We are back and better than ever my friends.

For all of you who have been without your daily NoG fix, the candyman is back my friends. We regret to inform that all previous blog posts are lost in limbo, but no worries. We are a walking library filled to the brim with clever storylines and informative views.

Zac and I will be working diligently to get the site back up to par, and surpass previous expectations.

Peace from the Southeast my friends.

BEIJING – As interest has grown in the NBA over signing 7-foot-2 Iranian Olympian Hamed Ehadadi, the league office has sent a letter to its 30 teams instructing that they are forbidden to even discuss a contract with Ehadadi, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

In the letter, which was sent Friday, NBA legal counsel wrote: “It has come to our attention that representatives of Hamed Ehadadi, an Iranian basketball player, may be contacting NBA teams to discuss the possibility of signing Mr. Ehadadi to an NBA player contract.

“We have been advised that a federal statue prohibits a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals.”

The NBA is applying to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control for a license that, “if granted,” the league said, would allow teams to negotiate with the 23-year-old Ehadadi. Until then, no franchise is allowed to do so.

Some more on the man

After his most impressive game of these Olympics – 21 points and 16 rebounds in a 97-82 loss to Argentina on Saturday – Ehadadi, a center, said through an assistant coach, Mehran Hatami, “It is my dream to play in the NBA.”

When asked if he had been in contact with NBA teams, Ehadadi said, “two or three,” including the Memphis Grizzlies.

“It’s our pleasure for one player from Iran to one day play in the NBA,” Hatami said. “I am sure he will play there this season because he has played great (at the Olympics). He is a talented player. He is OK for beginning in the NBA. After practicing a few years, you will see that he will be one of the great players.”

League executives don’t exactly share Iran’s grand vision for Ehadadi. He’s considered a project – “Pretty limited,” one league executive said Saturday – but there has been intrigue with his developing offensive game and an ability to block shots. In Iran’s four losses in Pool B thus far, Ehadadi has averaged 16.5 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

"Last year was a lot of fun," Bowen said. "It was fun to be a part of it, and I enjoyed playing for a great organization. We had a wonderful year. That's why I wanted to go back."

For Hornets fans fretting over frontcourt depth, this has to be considered good news. Bowen at the very least provides the team great energy and hustle off the bench, and he'll again be counted on to spell David West at the power forward spot.

He's a good practice guy. Nice addition, hopefully he doesn't have to play because that won't do the Hornets many favours. Bowen's the consummate team first role player, he's a good guy to have knocking around.

RealGM has some Grizzlies news:

The Memphis Grizzlies have renounced their rights to free agents Casey Jacobsen and Andre Brown, according to Inside Hoops.

Jacobsen, a 6-6, 198-pound guard, averaged 2.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 53 games last season with the Grizzlies.

Brown, a 6-9, 245-pound forward, posted 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 33 games for Memphis last season.

I see no reason why Brown or Jacobsen should be in the NBA next season. Good moves by Memphis.

The highlight of these tidbits is the news regarding Michael Finley from the San-An Express.

Two months and one week after he became a free agent, Michael Finley remains a man without a team.

Whether Finley returns for a fourth season in a Spurs uniform appears to be entirely up to him.

The Spurs are believed to have tendered Finley an offer worth more than the veteran minimum of $1.3 million to keep him in San Antonio, where he was a part-time starter on a team that went to the Western Conference finals last season.

If Finley winds up playing anywhere else next season, there’s a chance — however remote — it could be in a familiar haunt.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, citing Finley’s agent as its source, has reported the Dallas Mavericks have contacted the 35-year-old guard about a possible return to the Metroplex.

Finley spent 8 1/2 seasons with the Mavericks before joining the Spurs as a free agent during the 2005 offseason. However, it seems a long shot Finley would relocate to Dallas.

The Spurs desperately need to replace Michael Finley. Bringing him back would do the club no favours.

Dallas on the other hand would be a decent destination. The article goes on to talk about how the Mavs are loaded on the wings but none of their guys are good player once you get past Josh Howard. Finley could challenge Stackhouse for the 7th man spot or starting spot right away because his perimeter shooting suits the club better. None of their young wings stand out as guys ready to contribute.

Also some news on interesting Spurs draftee James Gist from the same article

An Italian Web site reported Friday that James Gist, the Spurs’ second-rounder from Maryland, had agreed to a deal with a team in Italy. A Spurs source said Gist has not yet signed with any team overseas, leaving open the possibility he still could begin next season in San Antonio.

If Gist were to sign with a foreign team, the Spurs would retain his NBA rights.

