Marc Gasol, who was 6 of 8 from the field, added 20, as the Grizzlies had six players in double figures. Randolph shot 11 of 14 and grabbed nine rebounds. Gasol and Rudy Gay, who finished with 10 points, each had eight boards as Memphis outrebounded the Rockets 42-33.

“Any time you have Randolph and Gasol go 17 of 22, you are going to have major issues,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

Randolph, who doesn’t have a reputation as a strong defender, was part of a Grizzlies front line that held Houston starters Chase Budinger, Luis Scola and Jordan Hill to a total of 17 points, 11 from Budinger.

While Randolph didn’t necessarily agree with Hollins’ assessment of the defensive effort being his best, he did acknowledge trying to concentrate more on that end of the floor.

“That’s what I’m trying to focus on, just better D, helping my guys out and being in the right position,” Randolph said, adding, “Defense wins games. I know I can score with the best of them, and rebound with the best of them. (Working) on defense there’s going to be a trickle-down effect, and everybody gets to playing defense and moving their feet and helping each other out.”

Jeremy Pargo, starting in place of injured Memphis point guard Mike Conley, finished with 14 points, while Quincy Pondexter, picked up in a preseason trade with New Orleans, had 13.

Kevin Martin led the Rockets with 21 points, while Kyle Lowry had 15 points and eight assists. Rookie Chandler Parsons scored 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, all in the fourth quarter.

Memphis shot 56 percent and forced 20 Houston turnovers. The Grizzlies put away the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Rockets 31-16.

The victory was another step in Memphis establishing its identity as an inside force that carried the Grizzlies to the semifinals of last season’s Western Conference playoffs.

“Defensively and offensively, we can get a lot better,” Gasol said, “but this is more who we are. You saw some things last game (Wednesday’s 98-95 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder) and today for longer periods, we played better.”

Memphis opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run for a double-digit lead and eventually carried a 57-51 lead into the locker room, shooting 56 percent.

Randolph had 15 in the half, while Gasol scored 13. Martin had 19 points at the break for the Rockets and Lowry contributed 13, going a combined 10 of 16 from the field.

“We started off the game, and (Randolph) made some shot that we didn’t want him to take, those long jump shots, and he just got on a roll,” McHale said. “We couldn’t stop him.”

Memphis extended its lead by opening the second half with an 18-7 run, claiming a 75-58 margin just past the midway point of the third period.

By Tom Ziller

– NBA Editor

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Dec 29, 2011 – With Russell Westbrook shooting 0-13 and staring big men Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka combining to shoot 4-14, the Oklahoma City Thunder needed Kevin Durant to do big things. The two-time scoring champ complied, racking up 32 points on 10-17 shooting (2-5 on threes, 10-11 on free throws) as the Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies 98-95.

James Harden pumped in 20 off the bench on 5-11 shooting (3-7 on threes). Only Perkins joined Durant and Harden in double figures.

In the aggregate, Memphis shot even worse than Oklahoma City, and stayed in the game thanks to a dearth of turnovers and a monster night on the offensive glass from the starting frontline. The Grizzlies had 19 offensive boards in 48 opportunities. Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph each finished with 12 rebounds; Z-Bo led the unit in scoring with 24, but shot just 7-20. He was 9-12 from the line.

There are two larger storylines emerging from the game: a reported verbal altercation between Westbrook and Durant over the point guard’s displeasure with Thabo Sefolosha passing up an open shot, and a very early ankle injury to Memphis point guard Mike Conley. Conley left the game 30 seconds in and didn’t return.

For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Grizz, visit Straight Outta Vancouver.

Read More: Kendrick Perkins (C – OKC), Rudy Gay (F – MEM), Zach Randolph (F – MEM), Marc Gasol (C – MEM), Kevin Durant (F – OKC), Mike Conley (G – MEM), Russell Westbrook (G – OKC), Serge Ibaka (F – OKC), James Harden (G – OKC), Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies, Dec 28, 2011 8:00 PM EST

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It was another night, another win for the red hot Oklahoma City Thunder. In their third game of the 2010-11 season, Oklahoma City took on the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that they faced in the 2010-11 playoffs. Just as in the playoffs, the Grizzlies were tenacious, keeping the game close until the final buzzer.

