Grizzled Vet

I can't imagine there is a Spurs message board somewhere that is super excited to play Memphis either. What's there to say about this game besides Pop is more experienced coach, their roster is more experienced, although not a ton of playoff experience, and this would be a small disappointment to lose.

Melton's been real iffy since about the return of JJJ. Not sure if there is some reason for that or what is going on.

Just sent you a message (so check).

They can talk to agents and know pretty well who is a strong possibility.However, given the way this FO cuts ties, I'd say that if they decline, they aren't doing a two year deal, and they aren't going to wait until the deadline.

Speaking of Klay and Draymond and adding the right pieces Klay Thompson - 11th pick of draft Draymond Green - 35th pick of draft This year's MVP (likely) Nikola Jokic - 41st pick Last two year's MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo - 15th pick All-NBA, and Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard - 15th pick Without a doubt, it is better to draft in top 3-5 than in the end of the lottery, but a good organization is needed to find and develop the players they actually have access to. On last year's All-NBA team, there are certainly more top 4-5 picks, but Jokic, Leonard and Giannis aren't the only ones not drafted in top 10. Also on last year's All-NBA was Pascal Siakam (pick 27), Jimmy Butler (30), and Rudy Gobert (27). I think it is a good exercise to look back through the drafts from about 3-7 years ago and see how many lottery picks end up not working out for the teams that drafted/acquired them on draft night because I think (non top 5) first round picks are overrated. It's why it is so important for FO's, especially in a small market, to identify the guy that's the future contributor.

As J Crew said, just once The thing I don't like about the play-in game is that 1 of the #7 or #8 plays a #9 or #10 in essentially a 1 game playoff format for the 8 seed. Yes, 7 or 8 have to lose twice, and yes 9 or 10 have to lose twice, but it is a 100% guarantee that either the 7 or 8 will lose that first game, against either the 9 or 10. It isn't like 7 playing 10 having only to win 1 of 2 games, but it is, in essence a 1 game playoff for that spot. However, I understand why they don't do 7 v 10 and 8 v 9 in a format where 7 or 8 only have to win 1 game and 9 or 10 have to win two. It's a TV event, and the format guarantees that there will be exactly 3 games in the WC, and 3 games from the EC. The 7 v 10 and 8 v 9 format wouldn't have had that guarantee of exactly 6 games over 4 days.

I think this is an important reason to have this team make the playoffs. It isn't just the benefit of the players, but I would really love to see how this coaching staff could go through a 4-7 game series where adjustments are needed to survive. I'm not sure what else would prepare them like coaches going through a 7 game series.

I think Grizzlies would beat the Warriors if they played a 2nd game, but I have strong doubts they will get past Spurs, and I realize I could be 100% wrong in that. Plus this is well done.

2 part question: How does the play-in tournament end for the Grizzlies? 2nd part is there because there may be those who believe that the Grizzlies game 2 option could come down to who is actually playing. Maybe someone believes that after winning the first game, a matchup with the Lakers means a loss, but a rematch with the Warriors would end differently this time (maybe because McDermott is over his foot soreness).

The team would have been better with Bogdan, and he's the same age basically as Jonas. There is value in having quality vets with great work ethics, and the problem with having basically only young guys is that they all need to play for evaluation and development, but it is impossible. It's Ok to have the Udonis Haslem or even Solo Hill who can lead by example and not need to get minutes every game.

This is how I feel. The difference between drafting 13 or 14th is small, and the odds for the lottery balls are small either way. Yes, if given a choice between top 4 pick or quick playoff exit, I'd choose the pick, but I'd rather go with the more likely option. Be 13th or 14th in draft odds or play first round playoff series, I"m taking playoff series. These guys aren't going to understand playoff intensity by watching.

The arguments for not keeping Winslow are clear and do not need to be restated, I think the primary one is health related, followed by basketball reasons. Here are some arguments for keeping him. 1. Winslow still hasn't had an off-season or training camp where he isn't rehabbing an injury, but this should be the first one where he is able to do that. That Orlando bubble training camp was the closest to what he had. We don't know what the FO and staff saw. 2. After Thabeet, this would cement the trade as as bad of move made in Memphis as any. They gave up 3 vets who are role players on playoff teams for two guys they bought out and another that was not retained because he wasn't good. Financially, this was a horrible deal. 3. His expiring contract gives them more flexibility on the trade market and allows the FO to push the decision off one more year. This isn't 2 more years of Parsons deal looming over them. If the free agent that can be picked up in his place is another Melton or Kyle Anderson quality player, just keep Winslow and try to package him in deal or wait until next off-season instead of committing 4 years to a "nice contributor" . This team has a bunch of "B" level players. They need A/A- guys. IF they can get that with the cap space, they should do it and not retain Winslow. If they can't, the next route is through trades, and they can only benefit from his expiring, and then look at next year's FA crop.

Some good comments, and it needs to be stated again that these guys didn't have a normal off-season, and a lot about these last two seasons has been unusual. Ja hasn't had a full off-season yet. The rookies didn't get Vegas league and had a shortened camp and much fewer practices than in a regular season. Jaren and Justise haven't had an off-season to work primarily on their game. This is still a man's league, and the Grizzlies are a bunch of young men.

Revenge games for the following: Rudy Gay, Gorgui Dieng, Kyle Anderson, Taylor Jenkins, Tre Jones (for something his older brother did to him probably), and the ghosts of DeMarre Carroll, Tyler Zeller, Dante Cunningham, Pau Gasol, JaMychal Green and Quincy Pondexter).

That's if they get by the Spurs. The Spurs have played some tough teams down the stretch, but honestly the Grizzlies and Spurs probably are the 9th and 10th best teams in this conference, so I don't think this game is some fluke matchup like the Lakers being in the 7 seed, when the Lakers really are a top 3 team.