On Friday, the Hawks got some semblance of redemption. The Grizzlies signed Smith to a five-year, $58 million offer sheet and the Hawks quickly matched the contract, ensuring Smith's return.

It was a smart move by the Hawks. Many teams would've waited the full seven days before deciding to match the offer. The Hawks' decision to immediately match sent a strong signal to Smith that they wanted him and wanted the healing to begin.

Not hard to see that one coming.

Smith was desperately trying to get out of Atlanta and the Hawks weren't budging from a lowball offer of $45 million over five years

Did the Grizzlies raise the bar enough? My first thought was no, that they wouldn't even make the Hawks blink. Well in less than a day the Hawks matched so that assumption was spot on. Did they even make a real play for Smith, Chad has the same question:

As for the Grizzlies, on the surface, their decision to make Smith a big offer looks encouraging. I've been critical of owner Michael Heisley's unwillingness to spend money on the team. Everything they've done since January reeks of a team trying to cut costs -- at whatever cost.

For weeks the Grizzlies failed to make an offer to the likes of Smith or Iguodala despite being the only team with significant cap room. Their five-year, $58 million offer sheet to Smith has all the appearances of a savvy team taking advantage of a buyers' market and taking a shot at a young player who could be an All-Star someday at a position that they really need help with.

Look a little deeper and things aren't as clear. A source in Memphis told me on Friday that the team "already knew" that the Hawks were going to match the offer. The source held out little hope that Smith would actually wear a Grizzlies uniform. Why would the Grizzlies make an offer to a player that they knew they wouldn't get? According to one GM, it's all about appearances. "If you're getting criticized for being cheap and doing nothing this at least counts for something. Now Mike Heisley and [GM] Chris [Wallace] can beat back skeptics who question your commitment to the long-term health of the team. It happens all the time."

I'm not sure I'm willing to go that far. Smith would've been a great fit in Memphis.

Unlike Chad I am willing to go that far. I easily believe and would expect that what the source said is actually be true. Memphis needed to raise that pay level a lot higher in order to trouble Atlanta's decision and they were unwilling to do it, that's why Josh was always extremely likely to stay in Atlanta. If Memphis put serious pressure on Atlanta with a max contract or close to it this is a different conversation, but they didn't. They just made an offer that everyone knew was likely to be matched by Atlanta.

Power forward Josh Smith was offered a 5 year, 58 million dollar deal. Not from the Hawks, but from the Memphis Grizzlies. Atlanta had seven days to match the Grizzlies offer, and they did it within 24 hours. The signing ended what had become a drawn-out, potentially ugly negotiation process.

Thankfully, the Hawks have made it through the offseason virtually unscathed, dare I say stronger than at the end of the '08 campaign. They lost Josh Childress, of course, but they've gained forward Mo Evans and center Randolph Morris. Not to mention the suprising return of point guard Speedy Claxton from the knee problems that have mired his first two years in Atlanta.

The added veteran depth notwithstanding, Atlanta HAD to resign Smith. He is the Hawks best post defender. Teamed with center/forward Al Horford last season, Smith was a defensive catalyst and the teams leading post scorer. Players like Smith don't grow on trees. Or, for that matter, play in the Summer League; because the best and brightest free agents are off the market by this time of the year.

So now that we're all relieved, how long 'till opening tip? I can't remember the last time I was genuinely looking forward to the NBA season...

This information was reported on Friday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Nothing is official yet until the Hawks match the offer of the Grizzlies within seven days. There had been rumors of interest from Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Atlanta responded that they would match any offer for the restricted free agent. After the 76ers signed Elton Brand and the Clippers traded for Camby, Josh Smith was no longer in the picture. Now Michael Gearon Jr, Hawks co-owner, has stated that he will try to keep Smith in Atlanta.

I think this is a great move by the Grizzlies. After making a foolish trade causing them to lose Pau Gasol, they need to make that up for a great player. Josh Smith is that great player. Smith and the Hawks gave the Celtics, the eventual champions of the season, a great run by forcing all seven games. The Hawks had the worst regular-season record in the playoffs, and they played against the best regular-season record-holders [Celtics]. By forcing all seven games, many people were shocked. It would have been the biggest upset since the Mavs and the Warriors. Unfortunately, they could not defeat Boston on their home court.

I'm not sure if I want to see Smith go to Memphis. I'm sure Mike Miller will be extremely happy if they acquire the dexterous power forward. But I wouldn't be surprised if Atlanta matched the offer by the Grizzlies due to losing Josh Childress to Europe. Whatever may happen to Josh Smith, I wish him the best and hope to see him excel next season.