Kendrick Perkins, Oklahoma City Thunder
Wikimedia Commons

Once again, the Oklahoma City Thunder can look to their big center Kendrick Perkins for his late game clutch performance. Perkins, brought into Oklahoma City to defend against the bigger men that always gave the Thunder problems, kept Zach Randolph under control in the paint. As a matter of fact, when Randolph hit a big basket in the final seconds of the game, it was a 3-pointer, safely away from Perkins.

That 3-pointer could have won the game for the Grizzlies if Russell Westbrook had not just hit two important free throws to put the Thunder up by four. The shot brought the game back within one point, 96-95, with 1.8 seconds remaining. Kevin Durant hit the final two free throws to put Oklahoma City up by three with the final score of the game, 98-95.

The Thunder were lucky to win this one. Oklahoma City only hit 37.7-percent of their shots from the field and their usual clutch free throw shooting was a low 78.9-percent. Westbrook, who hit the important free throws that kept the Randolph three from beating them, only scored four points in the entire game, all on free throws. Westbrook finished the game shooting 0-of-13 from the field.

Luckily, Perkins was there to help defend in the paint. Perkins finished with ten points in the game, along with four rebounds, but held Randolph to a 7-of-20 night from the field. The Grizzlies shot as poorly as the Thunder, hitting only 39.1-percent from the field. Randolph hit a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Marc Gasol also scored a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, although a technical on him at the end helped the Thunder pull ahead. A third double-double for the Grizzlies came from Rudy Gay, with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

James Harden continues to be gold from the bench for Oklahoma City, scoring 20 points with seven rebounds in the game. Durant finished with 32 points, his third consecutive 30-point game of the season.

Next up for Oklahoma City are the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, who have not won a game yet in the 2010-11 season.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.

Source: NBA.COM

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

One just has to look back to early May 2011 to see how deep the rivalry goes between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies. The Western Conference semifinals went seven games with the Thunder advancing past the surprise eighth seed. The Grizzlies defeated the top team in the NBA when they outlasted the San Antonio Spurs in last season’s playoffs.

OKC comes into the game Dec. 28 undefeated at 2-0 after wins over the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder are the best team in the NBA on the young yet delayed season.

Memphis lost its first game of the season in a revenge match with the Spurs. Tim Duncan and company won by a score of 95-82 on Dec. 26. Memphis hasn’t won an opening day game since 2001.

The playoff series last year was one of the best in NBA history. The Grizzlies had just upset the top seed in the Western Conference. Memphis won the first game 114-101 before OKC came back. Game 4 was a triple overtime thriller 133-123. Oklahoma City eventually won Game 7 by 15 points to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Kevin Durant was unstoppable in the series. Russell Westbrook had a triple-double in the final game. Bench players like Serge Ibaka and James Harden stepped up big to help win the day.

The shortened NBA season would seem to favor younger NBA teams in better shape. The Thunder have certainly proven they are one of the best teams in the Western Conference with their young guns. Memphis will rely on cagey veterans Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.

A win against Memphis will propel OKC to a third straight victory to open the season. The Thunder last started a season with three wins way back in 2002 as the Seattle Supersonics. That team began the year 4-0. The Thunder are off to their best start in 10 seasons.

The key to the game will be players off the bench. Oklahoma City has to control the ball better and cut down on turnovers if they are going to keep winning. Memphis will have to win to avoid going in the hole 0-2.

William Browning is a fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder ever since the team relocated from Seattle. As the closest NBA team to Branson, Mo., the Thunder serve as the regional team for southwest Missouri.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Desiring a backup point guard with NBA experience, the New Orleans Hornets traded second-year small forward Quincy Pondexter to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday for guard Greivis Vasquez. Vasquez, 6 feet 6, 211 pounds, can play both guard positions and averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 assists last season as a rookie with the Grizzlies.

Vasquez was a first-round pick by the Grizzlies in 2010, becoming the first Venezuelan-born player to be drafted and only the third Venezuelan to play in the league.

The Hornets have no player on their roster who was drafted by the franchise. Pondexter, 6-6, 225, was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 26th overall pick in the 2010 draft then traded to the Hornets on draft night.

Pondexter played in 66 games last season with six starts. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds.

Veteran center Emeka Okafor is the only remaining player on the Hornets’ roster not acquired by General Manager Dell Demps, who was hired by the Hornets in July 2010.

