HELP US BREAK THE SICKLE CYCLE. 

Join the fight against Sickle Cell by bowling with Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and other Grizzlies players and coaches at the Third Annual Mike Conley Bowl-n-Bash on Saturday, September 18 from 1-4pm at Bartlett Lanes located at 6276 Stage Road.  

For $300 per team ($75 for individuals), bowlers will receive a team photo with Mike Conley, T-shirt and prizes. Admission to watch the bowling tournament is $5.

I'm happy for the city because, again, it's the city's team. And the city will enjoy these guys because not only are they good players, but they're really good people.
Josh Pastner, Head Coach of the Memphis Tigers

Why? I'll tell you why. Because I'm the guy who makes up the difference between what we bring in in revenue and what we put out to pay for players. And believe me, kid, that is a lot of money.
Michael Heisley, Owner of the Memphis Grizzlies

Now I know these two comments aren't comparable. I realize that by themselves the comments taken out of context should not be placed side by side. I understand the context is just as important as the individual words.

However I also realize a fundamental difference in how Josh Pastner's message is received by the city and how Michael Heisley's is.

People on the Grizzlies message board are irate over the 'unreasonable' incentives being demanded of Xavier Henry and to a lesser extend Greivis Vasquez in the contracts the rookies have been offered.

I think we can dismiss the first two as trivial. Playing in the summer league and working out with the coaches for two weeks hardly seems to taxing after all. If anything I am upset that such activities warrant additional pay at all. They are requirements not electives in my opinion.

It's the 3rd incentive I want to explore. The third incentive has three parts to it and only one of the three parts has to be fulfilled for the Grizzlies to owe the players the money. First they can be named to the All-Rookie team by the NBA. Second they can participate in the rookie-sophomore game during all-star weekend and third they can average 15 minutes in at least 70 games.

A question was raised among some of my friends the other day. It revolved around some confusing comments made by the Grizzlies brass over the last few months and what it would mean to the future.

With Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley all free agents in the summer of 2011 and O J Mayo eligible for a new contract as well, can the Grizzlies afford the future they have put into place?

I was reading over the NBA wire today and noticed a particular trend that is somewhat disturbing.

A lot of NBA players are suffering injuries at the World Championships.

Oh sure, they aren't significant injuries like breaking a bone in your foot for instance but they are examples of tired bodies giving succumbing to the pounding that happens every night.

I have a suggestion on how the NBA can help itself, help players already in the league, help future NBA players and even help colleges around the country. 

Eliminate the need for agents on rookie contracts. 

What's that you say? How can the league legislate away the need for agents in rookie contracts? Well right now you can't but it wouldn't take much to change that. Simply make a hard scale in the new CBA. No more wiggle room. No more negotiation. If you are drafted 2nd or 8th or 12th or 28th you know what you will be paid for your rookie contract.

To compensate the rookies for giving up the bonus negotiations you shorten the years guaranteed to three instead of four enabling the rookies to pursue a new contract quicker. Contracts take effect on July 1st just like the CBA.

Grizzlies owner Micheal Heisley went on the Chris Vernon Show Monday. And in his usual upfront and direct style Heisley once again gave ammunition to his detractors about his knowledge, or lack of same, about the NBA. He made a lot of great points but the overall feeling taken from the interview is that Heisley isn't in touch with what the people of Memphis feel about this team. What's worse he doesn't seem to care.

…and it’s likely not who you are thinking.

Where is the most improvement likely to be found over last season? That’s the crux of the question. For our team to improve over last season, something has to be different from last year. And there will be someone different, I predict. And it will be that player who – if we make the playoffs this year – will be the difference maker.

Let me start by telling you who it won’t be.

According to Ron Tillery of the Commercial Appeal, the great holdup between the Memphis Grizzlies and their #1 draft picks boils down to three incentives in the contract. Three little requests for performance for the players to earn 20% more than the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) says is 100% of the amount they should receive. This has created local fan angst, national media ridicule and another black eye for an owner that seems to collect black eyes as trophies.

I remember Bill Simmons once saying that Rudy Gay should pattern his game after Shawn Marion, and thusly become the "greatest garbage scorer of all time".

This isn't to say that the scoring abilities of Gay or Marion are actually garbage, but he was pointing out that Marion is a player who seems to score without ever having plays drawn up for him by capitalizing on his athleticism, defensive abilities and tenacious hustling and rebounding.

I agreed with the basic premise that Simmons proposed, which is that Rudy should have done his best to become The Matrix, Version 2.0, since Marion was always one of those players that opponents had to struggle to contain on both ends of the floor, a headache for everyone to account for but his teammates. What's interesting is that even though they are of similar heights and builds, Rudy Gay has made his living as a SF, while Marion has spent much of his career as an undersized PF.