NBA Regular Season Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2004–05	Atlanta	74	59	27.7	.455	.174	.688	6.2	1.7	.8	2.0	9.7
2005–06	Atlanta	80	73	32.0	.425	.309	.719	6.6	2.4	.8	2.6	11.3
2006–07	Atlanta	72	72	36.8	.439	.250	.693	8.6	3.3	1.4	2.9	16.4
2007–08	Atlanta	81	81	35.5	.457	.253	.710	8.2	3.4	1.5	2.8	17.2
Career		307	285	33.0	.445	.263	.703	7.4	2.7	1.1	2.5	13.6

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 contract offer to the 22-year-old Smith, but are on the hook next season with big contracts for Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson.

Well I doubt this comes off for the Grizzlies. I don't think their offer is high enough over what Atlanta were offering Smith to stop them from matching the offer sheet. Likely this means Smith returns to the Hawks.

If it were to go through it would be a nice pickup for the Grizzlies. Smith and Darko would an interesting shot blocking combination in the paint, then Rudy Gay and all their guards. Not bad. That would be an exciting team to watch with good room for development.

Smith is one of the riskiest free agents on the market because of his flaws and because he hasn't proven himself as an All-Star caliber performer yet. There's a lot of doutbs about him and a long term contract is a risky investement, but the potential rewards make this contract a good deal.

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.

The Hawks have said they would match any contract offer to the 22-year-old Smith, but are on the hook next season with big contracts for Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson.

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.

Now THAT is what I'm talking about! Anyone who has listened to the Morning Rush knows that my number one hope for the Grizzlies this offseason was that they would use their cap money to make a run at Josh Smith.  It's not often you can acquire a 22-year-old whose numbers have been steadily on the rise, and who is already an elite defender (2 steals and 3 blocks per game last season).  Put him in a lineup with Conley, Mayo, and Gay and you've got an extraordinarily athletic group that's capable of great things on both sides of the ball.  And they'd all be 22 or younger!

Obviously the Hawks hold the cards now.  They have a week to match, and they probably will do just that.  But their organization has been in turmoil for some time...they've had lots of time to extend Smith's contract and they've steadfastly refused to pay more than 9 million a year.  Now the Griz have offered him around 12 million a year - that might be a bit more than they can swallow.  It's still likely they'll match, but it's not a slam dunk, especially given the acrimony between Smith and the Hawks front office.

Kudos to Chris Wallace for engineering the move and to Michael Heisley for authorizing the spending.  If nothing else, this can put to rest the morons who keep claiming that Heisley is unwilling to spend money.  He has in the past and will in the future if the situation calls for it, and this situation called for it.

And major props to Ron for scooping EVERYONE on this story.  As I write, no one else has it yet.  Big scoop for Ron and the CA.

Below: a Bear Sloth
Could also be called a "sloth of bears," I guess.

That's right: a bear sloth is essentially a pack of bears. Now, you might think that three bears really isn't anything like a tornado, but just remember: it only takes one bear to kill you and everyone you love. And that's a fact, my friends. So take a good long look at this picture and imagine what it would be like to see all of your loved ones being mauled to death by a bear, then - and this is the terrifying part - multiply it by three. Are you crying? You should be.

Now, take that and multiply it by about ten. That's right, just try and imagine a sloth of 30 bears. It's happened. Case in point: at a platinum mine in remote eastern Russia, a wild pack of at least 30 giant bears were seen prowling the area. (Should "30" be bolded as well? I mean, it is an absurdly large group of bears.) 30.

The bears were said to be "hungry." How do we know for certain? Well, they attacked and ate two of the workers, so, I'd say that's proof enough. I'd also say it's high time for the Russians to get out there and kill those bears before they start a political upheaval, and turn the whole country into some frighteningly realistic Planet of the Bears scenario, wherein upon the bears can talk, are in control, and have divided themselves into a strict class system. Grizzly bears will serve as the police and military, whereas polar bears will be administrators, politicians, and lawyers, and the black bears will serve as intellectuals and scientists. Humans will lose their ability to speak, and will be hunted and used for scientific experimentation. Do you have goosebumps yet? If not, wait until the movie comes out.

Below: A Rare Look into the Planet of the Bears

The inevitable outcome of mankind's wars, which will pave the
way for the bear-lead society (and possible union with dogs).

I'm not the only one who fears a possible Bear Revolution and wants to stand up to these future overlords. A spokesman for the regional emergencies ministry told reporters that "... people are scared by the invasion of bears." A village official by the name of Viktor Leushkin told reporters that "these predators have to be destroyed." That's right, those bears have no excuse to invade your lands after the locals poached and decimated the salmon in the area, the bears' food supply.