“We feel this is a trade that benefits both teams,’’ Demps said in a statement. “We will miss Quincy, and we thank him for his efforts, professionalism and work ethic. We are excited to add Greivis Vasquez to our team, organization and community. Greivis is an exciting big guard that plays with a passion that we hope will thrill our fans at the Hive.”

Demps had been in discussions with the Grizzlies the past few days and said he was trying to acquire a proven backup guard. Jarrett Jack moved into a starting role after Chris Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Staff writer Jimmy Smith contributed to this report. 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Marc Gasol thought about possibly playing for another team. In the end, he decided to stick with the Memphis Grizzlies for a few more years.

“I didn’t see myself other than with this team, whether it was going to be for the long term or one year,” Gasol said Wednesday after signing his contract extension.

“I definitely thought I would be here this year.”

Gasol was the subject of a lot of conjecture on whether he would return on a long-term basis or play out the final year of his contract with the Grizzlies and become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Memphis officials had vowed all along to match any contract offer from another team.

Now that the 7-foot-1 center is back, the Grizzlies keep intact the core of a team that made the Western Conference semifinals last spring.

Terms of the contract were not announced during Wednesday’s press conference, but The Commercial Appeal reports the deal is for four years and almost $58 million. Gasol, a native of Barcelona, Spain, announced the tentative agreement on Twitter on Monday night.

Gasol was the final lingering piece for the Grizzlies, who are coming off their best season in franchise history. Memphis, which had never even won a playoff game before last season, defeated the Western Conference’s top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the opening round, then went to a deciding seventh game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With Gasol’s signing, the Grizzlies now have starters Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley under long-term deals.

The Grizzlies had emphasized the signing of Gasol was the priority before the season, and other players referenced the importance of having him back at the opening of camp. Randolph even reminded people that when he signed last spring, part of his deal included a promise that Gasol would be re-signed.

“In the short three years here, Marc has advanced through the ranks and become one of the top centers, not just the top young centers, but the top centers overall in the NBA,” general manager Chris Wallace said.

Gasol enters his fourth year averaging 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and a career-high 2.5 assists and 1.68 blocks in the regular season last year. But he averaged 15.0 points and 11.2 rebounds in the postseason. He said the process dragged through the lockout because teams could not work on contracts. He said it seemed to move faster once the labor agreement was settled.

“(I) just let the guys who handle the business do it,” Gasol said of the negotiations. “I play basketball. That’s what I do. I don’t negotiate contracts. I just focus and do my job on the basketball court.”

Notes: The Grizzlies waived Ish Smith, who played in 43 games combined with Memphis and Houston last season as a rookie.

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

Memphis, Tn – Following the most successful season in franchise history, the Memphis Grizzlies will tip-off their 11th season in Memphis (17th overall) with two rematches against Western Conference Playoff opponents. Fans who believed in the Grizzlies during last season’s NBA Playoffs can relive the team’s first-round upset of the San Antonio Spurs and the thrilling, seven-game semifinals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Memphis will open it’s 66-game regular season in San Antonio on Monday, Dec. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (all times Central) at the AT&T Center, followed the home opener against Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. at FedExForum.

Memphis will be featured on national television a franchise-record 10 times this season (three on ESPN, two on TNT, five on NBA TV), including the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Game against the Chicago Bulls on ESPN on Monday, Jan. 16 at Noon at FedExForum. The Grizzlies also are slated for nationally-televised home tilts with the New York Knicks on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. on TNT and the Utah Jazz on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Starting with the home opener versus Oklahoma City, Memphis will play seven of its first 12 contests at FedExForum, including a four-game home stand (Jan. 10-16) which will feature the return of the Thunder on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the New York Knicks’ only visit to the Bluff City on Thursday, Jan. 12 and the MLK Jr. Day Game on Jan. 16 against Chicago. This marks the second consecutive year and third in the past five that Memphis will host Chicago in the MLK Jr. Day Game.

The Grizzlies will welcome the reigning NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks to Memphis twice this season, on Wednesday, Feb. 29 and then on Saturday, April 7. FedExForum will also host several other marquee matchups throughout the season, including when the Los Angeles Lakers (March 13) and the Los Angeles Clippers (April 9) make their only visits to Memphis. The Grizzlies will close out the regular season with a Fan Appreciation Night home finale versus the Orlando Magic on Thursday, April 26.

