The Memphis Grizzlies look to be one of the most improved teams of 2007-2008. With Pau Gasol completely healthy at the start of the season, the additions of several young rising stars and the continued development of other young prospects, things are looking up for the Grizzlies. Gasol should enjoy the company of new point guards, Mike Conley Jr. and best friend Juan Carlos Navarro. Both should help Gasol get easier looks and with Kevin Garnett headed East and Elton Brand out for several months, look for Gasol to return to next season's All Star game.
There has been so much talk about the addition of Conley and what that will mean for Gasol. Yet, Rudy Gay might be the biggest winner in all of this. His athleticism and work ethic make him a prime candidate for the league's Most Improved Player award. Memphis appears to have more pieces in place than they did last season, from healthy point guards who can run the offense, athletic wings to finish plays, prolific sharp shooters in Mike Miller and Casey Jacobsen, and an athletic young shot blocker in Darko Milicic. If anything, they'll be lots more fun to watch.
All of a sudden, Memphis is a deep team. Aside from the players listed below in the depth chart, the Grizzlies also still have point guard Kyle Lowry, who has shown his worth, and forward Brian Cardinal, who's a capable scorer if he can ever regain his health.
Statistics Projections/Depth Chart
- Center: Darko Milicic 7.3 ppg, 5.9 rbpg, 2.1 bspg (back up: Stromile Swift)
- Power Forward: Pau Gasol 21.4 ppg, 9.6 rbpg, 3.8 apg (back up: Hakim Warrick)
- Small Forward: Mike Miller 15.5 ppg, 5.1 rbpg, 3.9 apg (back up: Casey Jacobsen)
- Point Guard: Mike Conley Jr. 10.2 ppg, 7.3 apg (back up: Juan Carlos Navarro)
- Shooting Guard: Rudy Gay 14.1 ppg, 5.5 rbpg (back up: Tarence Kinsey)
Key Losses
Some of the bigger losses include Eddie Jones, Chucky Atkins and Jake Tsakalidis. Also, the Grizzlies are rumored to be looking to buy out Damon Stoudamire's contract.
Key Additions
The additions to the Grizzlies' roster have more than compensated for the team's losses. Drafting Mike Conley Jr. was a smart move, and signing Juan Carlos Navarro was an even smarter move. Pau Gasol was looking for a trade last season. Trading for the rights to Navarro, who is Gasol's teammate and best friend for Spain's Olympics and World Games team, will help ensure Gasol stays in Memphis. In addition, adding Darko Milicic and Casey Jacobsen helps the team out in spots they badly needed. Don't discount the signing of forward Andre Brown either. He quietly had a solid season for the Seattle Supersonics. He's a hard nosed work horse who plays smart and should fill out their bench nicely.
Team Rumors
The only rumor of any significance is that they're looking to buy out Damon Stoudamire's contract.
Prediction
The Grizzlies will be on of the most improved teams in 2007-2008, though they'll still miss the playoffs. Look for them to win 16 more games than they did last season, finishing with a 38-44 record. Pau Gasol will be an All Star again and the Grizzlies will be one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA.
Fantasy Spin
Expect a big season from Pau Gasol. He's healthy and he has better players around him, including his best friend Juan Carlos Navarro. Also, he'll be getting nice passes from Mike Conley Jr., which should make things easier for him.
Wait and see what Darko Milicic does. There will be a tendancy to snag him in the draft, but he's battling more players for minutes and he hasn't shown much to warrant wasting a draft pick.
Rudy Gay should put up better numbers this year, so don't send him off your radar. Also, Mike Miller should be solid this season, but won't be as great as he was last season in terms of stats, because Gasol will be healthy and he won't be the main guy anymore.
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