And the Russian government is responding. Attempts have been made to send out a team of snipers by helicopter, but the plan failed due to poor weather conditions and the fact that all the Russian helicopters were shot down by Afghani "freedom fighters."

Or, perhaps the Russians don't want to kill off the bears. They might just want us to think that they want the bears dead, though all the while they'll be enlisting the bears into an invincible bear cavalry.

A true weapon of mass destruction.

Just give those cossacks some assault rifles and load two barrels of vodka on the bears' backs (as opposed to the one already in place), and you've got an unstoppable, albeit inebriated, fighting force. The vodka just makes them meaner. And by them, I mean only the cossacks. You gotta feed the bears some gunpowder to make them enraged enough to battle an Abrams tank.

Anyway that you look at it, an approaching sloth of bears signals impending doom. If you see one, then get the fuck out of there as soon as you can. If you have to leave a loved one behind, please do so: it should slow the pack down; babies especially.

None of this really matters though, because the game was merely the back drop to the fun party I hosted at the Grizzlie stadium pool. You can read all about the party here, at my friend Will Albritton’s blog on the Fresno Bee newspaper’s Beehive.

http://www.fresnobeehive.com/archives/2008/07/wills_photo_blo.html#more
The party really was fun and at one point I purchased some Dippin’ Dot ice cream to share with everyone. For those of you that may not be familiar with the Dippin’ Dot concept, it is basically tiny little beads of ice cream kept at something like 20 degree below zero.

Picture of Dippin Dots

Dippin’ Dots is actually pretty good stuff. I chose “cookies and creme” and “mint chocolate chip”, and everyone at the party seemed to enjoy the sweet treat. My problem with Dippin’ Dots is not the actual product, but rather their slogan “Ice Creme of the Future”.

Dippin’ Dots was developed in 1987...I was in tenth grade. I truly believed back then that in the future I would all be enjoying my summer vacation on Mars and getting a break from the extreme heat by spooning Dippin’ Dots into my mouth with my bionic arms. It would no longer be the ice creme of the future, but since we were now in the future it would be the ice creme of the present. How long does a person have to wait before the future rolls around.

I actually think Dippin’ Dots might increase their miniscule market share if they became the “Ice Creme of the Present”. I am sure there are some people who won’t even give this newfangled fancy futuristic ice creme a try because it is just to modern for them.

I realize “the Ice Creme of the Present” doesn’t have the same Star Trekkian hook, but at some point you have to admit that the future is here and ice creme may not be the portal through time I wish it was.

Alright, here's what gear is going to Alaska with me to photograph Grizzlies:

Canon 40d camera body (x2)

Canon 1D Mark II camera body

Canon 500mm f4 lens with Aquatech rain cover, Wimberly head and Gitzo tripod

Canon 100-400 IS

Canon 70-200mm F2.8

Canon 24-70mm F2.8

Canon 16-35mm F2.8

Canon 50mm Macro

1.4x Extender

580 EX II Strobe

Light Meter

Macbook Pro with portable back-up drives

And, of course, a full compliment of batteries, chargers, filters, ball heads, CF cards, mounting brackets and a whole bunch of other miscellaneous accessories (some useful, some not so much)

Let's see, did I miss anything?  Oh yeah...underwear.

