Memphis Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon, general manager Chris Wallace announced today.

The surgery was performed Thursday by team physician Dr. Fred Azar and Dr. Drew Murphy at the Campbell Surgery Center. Arthur, a 6-9 power forward, suffered the injury Dec. 18 during practice. He will begin post-operative rehabilitation after what doctors deem an appropriate period of healing.

Arthur, 23, is expected to be ready for the 2012-13 season. He was an important member of the Grizzlies’ historic playoff run last season. Arthur averaged career highs in points (9.1), field goal percentage (.497), blocks (0.79) and minutes (20.1) in 80 games during his third NBA season.

Memphis, Tennessee – The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed center Marc Gasol to a multi-year contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

We are very happy to re-sign Marc Gasol, who has been one of the pillars of the Grizzlies franchise since his arrival and a true Memphis basketball player ever since his days at Lausanne, Wallace said. We are excited to keep him as part of our core group of players and to build on what this organization has already achieved for many years to come.

Gasol (7-1, 265) posted 15.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.15 blocks in helping lead Memphis through a 13-game run through the 2011 NBA Playoffs, which included a first-round upset of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs and a seven-game series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 26-year-old finished second in the league in rebounds per game and third in blocks per game during the postseason.

During the 2010-11 regular season, Gasol averaged 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, a career-high 2.5 assists and 1.68 blocks in 81 games (all starts). Teaming with Zach Randolph, Gasol helped Memphis pace the NBA in points in the paint (51.5) for the second consecutive season.

The Barcelona, Spain native holds career averages of 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.44 blocks in 32.7 minutes in 232 games (225 starts) over three seasons in Memphis after his draft rights (48th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft) were acquired in a package from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for older brother Pau Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008. Memphis originally signed Marc on July 9, 2008.

Memphis all-time leader in field goal percentage (.545), Gasol has led the Grizzlies in field goal accuracy and blocked shots in each of his first three NBA seasons. In addition, he already ranks in the top 10 in franchise history in blocks (335, 5th), free throws made (747, 8th), offensive rebounds (563, 8th), defensive rebounds (1,251, 8th) and total rebounds (1,814, 9th).
- Grizzlies.com –
 

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP)—Spanish center Marc Gasol announced on Twitter that he
has reached a tentative agreement to stay with the Memphis Grizzlies for a deal
reported to be worth nearly $58 million.

Gasol tweeted late Monday that he “can’t wait to get on the court with all
my teammates!”

The Memphis Grizzlies confirmed the agreement later, keeping a player
general manager Chris Wallace called one of their cornerstones.

“Marc has been a Memphis basketball player ever since his high school days
at Lausanne, and we’re excited for him to continue his blossoming career with
the Grizzlies,” Wallace said in a statement.

The Commercial Appeal newspaper reported Gasol and the Grizzlies agreed on a
four-year deal worth nearly $58 million. Gasol was a restricted free agent, and
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley had said they would match any offer for Gasol to
keep together a team that lost to Oklahoma City in seven games in the NBA
Western Conference playoff semifinals last spring.

Gasol teamed with Zach Randolph last season to help Memphis lead the NBA in
scoring in the paint at 51.5 points per game.

The 26-year-old center averaged 15 points and 11.2 rebounds in the
Grizzlies’ playoff run, an improvement from his averages of 11.7 points and 7.0,
respectively, during the regular season.

Shane Battier is taking his talents to South Beach.

The free agent forward, who helped the Memphis Grizzlies through a historic playoff run last season, used his Twitter account this morning to announce that he’ll sign with the Miami Heat.

Teams can begin to sign free agents at 1 p.m. Friday, which is also when training camps open.

“Over the last week, I’ve played out every scenario in my head over and over. It always came back to one thing for me: a winning role,” Battier wrote on Twitter. “I am appreciative of all the kind words and recruiting pitches over the last week, thank you!!”

Battier later added: “Let’s Go Heat.”

Although Griz general manager Chris Wallace said he had a good conversation earlier this week, Battier would have been stuck with little playing time behind Rudy Gay.

The Griz acquired Battier in a February trade with Houston because of Gay’s season-ending shoulder injury. Battier had spent his first five seasons in Memphis. Interestingly enough, the Griz traded Battier for the right to draft Gay in 2006.

“I had a very good conversation with Shane in terms of telling him what he meant to our franchise and our city,” Wallace said.

