Gasol, Orlando, and Other Notes
Some notes and links on various Griz topics:
Marc Gasol: Chris Wallace said on The Chris Vernon Show last week that there was about a 50-50 chance of the Grizzlies bringing Marc Gasol over for next season. According to a team source, those odds haven’t changed and aren’t likely to anytime soon. Gasol’s status is unlikely to change until after the draft in late June, so don’t expect the possibility of securing Gasol’s services to have any impact on the team’s draft decisions.
Gasol is being courted by multiple European teams and the relative weakness of the dollar against the Euro may negate any financial advantage the Grizzlies would have in negotiations. The decision may come down to simply how much Gasol wants to test himself at the NBA level next season. Big brother Pau Gasol suggested to ESPN The Magazine a few weeks ago that he was keeping his Front Street condo and custom-sized bed available in Memphis for Marc, who knows the city well and would have a far easier transition to the NBA — at least off the court — than most Euros.
The consensus on the younger Gasol seems xto be that he would be a mid-first-round pick were he in this year’s draft and projects as a rotation-quality player in the NBA whenever he comes over.
Orlando: The entire Grizzlies basketball ops contingent will head to Orlando after the Memorial Day holiday for the annual pre-draft camp.
Most of the contenders for the team’s pick at #28 are on the projected rosters of teams scheduled to compete in scrimmages at the camp, though it will be interesting to see how many of those potential picks end up pulling out of the scrimmages.
For the #5 pick, the camp will be more about getting official measurements. College height listings are notoriously unreliable, so measurements, even more than athletic testing, might be the most meaningful thing that happens in Orlando. The players who official measurements could have the most impact on their draft standing for the Grizzlies: Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, and Anthony Randolph.
Promises, Promises: ESPN.com’s Chad Ford had a story last week suggesting that raw-like-sushi Texas A&M big man Deandre Jordan might have a Top 5 promise. Ford backed off of that later in the week. The Grizzlies will take a look at Jordan, but he isn’t currently in the team’s top tier of potential picks, much less someone given any kind of promise.
Bizarrely beloved University of Memphis knucklehead Joey Dorsey was on The Geoff and Gary Show Friday and reportedly suggested (I didn’t hear it) that he’d been told he wouldn't slip past the Grizzlies pick at #28. Not true. The Grizzlies have scheduled a workout for Dorsey and do take him seriously as a contender for the pick at #28 on the idea that he has a chance to be a more explosive Reggie Evans type rebounder/enforcer in the League and add much-needed toughness to the team. (Personally, I have my doubts.) But in no way has the team committed to taking Dorsey at #28.
Kevin O’Neill Hire: The Commercial Appeal reported last week that the Grizzlies are hiring much-traveled coach Kevin O’Neill (former Toronto Raptors and University of Tennessee head man, most recently at Arizona) as an assistant coach to focus on the team’s defense. O’Neill has a reputation as a volatile personality but sharp basketball mind. I wish I could reveal more about the nature of this hire — whether it emanated from ownership, front office, or the coaching staff. O’Neill doesn’t seem like the kind of guy Marc Iavaroni would seek out, and I’ve heard some concern about the possibility of the hire undercutting Iavaroni’s authority. But, again, that’s just speculation. We’ll see how this plays out.
Mock Draft Updates: NBADraft.net has updated their initial post-lottery mock draft and now have the Grizzlies bypassing O.J. Mayo to select Anthony Randolph at #5 and selecting UNC sharpshooter Wayne Ellington at #28.
Sam Amico’s mock at Pro Basketball News has the Grizzlies taking Mayo and Bill Walker. (He’s got Kevin Love going third to Minny. Hmm …)
Dime Magazine’s lottery-only mock has Mayo.
The Sporting News’ Mike Decourcy has Brook Lopez at #5 and J.J. Hickson at #28.
Finally, Chad Ford has a nice feature on Mayo up on ESPN.om today.