• Starting this up shortly after halftime. The Grizzlies are ahead 51-38 mainly off a nice spurt their in the second quarter where they got out very nicely on the break and got some easy baskets. OJ Mayo just hit a three to extend that lead.
• Grizzlies have been gambling a fair bit defensively. Using their athleticism and activity to stop the Bucks from getting to their favourite spots
• Ramon Sessions has been the most impressive player on the court. It’s a pity he doesn’t have a few more scorers around him because many of his passes have been wasted. He runs the team very nicely. Dangerous player off the dribble who can et to wherever he wants to go to. He makes quick swing passes in the halfcourt to keep everyone moving and the defense on his toes. I’m very impressed. Starter next year? Let Mo get back to his Vinnie Johnson role? We’ll see.
• Mike Conley hasn’t had much of a game. A lot of fouls. Solid offensive play but not exceptional, not standing out so far. As I write that sentence Javaris Crittenton leads a lovely fastbreak, hits Conley full sprint for the nice layup. Crittenton has been very limited tonight, limited by playing next to OJ and Conley. He was sensational last year. Just too many guards on the court and not enough basketballs.
• OJ Mayo just threw a four foot bounce pass through his big man’s legs. He’s upset at himself for that foolish play.
• There’s been a lot of good touch passes in this summer league. Teams sharing the ball well. Quite a few tonight by both sides.
• Crittenton just threw a bullet pass to his big man on the break trying to thread the needle between a very tight gap. Unfortunately his big man wasn’t looking. Another turnover. Memphis getting careless. Need to tighten it up a bit and stop looking for the flashy play. The Bucks have tried to trap the ball in the backcourt which has led to one of Memphis’ guards pushing it hard up on a 4-on-3 but consistently they’ve made bad decisions. Memphis have three guys who can play the point on the floor right? This shouldn’t be happening. Another Memphis turnover but this one was different. Bad drive by Alan Anderson going baseline, seeing the defender was there, going against two men either way and running into a brick wall, then he throws a bad pass which was about 25 feet away from the nearest Grizzlie and hit someone in the third row.
• OJ Mayo just hit another three. Wide open in the corner after some nice ball movement following some dribble penetration. He had another lovely three late in the first half a crossover dribble step back three. OJ hits another three, this time on the opposite wing, he’s starting to get hot. He’s living on those long shots though, looks iffy driving unless he has an open lane to the rim where he has finished well regardless of what shot shot blocker makes it over late.
• Joe Alexander has been very quiet and hasn’t done much good out there. His elevation on his jumper is special, really stands out, he should be able to get his shot over just about anyone. Not a good game for him. You could say the same for every Memphis player outside of Sessions. They’re down 21 now, early in the fourth, after that OJ three spree and a lengthily Memphis run.
• This game is pretty much over. Not a good game really but it was interesting to watch because of the Grizzlies talent and Sessions. OJ hits another three as a sign off with four to go.

But the deed is done.  The organization that was known as the Seattle SuperSonics will soon be re-introduced as the OKC [somethings].  While I never really have understood the Seattle franchise's name I've never been concerned enough to spend the 30 seconds at wikipedia to look it up.  I would ask a Sonics fan, but I can't recall having ever met one in person.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, I'm sure you are not happy right now and the last thing you need is somebody to make a snide remark about drowning your tears in latte or making some other generic statement about the rainy city of Seattle.  Noooo.  We are not going to stoop to that level on this, ahem, fine site.

But if it will make you feel better, we will tell a couple of lame Oklahoma jokes.

Q: Why do the Oklahoma license plates say OK?

A: Because they could not spell mediocre.

Q: Did you hear about the Texas A&M Aggie that graduated and moved to Oklahoma?

A: He raised the average IQ of both states.

Lucky for you, dear reader, I've never bothered to waste any extra brain cells with Oklahoma trivia or jokes. Just those two.  [Insert Aggie joke here.]

Anyway, if those two lame jokes don't make the Seattle fans feel any better, how about a plan to get a franchise back in Seattle?

The best thing that could happen to the league would be for that goofball in LA to sell the Clippers to somebody who would move them to Seattle.  Then we could have basketball back where it belongs and perhaps Señor Stern can fund a black ops team to erase the world of the Clippers ugly legacy.

But... that doesn't seem very likely.

So, what if we move the hapless Memphis Grizzlies to Seattle and then swap the division assignments of the OKC Mediocrity and the Seattle SuperSonic Grizzlies?  Seattle gets a team back.  The Grizz stop wasting time in Memphis and the divisional alignment gets repaired.

Seems like a plan to me.  Anybody got Stern's phone number?

First Round Pick No.27 - Darrell Arthur

Okay again this causes me some initial problems because of the huge draft day trade but I'm going to ignore it for this page and concentrate just on what they've added.

OJ Mayo is a good prospect but overrated. First off he's older than Andrew Bynum at 21 years of age. Secondly he's undersized at the two at 6-4 with a 6-6 wingspan. He's got good quickness but not incredible quickness. He's a very good leaper. All said, athletically he can definitely compete and compete well but it doesn't give him much seperation from the pack. Thirdly, his game is fairly flawed.

Mayo is a combo guard so he can play either the one or the two. He played off the ball in college so he didn't show much point guard skill. There are many strong doubts about how well he could play the point in the pros and it's likely he wouldn't be able to play the point without having a top playmaking wing beside him. The problems I have with him besides that is that he struggled to score against top defenses in college and it's because he's too reliant on his perimeter jump shot. 6.5 of his 16 shots a game come from three point range which is a huge number. He needs to mix up his scoring and concentrate on getting to the rim more often and getting to the line more often (only 4 free throws a game for an athlete of his caliber). Clearly there's a problem with shot selection there. He also had difficulties beating his man off the dribble which isn't good enough. Another problem offensively is despite his point skills he averages more turnovers (3.5tpg) than assists (3.3apg).

On the more positive side and these strengths play a big role in making him a good prospect. He's a great kid who works his socks off trying to improve. Tim Floyd continuously praises how coachable the young man is. He does show a very good understanding of the game at times especially with his movement off the ball offensively. But most importantly ... he plays very good defense and that should translate well.