The Grizzlies will also play host to two back-to-back home series this season. The first will feature two Western Conference Playoff teams from last year, the Spurs (Jan. 30) and Denver Nuggets (Jan. 31). The second will include the return of the Nuggets (Feb. 17) and the Golden State Warriors (Feb. 18). In their only back-to-back-to-back series this season, the Grizzlies will travel to take on Oklahoma City (April 2), return home to play Golden State (April 3) and hit the road again to face Dallas (April 4).

Overall, the Grizzlies will play 13 of their 33 home games on weekends – including seven games on Saturday, four on Friday and two on Sunday – and have 20 back-to-back sets, one shy of last season’s total. Memphis will enjoy a season-long five-game home stand from Feb. 6-14 (the club’s longest since Dec. 12-22, 2008) and will play a season-high four consecutive road games twice in the upcoming season (Jan. 23-28, March 20-25).

The 2011-12 regular season local broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.
 

The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to open the regular season Dec. 26 on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, according to a draft of the team’s 66-game schedule obtained by The Commercial Appeal.

Memphis’ home opener would be Dec. 28 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The league will officially announce the schedule Tuesday night on NBATV.

But don’t expect to see LeBron James and the Miami Heat or Kevin Garnett’s Boston Celtics in FedExForum this season. According to the draft, the Griz would only play Boston (Feb. 5) and Miami (April 6) on the road. Memphis has three games against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers with only one meeting scheduled for FedExForum, on March 13.

The Griz will play 48 games against Western Conference foes and 18 against Eastern Conference opponents.

Although the Griz will play each East team at least once, they are expected to see Detroit, Toronto and Chicago twice.

Chicago will visit Jan. 16 for a noon tip-off in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game. The Griz will also host Orlando (Jan. 1) and New York (Jan. 12).

The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks’ first visit to FedExForum will be Feb. 29.

Memphis has three separate four-game road trips. The team’s longest home stand is five games from March 6-14. The Grizzlies’ are set to end the regular season April 26 at Toronto.

MANILA, Philippines – The Memphis City council is exploring the option of suing the National Basketball Association (NBA) for lost revenue because of the ongoing lockout.

Memphis approved a resolution to look into the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the NBA over lost revenue used to pay the bonds issued to build the home arena of the Memphis Grizzlies, the FedEx Forum.

According to Yahoo! Sports Kelly Dwyer, “The Memphis Grizzlies needed city bonds to help put together their home at the FedEx Forum, and the city’s taxpayers stand to foot a hefty bill if game revenue isn’t achieved this season.”

Lauren Lee of MyFox Memphis says that according to early estimates, taxpayers may have to pay up to $18-million in bond payments should the entire regular season be canceled.

NBA Commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the 2011-2012 regular season earlier this month when an agreement could not be reached with the players’ union regarding a new collective bargaining agreement.

Memphis appears to be the first city with an NBA team to consider a lawsuit.

The Grizzlies made the playoffs for the first time in five years in the 2010-2011 season, where they upset the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.

It was only the fourth time in NBA history that the number 8 seed triumphed over the number 1 seed, and only the second time in a best-of-seven series.

The Grizzlies eventually fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games during the Western Conference semi-finals. – With a report from ANC

Read More: Rudy Gay (F – MEM), Nick Young (F – WAS), John Wall (G – WAS), Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies

After seven months of shoulder rehabilitation, Memphis Grizzlies forward and Baltimore native Rudy Gay is set to return to the court this Sunday, Oct. 9, when the D.C.-based Goodman League takes on the Los Angeles-based Drew League, reports Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Gay has signed on to join a Goodman squad which includes Washington Wizards cornerstone John Wall, two-time scoring champion Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, DeMarcus Cousins, Donte Greene, and Grizzlies teammate Sam Young.

Goodman defeated Drew, 135-134, in an August contest–which Gay attended–at D.C.’s Trinity University. The rematch, this time located at Long Beach State University, promises to be exciting.

Marcus Banks, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Ryan Hollins, Brandon Jennings, Craig Smith, Derrick Williams, Dorell Wright, and Wizards guard Nick Young represent Drew League. That pits two pairs of teammates against one another: in addition to Wall and Young, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Durant and Harden will do battle.

According to Lee, the Goodman trio of Durant, Gay, and Wall will play a different exhibition in South Beach, FL the day before their rematch with Drew.

This is the third part of a series breaking down the Lakers’ potentially troublesome Western Conference opponents.

