NBA basketball is coming to Memphis -- sort of. The Grizzlies migrate down to Bluff City from Canada this fall to play their first season in their new home, the Pyramid. After posting a franchise-best 23 wins last season, the hard-up Grizz unloaded star forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and swapped point guard Mike Bibby to Sacramento for the flashy Jason Williams. With a guaranteed ticket base in sports-crazy Tennessee, these questionable market moves may have been motivated by the possibility of cementing the No. 1 pick in next year's draft. Will the Grizzlies defrost in Memphis or continue their abysmal play?
Here are your thoughts on Vancouver's upcoming season:
Clippers of the future?
I think that with a wide body like Bryant Reeves and a shot-blocking presence like Stromile Swift, coupled with great shooters like Michael Dickerson and Shane Battier, the Grizzlies have some good tools for the future with the new rules that are coming into effect. And if Pau Gasol is as good as he was advertised in the draft, then we may be talking about the Grizzlies in a few years the way we are talking about the Clippers now -- perennial strugglers on the verge of possible playoff contention. As for this season, I think 24 wins is definitely possible.
Nick
Forest Grove, Ore.
Mistakes catching up with Grizz
The Grizzlies have been hampered by expansion rules (salary cap) and poor management decisions (Big Country -- $10 million/season) since their infancy. A new city will not help any of their current problems. However, the franchise record of 23 victories could be in jeopardy, especially if they slip a few Memphis Tigers into the lineup. You have to add depth somehow.
Brent
Vancouver, British Columbia
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You're looking at the worst team in the NBA this season -- 15 wins at the most. ” |
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— Nathan, Vancouver, British Columbia |
Team traded away hopes
The Grizzlies have always underachieved. Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, someone else, and Bryant Reeves looks like a decent roster on paper. Maybe with a new city and some fan support, Abdur-Rahim and Bibby can ... wait, what do you mean they traded those guys? Who'd they get in return? Are you serious? Ummmm, never mind then.
David
Newark, Del.
Weak league could bring more wins
The age-old conventional wisdom to winning in the NBA is that you need quality, consistent play from center and a good point guard. Look at the Grizz -- Big Country and White Chocolate. I'm sure the league is quaking in their Reeboks at that dynamic duo. However, the league is so watered down that Memphis can compete with 8-10 teams any night of the week and maybe steal one against the top four in each conference. So 23 wins is attainable this year, but when has losing less than 60 games in a year become cause for celebration?
Chris
Gunnison, Colo.
White chocolate will melt
Are you serious? With Jason "I never met a shot I
didn't like" Williams as the Grizzlies first option at
the point? Of course, they will NOT win 23 games. Your question asks "Is it possible?" Of course, it is possible -- if MJ comes out of retirement and plays for
the Grizz.
Mark
Columbus, Neb.
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So 23 wins is attainable this year, but when has losing less than 60 games in a year become cause for celebration? ” |
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— Chris, Gunnison, Colo. |
Anything is possible
I think the Grizzlies can reach the 23-win mark this year, but only if Michael Dickerson becomes a star, Shane Battier and Pau Gasol live up to all of their hype, Jason Williams makes some good decisions and Lorenzen Wright can become a force down low. Although most people think that all of this is impossible I, on the other hand, do not. I think this franchise can be more successful than it was in Vancouver, but it will take a lot of work.
Imran
Anaheim, Calif.
Bold predictions for new-look team
I think the Grizz will win more than 30 games this year. They got some decent talent this year and I think that they can put it all together. As bad as Jason Williams can play, he still knows what it takes to win. Shane Battier was one of the hardest working players in the college game and that can rub off on the rest of the team. I think the Griz won't be great this year, but they will be more respectable than they have ever been before.
Chris
Houston
Future could be promising for hapless team
Not even close. Shane Battier is what they want for the future. Pau Gasol will need the customary two years to reach his potential, as all foreign players do (excluding the forgotten Sarunus Marculionis). But Jason Williams will dazzle everyone into 12 wins at most, and those will be because Battier is a leader and will take over in the final minute of a close game. If Michael Dickerson stays, Bryant Reeves reaches Michael Olowakandi-level, and they let Stromile Swift develop, you've got an eighth seed playoff team in five years.
Lee
San Francisco
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Maybe with a new city and some fan support, Abdur-Rahim and Bibby can ... wait, what do you mean they traded those guys? Who'd they get in return? Are you serious? ” |
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— David, Newark, Del. |
Same old sob story
Doom! Doom! Doom! The Grizzlies are in serious trouble. Before this team starts to win more games, the management is going to have to to a better job. Over the team's first few years, chimpanzees could have done better. You'd think that a team with so many high draft picks over the years would be better by now, but no. Toronto has somehow managed to out-draft them almost every year despite having lower picks, and now they've just traded away their two best players. I don't expect Shane Battier and Pau Gasol to be busts (hello, Bryant Reeves), but what's to stop this pair from becoming like the dynamic (read: unsupported) duo of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Mike Bibby. Memphis will remain a college town for years to come, so who exactly is going to watch the Grizz?
Aaron
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Bottom-feeders will stay put this season
I find it laughable that anyone would think this Grizzlies crew will be able to match last year's 23 wins. They will start three to five new players in the starting lineup after trading away their two best players. And two of their new key players have no NBA experience. This team is starting over -- they have no identity and no clue how they will win games with the new lineup. You're looking at the worst team in the NBA this season -- 15 wins at the most.
Nathan
Vancouver, British Columbia