OJ Mayo will play the two guard in Memphis next to Mike Conley with Crittenton and Lowry likely backing the two up. OJ and Conley should be a fine combination for several years.

It's worth pointing out that I believe Kevin Love to be both the superior prospect and the superior fit.

Darrell Arthur was a great pickup late in the first round. Memphis held the pick after him, drafted Greene and traded his rights to Houston who had picked up Arthur from another trade, and picked up the guy they wanted. Arthur was an overrated prospect entering this draft (low lottery pick expected) but he's a steal at this low. With the Grizzlies desperate for some interior play and desperate for a power forward .... Darrell Arthur is a great fit.

Arthur played on a loaded Kansas and like Brandon Rush he didn't want to be a star. He had the opportunity and didn't want it. On the positive side, like Rush, he's a very good all round player. Arthur has some good post moves (his post play was huge in the NCAA Final), he's got great hands and he has a developing face up jump shot. He's a good rebounder pulling down 6 boards in 24 minutes and plays quality all round defense. Arthur has good athleticism but isn't a standout at power forward.

Arthur should be a solid pro in the NBA but no star

Conclusion: Two nice pickups for the Grizzlies. OJ Mayo is a good prospect with some decent (but not great) star potential. Arthur will fill a hole and be good for awhile.

I had spent the better part of last week working myself into a tizzy over the possible draft deals the Grizzlies were looking to make.

By yesterday, I think my brain was about ready to (a) turn into mush or (b) explode from all the information I was putting into it.

To be honest, I thought for sure two things would happen.

1. Rose would be the #1 pick and Memphis would be proud of our little Tiger going home and making gobs of money.
2. Somehow the Grizzlies would let me down.

I am glad to say that the second one didn’t happen.

I was happy with the Love pick. And while I was a little disappointed to see the Griz pass over CDR, there must be something there.

As Jarvis Greer said at work, we weren’t the only ones that passed him up. He fell to 40th! So scouting personnel saw something there that turned them off.

I cam home, happy with the evening and was sent to Wal-Mart to pick up a replacement for our broken iron.

While pulling into the parking lot, I got a text that said, “Cardinal, Miller gone. We got Mayo.”

Soon there after a call was placed to Jarvis for the particulars.

And I have to say. I like what I see. We got an All-Star player and got rid of Cardinal’s contract.

I know we got another fat contract in the deal, but there is no way Jaric is as useless as Brian Cardinal. You could have suited me up in a Grizzlies outfit and had more production on the floor.

I cannot help but think there is another move to be made. We have too many guards. But alas, for the moment. I am a content Grizzlies fan.

Even with his well-publicized late season drop-off in production, Gordon is now 100% healthy and performed well in his pre-draft testing. Although he is still quite undersized for a two-guard at only 6’3”, his athletic ability is undeniable.

So where will Gordon go in tonight’s draft? Opinions are varied. ... [Read More]

So why haven't I heard rumors about the simplest solution? CBA throw-ins aside, the basic configuration should be: the Sonics give up something to the Wolves to swap picks 3 and 4, then Seattle takes on Mark Blount's terrible contract to trade the 3 for the 2 with Miami. Everyone wins.

MADRID, Spain -- Marc Gasol says he is ready to move from a Spanish team to the NBA, where his older brother already plays.

The 7-foot-1 Gasol has spent the past two years with Spain's Akasvayu Girona. His rights are held by the Memphis Grizzlies.

"Now I've got a good opportunity and I'll give it a try. I'm excited about it," the 23-year-old center told the Europa Press news agency. "In the United States basketball is different, it gets played differently. The best centers are there, there's another rhythm of play and another rhythm of life."

Grizzlies spokesman Dustin Krugel said Monday he could not immediately comment about a possible move by Gasol, but said, "Our general manager has expressed interest in bringing him over."

Great news for the Grizzlies who surely would have been horrified if Gasol signed a contract in Spain like Tiago Splitter did. Gasol should be a solid rotation player in the NBA and give Memphis an interesting two headed monster at center.

FIRMÓ PARA LAS DOS PRÓXIMAS TEMPORADAS

Pascual:"Navarro es el mejor fichaje que el Barcelona podría hacer"

Xavi Pascual, entrenador del primer equipo de baloncesto del FC Barcelona para las dos próximas temporadas, ha reconocido hoy en su presentación que para un barcelonista como él, "éste es un momento para soñar".

