By Josh Redetzke
redball77@yahoo.com
5/12/06
2006/07 Memphis Grizzlies Payroll: $56.4 million
2006/07 Estimated NBA Salary Cap: $52 million
Roughly: $4.4 million over cap
The Good: The leader of the Grizzlies, Pau Gasol, is finally earning his large contract. Gasol enjoyed a career year. He led the team in points (20.4), rebounds (8.9), blocks (1.9), and even assists (4.6) if you don't include Damon Stoudamire's brief stint with the team. He even made his first All-Star team this season. Gasol still has five years and just over $75 million left on his deal. With the way he has elevated his game, Memphis won't mind paying it.
Shane Battier has established himself as one of the better role players in the game. He doesn't require a lot of touches on offense and he will do a bit of everything to help the team win. Battier averaged 10.1 points per game and shot well from all over the floor. He is also an excellent defender and was second on the team in both blocks and steals. He has five years left on his deal at an average of about $6.5 million each. Battier gives the Grizzlies superior value for his contract.
Lorenzen Wright and Bobby Jackson come off the books this summer. Those two contracts will save the team about $11 million dollars in cap space.
The Bad: Eddie Jones will make $15.6 million next season. Even though that will be the final year of his contract, it is still an incredible sum for a player that averages 11.8 points and shoots 40% from the field. At least now, Jones and his expiring contract can be used as a valuable trade asset.
Brian Cardinal's contract was bad when he signed it and it still looks bad today. Cardinal barely plays and it shows in his 3.4 point and 1.5 rebound averages. However, he will be paid $5.4 to $6.75 million each of the next four seasons. Cardinal will never live up to that deal and Memphis is stuck with him for a while.
Damon Stoudamire shot less than 40% from the field this season and only played in 27 games. Mighty Mouse will make just over $4 million each of the next three years. He will have to stay on the court and raise his shooting percentage to earn that deal.
The Future: Memphis really needed to win a playoff game this season. That monkey on their back gets bigger and bigger every year they don't win one. Pau Gasol has been in the line-up for every one of their losses leading up to the franchise's 0-12 playoff record. That has to be frustrating for him.
The Grizzlies are a deep and well-coached team. Gasol is a stud, Mike Miller was named Sixth Man of the Year, and Shane Battier is a versatile role player. However, the team still has holes to fill. They need a good point guard desperately. Chucky Atkins and Bobby Jackson are no longer under contract, but they didn't distribute the ball enough anyway. Stoudamire is too old to be the answer at the point. With no cap room to spare, they will have to find a point guard through a trade. The mid-level exception won't get them enough talent to improve upon any of last year's guards.
Another area of need is in the front line to help Gasol. Rumors have the Grizzlies interested in trading for Jamaal Magloire of the Bucks. After Gasol, no one on the team averaged more than Mike Miller's 5.4 rebounds per game, so Magloire would definitely help in that area. If they can't pull off a trade with the Bucks, Memphis will look everywhere. The expiring contract of Eddie Jones should be enticing for just about any team.
Bonus Points… for having Jerry West as their general manager. You know West is getting sick and tired of all the playoff losses. He could be very busy this summer shaking things up to improve the team. It will be interesting to see what West can do.
Grade: C