Per the Commercial Appeal, there appears to be common interest between free agent forward Josh McRoberts and the Memphis Grizzlies: “Josh McRoberts is on the Grizzlies’ radar — again. The 6-10 power forward/center, whom the Griz attempted to acquire in a trade with the Indiana Pacers last season, is an unrestricted free agent. Griz general manager Chris Wallace contacted McRoberts’ agent, Mike Conley Sr., last week when the NBA allowed team executives to talk with player agents. There is mutual interest, according to league sources, although no deals can be agreed upon until the collective bargaining agreement is finalized. The league’s agreement with the union is expected to be completed by Friday when training camps are scheduled to open. McRoberts, 24, is also drawing interest from the Los Angeles Lakers after having spent the past three seasons playing for the Pacers.”

Memphis, Tn – Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace and Head Coach Lionel Hollins were all smiles Thursday morning, as they met with the media for the first time since the tentative agreement was reached that would bring the NBA lockout to an end.

Hollins spoke first and talked about replacing 2 of his top assistants, how the abbreviated training camp shouldn’t be an issue, getting to work rebuilding chemistry, and re-defining roles for the upcoming season.

Chris Wallace, who was in free agency mode, says thanks to last years playoff run, the Grizzlies are being thought of in a whole new light.
 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace says re-signing center Marc Gasol is the franchise’s top priority right now as it attempts to maintain the momentum created during last season’s playoff run.

Wallace said Thursday that he has contacted Gasol’s agent Arn Tellem about securing the 7-foot center and keeping intact a nucleus that carried the Grizzlies to within one win from the Western Conference finals.

Gasol is a restricted free agent, and the Grizzlies would have a chance to match any offer Gasol receives. He averaged 11.7 points and seven rebounds per game last season and could command an annual salary of $10 million or more.

Wallace told reporters that signing Gasol is “priority number one.”

The lockout is not over, but training camps are expected to start Dec. 9.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Memphis, Tn – Across the Mid-South it’s the season of giving.

Inside FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies fed those in need.

Grizzlies’ GM Chris Wallace said, “These community efforts are more important than ever at this point and time particularly during the holiday season.”

At the Thanksgiving lunch for the Memphis Family Shelter we found a woman without a job, struggling to provide for her family. She’s thankful though that the GRIZZ care, “Struggling, but everything is turning around so were doing pretty good.”

With the Grizz Girls on hand to help out, every mouth that needed Wednesday was filled.

Down the road inside the Union Mission, it was much of the same. Volunteers were feeding the cities homeless with more than 100 turkeys smoked by Corky’s.

Ask anyone here and they’ll tell you times are tough for every one on the street. But, all are thankful that there’s someone who cares.
 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies selected Kansas guard Josh Selby with the 49th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced Thursday night.

Selby, a 6-2, 183-pound guard, posted 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 games as a freshman with the Jayhawks, earning Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors twice. The 20-year-old scored a season-high 21 points in his first appearance of the season on Dec. 18, 2010 vs. USC, converting the go-ahead three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining in Kansas’ 70-68 win.

The No. 1-ranked high school recruit by Rivals.com, Selby averaged 32 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals during the 2009-10 season for Lake Clifton High School in Baltimore. A McDonald’s All-American as a high school senior, Selby scored 13 points in the All-American Game and won the 2010 Powerade Jam Fest slam dunk contest as part of the event’s festivities.

Selby joins fellow Kansas standouts Darrell Arthur and Xavier Henry on Memphis’ roster, marking the third time in the past four drafts the Grizzlies have come away with a former Jayhawk and the second consecutive season the team has selected a Kansas freshman (Henry).
 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Dave Joerger is set to meet with the Houston Rockets next week about joining their revamped staff.

Memphis granted Houston permission Friday to talk to Joerger, who has been with the Grizzlies for four years, about being a top assistant in charge of defense under Kevin McHale.

The Rockets showed interest in Joerger a day after Grizzlies assistant coach Damon Stoudamire met with University of Memphis officials about joining the men’s basketball staff.

Memphis general manager Chris Wallace told the Commercial Appeal in a report late Saturday he hopes to keep the coaching staff together.

Joerger served as head coach of the 2006-07 NBA D-League Champion Dakota Wizards. The title was the fifth he won as a head coach, including one International Basketball Association title and three Continental Basketball Association championships.