The Memphis Grizzlies traded guard Greivis Vasquez to the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday for guard/forward Quincy Pondexter, in a move designed to boost their depth with Darrell Arthur out for the season.

Earlier in the day, the Grizzlies signed forward Dante Cunningham after the Charlotte Bobcats declined to match Memphis’ offer to the restricted free agent.

The 6-foot-6 Pondexter averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds in 33 minutes in two preseason games against Memphis. The 23-year-old averaged 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 66 games as a rookie with New Orleans last season.

The 24-year-old Cunningham played in 22 games for the Bobcats last season, averaging nine points and four rebounds on 50.8 percent shooting after a midseason trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.

 

Two make Heat roster

Mickell Gladness and Terrel Harris thought they were competing against each other for the last spot on the Miami Heat roster.

Instead, the former NBA Development League teammates both played their way onto the club.

The Heat announced Saturday that they had waived veteran guard Eddie House, meaning a pair of rookies in Gladness and Harris were on the 15-man roster to open the season and therefore earned seats on the plane to Dallas. Miami opens the season against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.

The 33-year-old House, who had left knee surgery last month and is not yet ready to play, was told of the decision Friday night by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley.

Harris shot 50 percent in Miami’s two preseason games, and now the former Oklahoma State standout gets to start his pro career in his hometown of Dallas. A 6-foot-11 center from Alabama A&M, Gladness had eight rebounds in 21 minutes during the preseason.

 

Bryant says he’s OK

ESPNLosAngeles reported that Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant went through a full Christmas Eve practice and said he was OK. But the former Lower Merion star refused to answer questions about the torn lunotriquetral ligament in his right wrist, an injury that was expected to sideline him three to four weeks.

“I’m fine,” Bryant said on the eve of his team’s season opener against the Chicago Bulls. “I’m not talking about my injury.”

Lakers coach Mike Brown said Bryant looked good in practice. He also said Josh McRoberts would start the game at power forward, with Pau Gasol moving to center during Andrew Bynum’s four-game suspension. McRoberts joins Devin Ebanks, who will start at small forward, as new opening day starters on the team.

 

Pierce a question mark

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that Paul Pierce did not participate in any of Friday’s practice session, ESPNBoston reported, and he remained “doubtful” for the season opener against the Knicks.

– Inquirer wire services

NEW ORLEANS — Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins remembers his first impression of Dante Cunningham.

It was early last season when the Portland Trail Blazers inserted Cunningham into a game against Memphis. Hollins admits to being puzzled that the then-obscure forward was on the floor.

“But he came in and gave them some energy,” Hollins said about the 6-8 Cunningham, who was later traded to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Cunningham, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet with the Grizzlies on Tuesday in the team’s effort to compensate for Darrell Arthur’s season-ending Achilles injury.

Charlotte has until Friday to match a three-year deal that will reportedly pay Cunningham $2 million this season.

Hollins is hoping the Griz can land Cunningham because of his versatility. Hollins sounded confident that Cunningham can replace Arthur as a pick-and-pop shooter and as the team’s best pick-and-roll defender in the frontcourt.

“He’s a defender. He’s a decent shooter from 18 feet,” Hollins said. “He doesn’t have Darrell’s (shooting) range or consistency yet but he’s a young player. He’ll bring energy and hustle. He’ll help you get extra possessions.”

Cunningham, 24, moved to Charlotte last February as part of a trade package for forward Gerald Wallace. Cunningham played mostly small forward for the Bobcats, averaging nine points, four rebounds and 51 percent shooting in 22 games.

Portland originally selected Cunningham 33rd overall out of Villanova in the 2009 NBA draft.

Memphis has been in hot pursuit of a power forward/center since Sunday when Arthur suffered a torn right Achilles. The Grizzlies haven’t ruled out adding another frontcourt player even if they secure Cunningham’s services.

Tip-in: Center Marc Gasol wasn’t with the team Wednesday. He was required to travel to Canada to complete an immigration process. Gasol is expected to rejoin the Grizzlies today in time for practice. Gasol, like backup center Hamed Haddadi, needs to be granted a work visa. Haddadi is said to still be in Dubai trying to complete the immigration process.

— Ronald Tillery: (901) 529-2353

FAST FACTS:

• Thousands Of Fans Watch The Tigers Take On Belmont At FedExForum
• Expectations Are High For A Winning Season
• Several Players & Coaches Are Now Tiger Fans

(Memphis 11/15/2011) Inside FedExForum, the Tigers wear throwback Memphis State uniforms in honor of the late All-American guard and legendary coach Larry Finch, but don’t let the uniforms fool you.

This is the 2011-2012 edition of the University of Memphis Basketball Team,
        
They’re the reason an announced crowd of more than 16-thousand fans either left work early or missed lunch to see the Tigers play Belmont in person.

Charles Parker says he couldn’t miss today’s game.

Parker said, “They look great. They move the ball well and play good defense. I’m real proud of them.”
         
The Tiger faithful are on their feet with high anticipation for this year’s team. It’s a team that’s now ranked number 10 in the country in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls.

Katherine Wilson says she believes this team will go higher in the polls.

Wilson said, “I think we got what it takes. All we have to do is play together and play team ball.”
        
