What had been a tricky deal between Dallas, who is apparently in BUY! BUY! BUY! mode, and Toronto, who is attempting to maximize its Hedo Turkoglu cushion, turned into a four-way ballroom dance. Orlando reportedly jumped in to get a trade exception for the loss of Hedo and Memphis will provide its usual role as facilitator.
It's been such a wild year for the Phoenix Suns that the trade deadline rumors that swirled around Amare Stoudemire almost seem like they didn't even happen. But happen they did, and the fact is that the Suns were openly trying to deal their young All-Star to anyone who would listen -- including the Memphis Grizzlies.
There were plenty of unsubstantiated rumors about where Stoudemire could possibly end up, but Memphis was apparently a legitimate possibility, at least from the Suns' standpoint. The Memphis Commercial Appealhas the details of how it all could have gone down.
The Heat gets the deal's best player, ready to help Dwyane Wade contend today. Phoenix gets what it has wanted -- cap space (Marion's deal ends this summer) and a cheap, young stud. But what exactly is Memphis doing here?
Memphis has been a team that has been a bit tangential to the whole Amare Stoudemire Sweepstakes -- there's been reported interest and/or contact, but the only rumor out there (Rudy Gay and Mike Conley as the main parts) seemed a bit too rich for the Grizzlies.
Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reports that after sacking Marc Iavaroni on Thursday, the Grizzlies have decided to hire Milwaukee assistant Lionel Hollins to take over for the season. Most interesting to many will be the footnote: deposed 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks will join Hollins as an assistant.
The Cheeks move scrambles the other summer vacancies a bit, though it'd be hard to estimate just how many of the 6-10 teams seeking new coaches come April and May would have targeted Cheeks. But the decision to bring Hollins back really sticks out as odd considering the circumstances and the history.
Iavaroni's head has been at risk since last April, when the team reportedly considered ending the coach's run after one bad season. Team owner Michael Heisley pardoned Iavaroni (how gracious) but the guillotine has hung over this season like a promise.
Iavaroni escaped the holiday bloodletting -- six coaches were fired between November 22 and December 15 -- but apparently Heisley's seen enough.
So you're the General Manager of a small-market team. You've been pretty bad for several years, and even when you were a one-and-done playoff team, the fans weren't exactly clamoring for tickets. In a town where the college basketball team rules all, you have to get a little inventive to make a buck, especially in a recession.
The Memphis Grizzlies are using a veteran with injury issues on the cheap, particularly in a way that is bad for other teams. Let me explain.
Via SLAM, Griz beat writer Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal uses his blog to express skepticism at national media claims Marc Iavaroni's job is in danger.
Tillery insists that former Memphis GM Jerry West had been the cat pushing for Iavaroni's ouster last summer, both in owner Michael Heisley's ear and through the national media (namely, ESPN). But Tillery thinks Heisley, burned by scathing criticism to the Pau Gasol trade, is no longer listening to West ... or anyone.
Heisley no longer seeks or accepts advice. Whatever happens will be his decision without influence.
Tillery adds all this up to a prediction Iavaroni has until at least January to get his Grizzlies on the right path. Monday night offered two promising events: Memphis beat the shorthanded but potent Rockets, and Iavaroni proved he had sway in the locker room by benching Rudy Gay for a tardiness infraction. Gay played his tail off once he got in, scoring 20 points in 24 minutes. Players don't do that if they want their coach fired. (Of course, the real news from Memphis-Houston was Darko Milicic's insane display of anger/strength.)
While the four early sackings have made writers like ESPN's Chris Sheridan predict there will be more blood, there's a distinct possibility we won't see any more changes until the summer. Sacramento GM Geoff Petrie seems distinctly content with Reggie Theus, Mike Dunleavy isn't going anywhere, and I remain dubious to the idea Maurice Cheeks could be canned after an admittedly slow start with a reinvented wheel.
[Owner Michael] Heisley made it clear that he will take a fresh approach to the NBA Draft, which unfolds tonight in New York with the Griz owning the fifth and 28th picks. The Chicago-based billionaire insists that he'll have final say on all decisions -- so point the finger at him once the Grizzlies emerge from their war room. Heisley didn't exercise such command over the past eight years of his ownership. [...]