Debutó ya como primer entrenador azulgrana el pasado 15 de febrero, relevando a Dusko Ivanovic, destituido el día anterior. Dirigió un total de 30 partidos a lo largo de la pasada temporada, 21 de ACB con un balance de 14 victorias y 7 derrotas. Clasificó al equipo para la final, donde perdió ante el Tau (3-0). En la Euroliga dirigió 9 encuentros, con 4 victorias y 5 derrotas, cayendo ante el Maccabi en la eliminatoria de cuartos de final.

En la presentación, Pascual ha estado acompañado de Joan Laporta, presidente del Barcelona y de Joan Creus, director deportivo de la sección. Laporta explicó que la directiva la valorado "muy positivamente" la "determinación" de Pascual a la hora de asumir el cargo "y también la imagen que en todo momento ha dado, su carácter ganador, su personalidad valiente y que los jugadores del primer equipo le tienen un gran respecto, que él se ha ganado a pulso".

Joan Creus volvió a recordar que "he valorado muchos aspectos de Xavi, también como valoré los de otros grandes entrenadores y lo escogimos a él. El presidente lo vio bien desde el primer momento y coincidimos en la valía de un técnico de la casa, que empezó desde abajo y ahora sigue la trayectoria con el primer equipo". El nuevo técnico ha reconocido su "orgullo" y ha recordado que "ganar o perder depende de muchas cosas, pero haré lo posible para ganar y me exijo lo máximo para mi y para mis jugadores".

Nuevas incorporaciones

Un día después de la confirmación del regreso de Juan Carlos Navarro al club azulgrana, Pascual aseguró que está encantado de "que me pongan presión fichando jugadores como Navarro; un jugador extraordinario y que, además, es un icono del Palau. Me siento muy satisfecho de que juegue de nuevo aquí". Creus apoyó las palabras de Pascual comentando que Navarro "es el mejor fichaje que el Barcelona podía hacer en su posición, tanto por lo que ha sido, como por el rendimiento que puede dar".

Sobre el supuesto contrato millonario de Navarro por cinco años, Joan Creus ha repetido que "las cifras no son ni mucho menos las altas cantidades que se han publicado. El contrato es bueno para las dos partes. La deuda pendiente de Navarro no se ha condonado y la irá liquidando a medida que cumpla su contrato", dijo.

Sobre el resto de posibles incorporaciones, Creus admitió que Marc Gasol es la gran prioridad para seguir reforzando la plantilla. "Marc es uno de los objetivos primordiales del proyecto; un jugador importantísimo para nosotros, Ayer mismo hablamos con él y sigue valorando las posibles opciones que tiene, nos gustaría mucho que valorara la nuestra y la aceptara", informó.

También el base de Akasvayu Girona Víctor Sada tiene muchas opciones de regresar al Palau, después de la confirmación de la marcha de Pepe Sánchez, "un jugador extraordinario y de talento, pero se han de tomar decisiones porque estamos intentando construir el nuevo equipo".

Preguntado sobre el futuro de algunos jugadores de la plantilla, el nuevo técnico recordó que Jordi Trias y Mario Kasun "tienen contrato en vigor", pero no desveló ninguna clave sobre el futuro deportivo de ambos. "Quiero mirar hacia adelante y responder a la confianza depositada en mí", se limitó a comentar.

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SÓLO EL MADRID PODRÍA EVITAR SU MARCHA A MEMPHIS

Marc planta al Barcelona

JOAN SOLSONA / Barcelona El mercado europeo y sobre todo español está a expensas del futuro de Marc Gasol. El pívot catalán, después de coronarse como jugador más valioso de la temporada ACB, deshoja estos días su multimillonaria margarita de ofertas: Memphis Grizzlies, Madrid y Barcelona encabezaban, por este orden, la lista de preferencias de Marc, que según el entorno ha descartado ya la opción de regresar al club azulgrana.

Tanto Joan Creus, secretario técnico del baloncesto azulgrana, como Alberto Herreros y Antonio Martín, responsables del Madrid, han hecho lo humanamente posible para convencer al pívot. El Barça creía que la contratación de su amigo Navarro era el anzuelo perfecto para repescarlo, pero según el entorno del jugador en el ánimo de Marc ha pesado más el ninguneo que sufrió en su última etapa como azulgrana.

En cuanto al Madrid, su oferta económica es la mejor de las tres que contempla el jugador, pero incluso los blancos, que se han quedado como única alternativa a la NBA en las preferencias del jugador, son conscientes de que sus opciones de pescar al gran tiburón de la ACB son mínimas por la ilusión que tiene el jugador de probar en la NBA, aunque sea a costa de perder algo de dinero.