The Tigers boast standouts with last names like Witherspoon and Barton, and others. They also have several NBA players turned fans in the stands like Grizzlies star Zach Randolph and other NBA players who are benched because of the NBA lockout.

Randolph said, “Man, these Tigers. I’ve been at their facilities everyday working out with them and practicing with them and work out with their trainer and conditioning coach. So, just spending time with them and I’m a Tiger. I’m a Tiger right now.”

The lockout also means Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has a chance to watch the Tigers and their coaching staff in action.

Hollins said, “I get to watch Josh, get to watch Damon do his thing on the bench and just see a young group of players working and coming together and doing a good job.”

Elliot Williams is a former Tiger player now with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Williams said, “You know the Tiger fans are incredible, even my one year. I know it’s always the same. It’s crazy.”
         
It’s a basketball city that’s crazy about its Tigers past, present and future and fans like Anita Ward say they’re pumped up over this team.

Ward said, “Let’s go Tigers! Go get them. I’m really excited, real excited about them.”

Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, centre, was at the centre of Memphis’ Game 1 win over the San Antonio Spurs. (Darren Abate/Associated Press)

A man who went to the Oregon home of Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph to sell marijuana said he was beaten with a pool cue in a dispute over the price of pot.

The man told sheriff’s deputies at least three men assaulted him but Randolph was not among them. No arrests have been made, and authorities said none were expected on Monday.

Police identified the victim as 26-year-old James Beasley of Portland.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Rhodes said Randolph was in his home outside Portland when the beating occurred early Saturday. Beasley was treated for head and face injuries and released from a hospital later that afternoon, when he called police, Rhodes said.

Officers served a search warrant early Sunday. They spoke with 10 people in the home at the time and recovered pool cues and blood evidence. They did not find drugs in the home.

Rhodes said the evidence “was consistent with the victim’s statement about where and how he was assaulted,” and authorities were trying to figure out who was involved in the assault.

The victim told officers that he recognized Randolph and was certain he wasn’t involved in the beating, but he didn’t know the names of the people who assaulted him. The victim said there were about 20 people at Randolph’s home at the time.

Rhodes said detectives will probably ask Beasley to pick the suspects from a line up.

Randolph has not spoken to the officers based on the advice of his lawyer, Rhodes said. He didn’t know the lawyer’s name.

Attempts to reach Randolph have been unsuccessful. Nobody answered the intercom system at his gated home in West Linn on Monday. Two sport-utility vehicles drove away, and their occupants did not stop to speak with a reporter from The Associated Press.

The Grizzlies declined to comment.

There was no listed phone number for Beasley.

Randolph averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game with Memphis last season. He was drafted in 2001 by the Portland Trail Blazers and played there six seasons before being traded to New York. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, then to Memphis in 2009.

The Grizzlies signed Randolph to a four-year contract extension in April during the first-round of the playoffs. He became only their second all-star during the 2009-10 season.

Randolph’s past troubles also have included an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants after a police officer said he smelled marijuana in Randolph’s car and a practice fight in which he broke former teammate Ruben Patterson’s eye socket.

In 2009, he was suspended for two games for punching a Phoenix Suns player.

WEST LINN, Ore. – A man who went to the Oregon home of Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph to sell marijuana said he was beaten with a pool cue in a dispute over the price of pot.

The man told sheriff’s deputies at least three men assaulted him but Randolph was not among them. No arrests have been made, and authorities said none were expected on Monday.

Police identified the victim as 26-year-old James Beasley of Portland.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Rhodes said Randolph was in his home outside Portland when the beating occurred early Saturday. Beasley was treated for head and face injuries and released from a hospital later that afternoon, when he called police, Rhodes said.

Officers served a search warrant early Sunday. They spoke with 10 people in the home at the time and recovered pool cues and blood evidence. They did not find drugs in the home.

Rhodes said the evidence “was consistent with the victim’s statement about where and how he was assaulted,” and authorities were trying to figure out who was involved in the assault.

The victim told officers that he recognized Randolph and was certain he wasn’t involved in the beating, but he didn’t know the names of the people who assaulted him. The victim said there were about 20 people at Randolph’s home at the time.

Rhodes said detectives will probably ask Beasley to pick the suspects from a line up.

Randolph has not spoken to the officers based on the advice of his lawyer, Rhodes said. He didn’t know the lawyer’s name.

Attempts to reach Randolph have been unsuccessful. Nobody answered the intercom system at his gated home in West Linn on Monday. Two sport-utility vehicles drove away, and their occupants did not stop to speak with a reporter from The Associated Press.

The Grizzlies declined to comment.

There was no listed phone number for Beasley.

Randolph averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game with Memphis last season. He was drafted in 2001 by the Portland Trail Blazers and played there six seasons before being traded to New York. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, then to Memphis in 2009.

The Grizzlies signed Randolph to a four-year contract extension in April during the first-round of the playoffs. He became only their second all-star during the 2009-10 season.

Randolph’s past troubles also have included an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants after a police officer said he smelled marijuana in Randolph’s car and a practice fight in which he broke former teammate Ruben Patterson’s eye socket.

In 2009, he was suspended for two games for punching a Phoenix Suns player.