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Lakers’ record versus Memphis last season: 2-2 in regular season

How Grizzlies fared last season: Lost in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Western Conference semifinals

Why Memphis is a threat to the Lakers: For the same reason that Lakers forward Pau Gasol didn’t want to face the Grizzlies last season in the first round of the playoffs. Playing against  his brother, Marc, often peaks his interest, but it sometimes throws Pau out of his element. Mike Conley, who has organized offseason team workouts, has given Derek Fisher and the rest of the Lakers defense fits with his quickness. Ron Artest has proved inconsistent in stopping Rudy Gay. Tony Allen and Shane Battier have a strong track record in minimizing Kobe Bryant’s dominance. The matchup between Lamar Odom and Zach Randolph has proved to be a draw.

More importantly, the Grizzlies have momentum after winning their first playoff game last season in franchise history. Accounts suggest they’ll keep the core roster. They have renewed confidence. Gay will become more healthy. And the city cares more about the team.

Why the Lakers are a threat to Memphis:  Trading Pau to the Lakers in 2008 may have paved the way in assembling a roster that carried them through the Western Conference semifinals with Marc, Randolph, Conley, Battier, Allen, Gay and O.J. Mayo, but it’s debatable how much that could sustain. The stars didn’t necessarily align for Memphis’ playoff run. But there’s a compelling case, as argued by the Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Geoff Calkins, that the Grizzlies’ playoff run could be sapped because of the current NBA lockout.

Verdict: Memphis’ wins last season against the Lakers happened when they weren’t taking the regular season seriously. This season, the Lakers won’t be as worn down.

RELATED:

Pau Gasol trade to Lakers spurred Grizzlies’ current playoff success

Lakers informal poll reveals their belief Portland and Memphis would give them biggest challenge in first round

Lakers will rebound against Dallas Mavericks next season

–Mark Medina

Email the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com

Photo credit: Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

On Sunday night, we noted reports that Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph allegedly hosted a party at his Oregon home that ended with a marijuana dealer being hospitalized after he was beaten with pool cues by Randolph’s friends.

While Randolph is still not a suspect in the assault, the picture just gets uglier and uglier as details continue to emerge in the case and.

KGW.com reports that the admitted marijuana dealer, James Beasley, says Randolph personally took the marijuana from him prior to the alleged beating that left him bloodied. Why? Because Randolph allegedly didn’t want to pay $200.

“[Randolph] got upset about the price. He thought the price was too high,” Beasley explained. “He snatched the weed out of my hands, like, aggressively, he snatched it like basically saying, ‘I’m taking your weed.’”

4-7 people — but not Randolph — then allegedly participated in the beating.

“My face was covered up in blood, my clothes were covered in blood,” Beasley told the television station. “They hit me upside the head. Split my eye open with a pool stick.”

Beasley’s brother, Robert, told KGW that Randolph allowed the beating to commence without intervening.

“I am very, very disappointed,” said Robert. “Zach was there and should have stopped it. He could have stopped it.’”

“They beat him up and left him out there,” Robert told KOINLocal6.com. “They robbed my brother. They basically beat him, bust him in his head with a pool stick and left him on a dark road by himself for dead.”

KOIN also reported that the family claims the beating left Beasley with “a concussion, stitches and brain swelling.”

Beasley’s mother, Shikego, told the station that her son had a long-standing relationship with Randolph.
“It’s not like he was your groupie, Zach,” she said. “You’ve been knowing my child. You’ve been partying with my child.”

Cbssports.com for more

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies 2011 preseason schedule, released Thursday by the NBA, is highlighted by a nationally televised matchup with the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, which tips off TNT’s coverage of the 2011 preseason on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies will open the 2011 preseason on the road against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 9 before hosting the Charlotte Bobcats on Oct. 11 to tip-off a four-game homestand at FedExForum. The homestand, which accounts for all four of the Grizzlies preseason home games, also features contests against the Milwaukee Bucks (Oct. 13), Golden State Warriors (Oct. 15) and the Heat (Oct. 20).

