lowly combined 9.3 assists per game. Also, while Atkins shooting percentages are respectable, Stoudamire’s leave much to be desired. With ever declining numbers and an injury bug that is beating Memphis like a cheap piñata, the Grizzlies flat out need better guard play.
This is something that could be addressed with a big splash in the free agency period signing a Chauncey Billups like talent, or in a trade. Don’t expect Jerry West to remain idle during the off-season; I fully expect the hole at point guard will be rectified, and the release of some weary veterans to coincide with major moves. One other area of concern is that “glue” players simply aren’t ‘sticking’ for whatever reason, and a more serviceable bench I needed.
In the upcoming future West will need to be wary when spending precious dollars. Memphis simply can’t afford to invest in a Brian Scalabrine like move; financial flexibility under a rigid cap is far too valuable when pursuing a youth movement.
When it’s all said and done, Chauncy Billups, Rudy Gay, Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick, and Greg Oden/Kevin Durant is pretty darn good. This lineup doesn’t even factor the potential game breaker I expect West delivers via a trade for Pau Gasol, and an improved Lowry off the bench.
There’s a reason why the Grizzlies made the playoffs consecutively from 2004-2006. However, they also lost all three series 4-0 and West wants that rectified. There’s hope for Memphis, and 15-46 could have definitely come during a worse year. The Memphis Grizzlies will rebound in 2007-2008, but Jerry West has his hands full and some big decisions to make. |