El Barça, al menos públicamente, no lo da por perdido: “Nos gustaría que Marc firmara con nosotros. Es uno de los objetivos después de la contratación de Navarro”, aseguró Creus. “Hablé el jueves por la tarde con él y me dijo que estaba valorando aún las distintas opciones, que la del Barça es una de ellas y que tomaría una decisión la semana entrante”, explicó durante la presentación de Xavier Pascual como entrenador del Barcelona.

Si el encanto económico y deportivo del Madrid no le hacen cambiar de opinión durante el fin de semana, Gasol anunciará el lunes en una rueda de prensa en Girona que su destino será Memphis. La franquicia donde militó por cinco temporadas su hermano Pau le ofrece un contrato por tres temporadas a razón de 1,5 millones de euros por cada una de ellas. Cabe recordar que Marc, elegido en su día por Los Lakers en la segunda ronda del draft, no está sujeto a ningún tope salarial y que los Grizzlies poseen sus derechos en la mejor Liga del mundo desde que el pasado mes de febrero Pau volara con destino a Los Ángeles.

El Madrid, segunda opción real que maneja el jugador, no quiere rendirse aún y alberga alguna mínima esperanza de que Marc se decante finalmente por su oferta, atractiva tanto en el plano económico, algo más de 2,5 millones de euros brutos por temporada a los que ha dado su visto bueno su presidente, Ramón Calderón, como en el plano deportivo, con un proyecto en plena fase de consolidación en el que se encontraría con amigos como Raúl López, Álex Mumbrú o Felipe Reyes.

Laporta se explica

En el seno de la Directiva azulgrana se rasgan las vestiduras porque este verano lo único que están haciendo es gastar dinero con jugadores de la casa que dejaron escapar. Joan Laporta tiene su explicación: “Marc Gasol explotó con la selección en el Mundial y luego en las filas de Akasvayu. Es normal que la NBA tenga ahora interés en contratarle”.

Pascual, técnico del Barça, reconoce que la planificación de la plantilla depende también de la continuidad del Ilyasova, al que le gustaría volver a Milwakee. Pepe Sánchez no seguirá y Sada será su sustituto. Se escuchan ofertas por Lakovic y se busca equipo para Mario Kasun, pero nadie en Europa traga con su alta ficha. Por su parte, Memphis ha hecho una oferta de tanteo sobre Navarro por lo que tendrá derecho a igualar cualquier oferta por el escolta en caso que éste decidiera algún día volver a la NBA.

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MI OPINIÓN A TODO ESTO:

Una pena que se nos vaya Marc tan pronto, aunque para la ACB es una grandísima noticia la vuelta a casa de "La Bomba" que está llamado a hacer algo grande con el Barça esta temporada.

Por otra parte, es una pena que la aventura americana de Navarro se quede. Aunque todos sabemos que volverá a la NBA, pues está llamado a ello, dentro de un par de años, cuando haga historia con el Barça, como él dice.

Con todo esto el Barça está obligado a hacer algo grande con el equipo que se plantean obtener (Pugnan por S.Jasikevicius, Ricky Rubio entre otros).

Otra noticia del movimiento ACB:

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YA SE HAN INICIADO LOS PRIMEROS CONTACTOS ENTRE AMBOS EQUIPOS

El Tau negocia con el CSKA el traspaso de Planinic

 El Tau Cerámica y el CSKA de Moscú han iniciado negociaciones de cara al posible traspaso del base croata del equipo vitoriano Zoran Planinic al equipo ruso, que así tendría sustituto tras la próxima marcha del director de juego griego Theodoros Papaloukas al Olympiacos de Atenas. El combinado moscovita del técnico italiano Ettore Messina quiere renovar en la campaña venidera el entorchado de campeón de la Euroliga y por ello se ha fijado en el base del equipo baskonista para cubrir la baja de un hombre de la talla de Papaloukas.

Como quiera que todavía no hay acuerdo económico entre ambos clubes para que Zoran Planinic deje la disciplina del Tau Cerámica, los contactos entre el club que preside Josean Querejeta y los dirigentes del CSKA de Moscú seguirán en los próximos días hasta limarse los últimos flecos del traspaso. De confirmarse la salida a Moscú de Zoran Planinic tras su paso por el equipo baskonista, los dos bases que con los que contará el Tau Cerámica para la campaña 2008-2009 serán Pablo Prigioni y el esloveno Goran Dragic, quien en la pasada temporada jugó como cedido en el Olimpia de Ljubljana.

Bueno, pues el TAU debería sacar provecho de este jugador, aunque yo creo que vendiéndole no sería la mejhor de las maneras, pero si es así. ¡Que saquen una buena tajada! :D