Memphis will close its eight-game preseason slate on the road against the Washington Wizards (Oct. 22), Indiana Pacers (Oct. 25) and Bobcats (Oct. 27) in preparation for the teams Nov. 2 regular season opener at the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Grizzlies enter the 2011 exhibition slate with a nine-game preseason winning streak following a perfect 8-0 mark in 2010. The Grizzlies preseason success foreshadowed a memorable 2010-11 campaign that saw Memphis return to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and secure a first-round upset over the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a thrilling seven-game series.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 2011 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
(All times Central)
Sun., Oct. 9 at Orlando Amway Center 5 p.m.
Tues., Oct. 11 vs. Charlotte FedExForum 7 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 13 vs. Milwaukee FedExForum 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 15 vs. Golden State FedExForum 7 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 20 vs. Miami FedExForum 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 22 at Washington TBD TBD
Tues., Oct. 25 at Indiana Conseco Fieldhouse 6 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 27 at Charlotte Time Warner Cable Arena 9:30 a.m.
 

By Bob Finnan
RFinnan@News-Herald.com

Rumors have been swirling that the Cavaliers are interested in trading for Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay.

Those rumors can stop swirling.

Yes, the Cavs have a $14.6 million trade exception at their disposal. No, they don’t appear to be interested in the 6-foot-8, 230-pound Gay.

Gay, 24, averaged 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 54 games this year for the Grizzlies. But it wasn’t until Gay underwent season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder subluxation that the Grizzlies meshed and took off in the playoffs.

They lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The website DraftExpress reported that the Cavs offered their No. 4 overall pick to the Grizzlies for Gay, and Memphis said no thanks. The Cavs were going to use their trade exception to fit him into their salary cap.

A league source said the report wasn’t true.

From afar, one can see why the Cavs might be interested in his services. The Cavs don’t have a starting-quality small forward on their roster.

The fifth-year forward from UConn might be paid like a superstar, but he has never been an All-Star or appeared in a playoff game.

Gay has roughly $69 million remaining on his contract, including $15 million in 2011-12, $16.5 million in 2012-13, $17.9 million in 2013-14 and $19.3 million in 2014-15. Continued…

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Gay isn’t going anywhere.

“Would you please make it clear that we’re not trading Rudy Gay?” he said. “(The rumors), quite frankly, (tick) me off. I think it’s cruel to the guy. He ‘died’ during this period. That’s how much he wanted to play. And to now have to hear that we’re trading him? There’s nothing more untrue than that.”

In other news, Cavs guard Daniel Gibson was married to singer Keyshia Cole recently. Over the weekend, Gibson tweeted: “It’s OFFICIAL!!!!! #Done & #TrulyBlessed.. Mr. & Mrs. Gibson. We appreciate all the Well Wishes!” Gibson also posted wedding photos on his Twitter account Monday evening.

By Bob Finnan
RFinnan@News-Herald.com

Rumors have been swirling that the Cavaliers are interested in trading for Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay.

Those rumors can stop swirling.

Yes, the Cavs have a $14.6 million trade exception at their disposal. No, they don’t appear to be interested in the 6-foot-8, 230-pound Gay.

Gay, 24, averaged 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 54 games this year for the Grizzlies. But it wasn’t until Gay underwent season-ending surgery to repair a left shoulder subluxation that the Grizzlies meshed and took off in the playoffs.

They lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The website DraftExpress reported that the Cavs offered their No. 4 overall pick to the Grizzlies for Gay, and Memphis said no thanks. The Cavs were going to use their trade exception to fit him into their salary cap.

A league source said the report wasn’t true.

From afar, one can see why the Cavs might be interested in his services. The Cavs don’t have a starting-quality small forward on their roster.

The fifth-year forward from UConn might be paid like a superstar, but he has never been an All-Star or appeared in a playoff game.

Gay has roughly $69 million remaining on his contract, including $15 million in 2011-12, $16.5 million in 2012-13, $17.9 million in 2013-14 and $19.3 million in 2014-15.

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Gay isn’t going anywhere.

“Would you please make it clear that we’re not trading Rudy Gay?” he said. “(The rumors), quite frankly, (tick) me off. I think it’s cruel to the guy. He ‘died’ during this period. That’s how much he wanted to play. And to now have to hear that we’re trading him? There’s nothing more untrue than that.”

In other news, Cavs guard Daniel Gibson was married to singer Keyshia Cole recently. Over the weekend, Gibson tweeted: “It’s OFFICIAL!!!!! #Done & #TrulyBlessed.. Mr. & Mrs. Gibson. We appreciate all the Well Wishes!” Gibson also posted wedding photos on his Twitter account Monday evening.