I do not like this trade at all.

Gets them under luxury tax and I heard it gives them a trade exception. May not be a bad long term deal...at least that's what I have read.

Yeah but lose bench players with an already depleted bench. Ellington and Speights were decent.

The Grizzlies were going to get under the tax threshold, regardless, so it was a matter of who was on the block.

Of the post players, I would rather keep the fragile DA over Speights, just because he is a different and more valuable asset than what they already have with Gasol & ZBo. Hamed is also closer to Speights than DA. For Speights, it is a chance to get some playing time before his contract is up (he had to approve the trade because of his Bird rights).

Selby is a late 2nd rounder who is great at Vegas and summer ball. He just needs to mature, but he is not an NBA contributor yet.

Ellington hurts, but he is also somewhat redundant if QPon can come back healthy and if Bill Walker and/or Crazy Delonte West are serviceable.

The first rounder hurts if it is a lottery pick, but the Grizzlies haven't been nailing those anyways.

The starting 5 stay together and the Grizzlies are under the tax.

In a way it is Ellington, Speights, Selby, 1st rounder for Jon Leuer, Bill Walker & Delonte West (or whomever they sign).

[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 1/22/2013 1:09p).]

So does this trade mean they will keep their core after all?

For now it seems like it.

I believe that the Grizz FO knew that when they were negotiating to trade either ZBo or Rudy, other teams were in a power position because they didn't have to do the deal, but the Grizzlies were going to get under the luxury tax somehow.

However, I don't think either one is going anywhere for a year or two because I don't think it is wise for any team to tie up their salary with either of those guys unless they are on the verge of making a title run and have a salary dump they can send back.

Grizzlies signed Chris Johnson to aid in the 3 pt shooting department, to get to the minimum players on a roster, and to provide every fan throughout the league who drafted CJ in Fantasy Football a person to boo.

I agree with the radio analyst this morning on Memphis radio in that the Grizz issues right now weren't depth as much as they are that the starters (i.e. the guys they kept together) need to simply step up their game and play better. Gasol, Gay, Randolph, Conley all need to play like they are capable of even if that means they have to play a few more minutes a night.

Iowa, when are guys like Walker and West supposed to sign on?

Edit: Didn't see Iowa's post.

[This message has been edited by Gigem Trevas (edited 1/23/2013 1:27p).]

CJ is scheduled to play tonight, and Hollins said he's going to get thrown in tonight, "I don’t know if you can play, but you’re going to get an opportunity to see if you belong in the NBA."

Leuer can't play until Speights, Selby, and Ellington all get cleared by the League.

With QPon out, I think the bench tonight for the Lakers will be: Hamed, CJ, Wroten, Bayless and DA.

[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 1/23/2013 1:49p).]

A tweet came out that the Grizzlies said no to Delonte West for obvious reasons, and Bill Walker because he was out of shape.

Josh Childress and Michael Redd now in the discussions. They may be looking at Kenyon Martin, but I'm not sure why that guy isn't in the league, but it may have something to do with him wanting more than the league minimum and a certain number of minutes.

Basically, these are now guys that weren't wanted by 30 other teams, so to the scrape heap they go.

Background on the trade that happened in link below:

The Griz really only dealt with Houston, Phoenix and Cleveland - the few teams that could absorb salary because they are under the salary cap. Houston only wanted expiring contracts (Speights has player option for next season). Phoenix is delusional thinking it still can contend and offered garbage. Cleveland did the deal because it got that first-round pick from Memphis.

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/the_memphis_edge/2013/01/hitting-the-grizzlies-reset-button.html

Fun game tonight! Arthur in beast mode...

Beat the Lolakers.

Going to the Dallas vs San Antonio game tonight. Haven't decided who I want to win. Will miss the game tonight against Brooklyn though.

Grizz are killing it tonight against Brooklyn in the first half. Maybe one of the best halves we've had so far this year with a 22 point lead currently.

Went to game tonight.
In the beginning, it was like they wanted to prove tonight how much better Gasol was than the All-Star Lopez, and that just opened up everything.

This Chris Johnson looks promising. Hit some big shots and gave plenty of rest to Rudy. Wroten is exciting to watch, but we'll see if LH keeps letting him play.

Look out, here she comes tonight...

Plus Bennett Salvatore

Beat the Pelicans.

I am assuming Conley got injured as he only played for 4 minutes. Lost to the Pelicans.

Conley ankle sprain.

Ryan Anderson was making buckets with hands in his face.

The Pelicans will be a tough team to beat for a long time.

Rudy had a god awful game shooting. Having Tony Allen and Tony Wroten on the floor at the same time as guards is maybe the biggest offensive liability in the league as neither of those guys can throw it in the ocean...

Lot of offense tonight and no defense. Can't stop Turner or Young...and Tony Allen is a walking cluster**** tonight against the Sixers.

Gasol with the block to seal the game!

Grizzlies squeaked it out. Good win, Rudy had a very nice game to bounce back from that miserable performance last night and Gasol and Bayless turned in really nice games as well.

Good job to win this but now time to focus for the big game Thursday at OKC.

Hopefully MC will be back.

They match up well against OKC. They may not win, but the games are always close.

The Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors have agreed in principle on a trade that will send leading scorer Rudy Gay to the Raptors, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.


Sources told ESPN.com that the Grizzlies will acquire forward Ed Davis and veteran guard Jose Calderon from the Raptors and then move Calderon on to a third team to ultimately make this a three-team deal.

Yikes. And after moving Calderon all they have is Ed Davis, another big? This one really doesn't make sense (other than salary reasons).

Tayshaun Prince and Detroit may be involved, as well as Dallas (give VC, get Jose C)

Wow. I'd be surprised if Prince was involved. I thought Detroit made it clear he was untouchable. Whoever they get, it looks like the Grizz will have really regressed.

According to beat writer:

Griz sending Gay/Haddadi to Raptors for Ed Davis/2013 2nd round pick. Raps sending Jose Calderon to Detroit or Dallas for Prince/Daye or Carter

[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 1/30/2013 5:06p).]

Not sure what to think of this.