September tries its best to have us forget summer.
Bern Williams

This was supposed to be the summer of promise, the summer of redemption, the summer of renewed hope.

All those descriptions could have fit the Grizzlies this summer. With a ton of cap space, the 2nd pick in the draft and some nice names available in free agency Grizzlies fans were hoping for some true excitement to start building in town.

Instead the draft was considered a disappointment, the free agent money evaporated with the trade for an unpopular player and the only excitement being generated is still on hold as the Grizzlies wait to see if they can sign an aging, former star for a one year deal that seems to be at odds with everything the team was saying they wanted to do heading into the summer.

What happened?

It's just that the moves aren't generating excitement.

Thabeet was Tha-bust in Vegas and that really put a damper on the fans hopes with the highest draft pick in Memphis history. Zach Randolph is better known for off the court troubles than on the court success and AI is...well he's AI. AI is as divisive a figure as he is talented. This is the man who just 4 months ago said he wasn't a bench player. Thi is the man who just a few years ago thought he was too good to have to practice with his team. There is a reason that the only team to put a serious offer on the table for his services was Memphis and it isn't that the other 29 teams knew they didn't stand a chance in signing him once our offer was on the table.

So the big news the Grizzlies produced in this summer of renewed hope was perceived to be a bust of a top pick, an arrest warrant waiting to happen and an aging star no one else in the league wanted. Does that make you feel like rushing out to get tickets?

Now a lot of the depressed reaction to the news is just Memphis being Memphis. This city would complain about ice tea on a hot summer day being too brown. Memphis can find a way to be unhappy about anything but is it unreasonable this time? If someone told the general Memphis fan that come Labor Day that the Grizzlies would have drafted a defensive center, reserves for Rudy and O.J, replaced Darrell Arthur in the starting lineup with an authentic 20pts, 10 rebound a night guy and the team looked likely to sign Allen Iverson wouldn't you have believed the summer was a success? Isn't that exactly the type of summer Grizz fans have wanted?

Instead the city seems depressed for getting nearly everything they wanted.

The team was in prime position to grab the fans hearts after all. The Tigers appeared to be imploding after Calipari and his recruiting class left for Lexington plus the NCAA had lowered the boom on the team as well for an alleged (and as yet unproven) SAT scheme. The Grizzlies had an elite position to draft in, a bucket of money to spend in free agency and a talented young team that was looking to be able to make a big step forward. All the needed was a top combo type guard (and the draft had plenty of those), a starting power forward (free agency had more than a few names available) and some depth (two more picks in the top 40 of the draft). The stars were finally all aligned and the Grizzlies were going to be not onlyl the only major league franchise in Memphis but the team that Memphians would finally get behind.

That can still happen. Iverson may finally sign the Grizzlies offer sheet, Randolph may be the best PF ever to wear Memphis across his chest and the rookies could be exactly what the franchise needs for hustle and energy off the bench.

The only problem is that people don't believe it will. That means meager crowds, lethargic fans and no home court 6th man advantage like other teams have and young teams especially need. Throw on top a particularly difficult opening of the season with two 5 game West Coast road trips and the Grizzlies could be staring at an uncomfortable and unfortunate situation with the season just begun.

Will this just be another lost summer of opportunity...

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