The NBA draft does not officially take place until Thursday, but the Grizzlies might already have one lottery pick.
At least that's how Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace has characterized 7-foot-1 center Marc Gasol, who announced Monday that he intends to leave his European team and play in the NBA next season. The Grizzlies own his rights and can sign him to a new deal starting July 1.
"He was drafted 48th by the Lakers last year, but if he was in the draft this season, he'd be deep in the lottery,"
Wallace said. "He's one of the elite players in Europe."
Gasol, 23, is the younger brother of Lakers center Pau Gasol. Last year, he was one of the top players in the Spanish League, averaging 16.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for Akasvayu Girona. He should join with Darko Milicic to help shore up a thin Grizzlies frontcourt.
Gasol also gives Wallace another tangible piece to show for February's controversial trade that sent Pau Gasol from Memphis to Los Angeles in exchange for Kwame Brown, rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton, two first-round picks and the rights to Marc Gasol.
Wallace was widely criticized for the seeming giveaway during the season, but thanks to Brown's expiring deal, the Grizzlies could be some $12 million under the salary cap this summer (a few million less if they indeed sign Marc Gasol). It means Memphis could be a player in the upcoming free-agent market. It also allows the Grizzlies to make a trade that takes back more salary in return (as the Bobcats did last summer in dealing for Jason Richardson).
"We got salary-cap space. That was key part of the deal,"
Wallace said. "But we also feel we got four first-round picks back. Two haven't been exercised yet [2008, 2010]. Crittenton was a first-rounder last year. And Gasol would be this year."
"I expect criticism. I'm a big boy. It comes with the territory. We have great jobs. Sure, you hear people say things. You hear people yell at you in the parking lot. But people don't know all the details."
On Thursday night, Wallace hopes to take another step toward proving the critics wrong. The Grizzlies own the fifth and 28th picks, and they have been among the more active teams seeking a trade.
Wallace won't talk about any proposed deals, but coming off a 22-60 season, he knows he needs to give his dwindling fan base some reason for hope. It doesn't help that reserve shooting guard Juan Carlos Navarro, one of the few bright spots in 2007-08, just bolted for greener pastures (i.e, more money) in Europe. Still, Wallace said he is quite comfortable with his team's position going forward.
"We all have our reasons for what we do,"
he said about the Pau Gasol trade. "Sometimes the payoff is down the line. Over time, we'll come up with four to six players because of the picks and the room we have. It just won't happen overnight."
Wade: Hold the rumors, not the Mayo
Dwyane Wade seems just fine with rumors that the Heat might select Kansas State forward Michael Beasley at No. 2 and then trade him somewhere else for the rights to USC guard O.J. Mayo. While Beasley might be able to provide scoring and rebounding down low, Mayo offers the potential of a dynamic backcourt. Wade, who has been working out with Mayo in Chicago the past few weeks, said the 19-year-old is definitely NBA-ready.
"Mayo is a combo guard,"
Wade said. "I'm not going to say he's like me, but he can play the 1 or 2, guard bigger guys as well. One thing I did like about him besides basketball is him as a person. I think a kid who's been hyped since sixth grade might come in like he's already in the NBA. But he's a student of everybody in the gym, asking questions, trying to learn. ... I respect that about him."
As for rumors swirling around the Windy City that he might be traded to his hometown Bulls in exchange for the top pick, Wade shrugged them off.
"It's coming from the media,"
he said. "I really don't worry about it. You can't control what's being said in the world today ... especially in the NBA. ... I'm not mad, but I know where I'm at. I know I'm a Miami Heat for the next two years, and then after that we'll go further and see where I'll be and hopefully be a Heat again."
"It's only [happening because] Chicago is my home city, and everything seems perfect, like everything fits. But they didn't draft me at [No.] 5 [in 2003]. The Miami Heat did."
Rose gets Coach K's endorsement
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said he would probably take Memphis point guard Derrick Rose with the first pick in the draft. The endorsement comes despite the fact that Beasley is best friends with one of Coach K's current players, Nolan Smith. But Krzyzewski, who was in Chicago on Monday to announce the Team USA roster he will coach at the Olympics, said the chance to draft an elite point guard is just too important to pass up.
"I know Mike [Beasley] really well. He and [Nolan] are like half brothers,"
Krzyzewski said. "Mike would be great pick. But I think at end of last year, Derrick Rose was the best player in college basketball. He's got an amazing upside. He's a great kid. To me, he's like Deron Williams. He's going to be a star."