"For the first time, I'm having major input," Heisley said. "That doesn't mean I don't think much of [GM] Chris [Wallace] or any of my basketball people. It just means that like a lot of owners, I reserve the right to approve or not approve any decisions.
Heisley reportedly called for the cost-cutting, quasi-disastrous Pau Gasol trade in February, though some oscillation on who deserved "credit" came after the season ended and the franchise had endured months and months of jokes. Some are starting to call the Gasol deal a fair one, given Memphis' aims. You won't be able to convince me they couldn't get more talent back, which is an absolute necessity when a bleak franchise like Memphis gives up its top asset. (Ask Atlanta, circa 2000-2007.)
Of course, Heisley can't win. If Memphis trades down for extra assets, he's a cheapskate who doesn't want to pay for quality. If he trades for a big star, there's the potential for failure (present with any move for any team), which would lead to resentment toward his interference. (Ask Yankees fans.) Yes folks, it's a tough hand being Michael Heisley. Very tough.
Michael Heisley called me from Kuala Lumpur. ... This is the message Mr. Heisley wants Memphis fans to hear and understand. Michael Heisley is in no way unhappy with Chris Wallace. Michael Heisley approved the deal with LA and it accomplished what Mr. Heisley wanted. If anyone wants to be upset about the deal they should be upset with Heisley not Chris Wallace.
If nothing else, this means Gregg Popovich should stop egging Wallace's house and instead turn his scorn to Heisley.
I have no clue if Heisley's comments to Wojnarowski were taken out of context, and I suspect 3 Shades (despite all the vitriol heaped on Wojnarowski, a reporter with a good reputation) also doesn't really know if the Yahoo! piece was unfair. Heisley's own reputation as someone trying to shrink his franchise's financial burdens to help a sale doesn't help his case. (Nor does the tone of the 3 Shades piece, which is quite unfortunate.)
The rumored sign-and-trade sending Shawn Marion to Dallas will become official today, reports ESPN.com and the Dallas Morning News.
It's been such a wild year for the Phoenix Suns that the trade deadline rumors that swirled around Amare Stoudemire almost seem like they didn't even happen. But happen they did, and the fact is that the Suns were openly trying to deal their young All-Star to anyone who would listen -- including the Memphis Grizzlies.
On Thursday, reports indicated that Memphis had dropped out of bidding for Amare Stoudemire due to the high price Phoenix sought. But apparently the Grizzlies' gaze just shifted east: Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Miami, Memphis and Phoenix are discussing a deal that would land Amare in South Beach, Rudy Gay and Shawn Marion with the Suns, and Michael Beasley with the Grizz.
Memphis has been a team that has been a bit tangential to the whole Amare Stoudemire Sweepstakes -- there's been reported interest and/or contact, but the only rumor out there (Rudy Gay and Mike Conley as the main parts) seemed a bit too rich for the Grizzlies.
Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal reports that after sacking Marc Iavaroni on Thursday, the Grizzlies have decided to hire Milwaukee assistant Lionel Hollins to take over for the season. Most interesting to many will be the footnote: deposed 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks will join Hollins as an assistant.
After 1-1/2 seasons at the helm of the Grizzlies, Marc Iavaroni has been sacked according to Memphis Commercial-Appeal and NBA.com's David Aldridge.
So you're the General Manager of a small-market team. You've been pretty bad for several years, and even when you were a one-and-done playoff team, the fans weren't exactly clamoring for tickets. In a town where the college basketball team rules all, you have to get a little inventive to make a buck, especially in a recession.
Via SLAM, Griz beat writer Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal uses his blog to express skepticism at national media claims Marc Iavaroni's job is in danger.
Good morning, Grizzlies fans. How about some awesome news to go with your Malt 'o Meal? The Memphis Commercial-Appeal's Ron Tillery reports, you decide:
Via Hardwood Paroxysm, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley decided to refute some quotes published by Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski regarding delayed displeasure with the Pau Gasol trade. How? By calling a Grizzlies blogger, 3 Shades of Blue. 
