Tantalizing Talent Courtesy of the Memphis Grizzlies?
Beware the grizzle? I'm not there quite yet (something about a 20-win season causes any unbridled optimism to be quickly put in check), but color me more-than-mildly intrigued.
As professed before, I am not a rabid NBA hoops fan. I'd be lying to your collective faces if I claimed to have a deep and profound understanding of the Memphis Grizzlies, or boast those unique insights into player personalities, team dynamics, coaching or team defense that can only come from a dedicated fan that watches a team night in and night out.
Instead, I just happened to stumble upon their roster online after reviewing some of the developments from last evening's NBA draft. Once there, I found myself surprisingly taken aback.
Regardless of your respective opinion on Memphis's draft day (and night, next morning...) moves, the Grizzlies have succeeded in capturing this non-partisan third party's attention. Whether Mayo and Arthur have a tremendous impact on this team is yet to be seen, but this roster is loaded with talent. What's more they are incredibly young. Great NBA players? In different instances, "no," "maybe" and "too early" are prudent answers. But in terms of watching guys who can do some things on the court? Holy furry bear.
Take a look. Years pro in parens.
Andre Brown (7)
Kwame Brown (2)
Darrell Arthur (R)
Mike Conley (1)
Javaris Crittenden (1)
Rudy Gay (2)
Casey Jacobsen (4)
Kyle Lowry (2)
Darko Milicic (5)
Hakim Warrick (3)
O.J. Mayo (R)
Marko Jaric (6)
Antoine Walker (12)
Greg Buckner (9)
Sure, there are a few Hall of Fame busts on this squad for sure with Darko and Kwame Brown and Antoine Walker has undoubtedly seen better days. However, let's remember we're just talking talent here. You've got a tremendously-skilled promising young point guard in Conley and another one behind him in Crittenden. Not to mention Kyle Lowry, who despite having some injury issues, is a pretty dynamic player.
Throw Warrick, Arthur and Rudy Gay into the mix and you're beginning to fill up the ole' athleticism tank. Top it off with a touch of Mayo and the tank is pretty damn near filled. Buckner adds a little veteran savvy off the bench and Milicic...well, I'm not sure what we can do. Kwame Brown continues to baffle me. How can someone so big, so physically gifted, be so terrible? It's a quandary that's baffled the globe's greatest minds for the last seven years, but that's for another time.
For today, the Grizzlies roster has made me an interested observer. If nothing else, they should pique the curiosity of the fans down in Memphis. We'll see what it all means in terms of victories. After all, they're still the Grizzlies.
Labels:
Darrell Arthur,
Memphis Grizzlies,
OJ Mayo
3 comments:
Don't be interested. I live in Memphis and have been following the team from day one. Trading Love was completely stupid. O.J. Mayo isn't the answer and the trade for Arthur wasn't much better.
The Grizzlies needed a center and a power forward. Marc Gasol may be of some help if they can finalize a deal with him. Darko is as pathetic as it gets. Taking on old players like Walker and the terrible contract of Jaric, the Grizzlies will continue to struggle.
With Conley, Mayo, and Gay, Memphis will be tough on the perimeter and, at the very least, fun to watch.
Their front court? Not so much. I liked the fit with Love, but I don't think Mayo is anything to hang your head about.
Interesting. And as for Darko, he'll be 23 when the season starts. Still young enough to grow a little bit. Not saying he's the second coming of Bill Walton in waiting, just that he is young enough to possibly blossom into a rotation guy. They need him to, because undraftedfreeagent is right. Their frontcourt is thin.
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