Category: Memphis Grizzlies Blog

Zach Randolph still may look like a 14-year-old kid when you look at his face from certain angles, but the big veteran power forward has game, and the Grizzlies hope to keep him around. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

The Memphis Grizzlies are hopeful of coming to terms on a contract extension with former All-Star forward Zach Randolph before free agency starts July 1, according to sources close to the situation.

Randolph must decide by June 30 whether to opt out of the final season of his contract, which is valued at $16.5 million, but sources told ESPN.com that the Grizzlies are working to hammer out the specifics of an extension with Randolph before the 32-year-old is exposed to other potential bidders.

If the Grizzlies are intent on lowering Randolph’s salary starting next season, such a deal would have to wait until after July 1 to be completed and require Randolph to opt out, become a free agent and sign a new long-term deal at a reduced rate. If the Grizzlies are prepared to wait until the 2015-16 season for Randolph’s salary to be reduced, they could extend him for up to three years at lowered terms after he opts in for 2014-15 at the $16.5 million.

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Memphis Grizzlies leadership circus:

One of the prime options under consideration by the Memphis Grizzlies in the wake of last week’s management shakeup and the looming departure of Dave Joerger to the Minnesota Timberwolves is making a run at Jeff Van Gundy to be their coach and run their front office, according to NBA coaching sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Grizzlies have serious interest in trying to convince Van Gundy to serve as coach and team president in a job structure modeled after the new dual role brother Stan Van Gundy has secured with the Detroit Pistons.

Jeff Van Gundy’s interest in that sort of undertaking or the Grizzlies specifically in the wake of all their recent turmoil is unclear, with the former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach and current ESPN analyst consistent in his reluctance to publicly discuss job openings.

One meeting down, one to go for Memphis coach Dave Joerger and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Joerger met with Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders about Minnesota’s coaching vacancy on Thursday and is scheduled to meet with owner Glen Taylor at some point this weekend, a person with knowledge of the process told The Associated Press.

If Joerger makes a good impression with Taylor and the Timberwolves and Grizzlies can come to some sort of agreement on compensation for to get him out of his contract, all signs point to Joerger replacing the retired Rick Adelman back in his home state. The 40-year-old Joerger grew up in Staples, about 150 miles northeast of Minneapolis, and played collegiately at Division-II Minnesota State, Moorhead.

— Associated Press

The Memphis Grizzlies have issued the following statement today on the passing of former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley:

“This is a sad day as the entire Grizzlies’ organization, the extended NBA family and the city of Memphis mourn the loss of former Grizzlies owner, Michael Heisley. We send our condolences to the entire Heisley family and want them to know they remain in our thoughts,” said Memphis Grizzlies’ Controlling Owner Robert Pera.

The Grizzlies were purchased by Mr. Heisley in 2000 when the team was located in Vancouver, Canada. Mr. Heisley was instrumental relocating the Grizzlies to Memphis, Tennessee, and to FedExForum, a state-of-the art NBA arena built by the City of Memphis and Shelby County.

Mr. Heisley was also instrumental in getting the Grizzlies active in the community, supporting the National Civil Rights Museum in establishing the annual MLK Day Celebration game, helping form the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and building relationships with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital including helping to build the Memphis Grizzlies House, a temporary on-campus residence for families with children being treated at the hospital. Mr. Heisley expressed his continued support for the Grizzlies and the Memphis community after his sale of the team to Robert Pera in 2012, saying, “I have enjoyed my ownership of the Grizzlies and the support for professional basketball in Memphis. I am confident that the franchise will continue its development toward being a perennial championship contender and an important member of the Memphis community.”

The Grizzlies will announce plans to honor Mr. Heisley at a later date.

Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies is the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2013-14 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, the NBA announced today. Conley becomes the first Grizzlies player to receive the honor.

Conley (Southwest) was one of six divisional winners, which included Boston’s Jeff Green (Atlantic), Chicago’s Mike Dunleavy (Central), Phoenix’s Channing Frye (Pacific), Portland’s Damian Lillard (Northwest) and Washington’s Bradley Beal (Southeast).

Conley received 77 first-place votes (of a possible 334) and 2,335 total points overall. The NBA will make a $10,000 donation on behalf of Conley to his charity of choice, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, specifically for research pertaining to sickle cell anemia.

For the 10th consecutive year, NBA players voted on this award, with eleven points given for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for third, five points for fourth, three points for fifth and one point for each sixth-place vote received. Each team nominated one of its players for the award. Former NBA players John Crotty, Antonio Davis, Eddie Johnson, Jalen Rose, and Isiah Thomas selected the six divisional winners from a pool of 30 team nominees.

The NBA will make a $5,000 donation to each of the divisional winner’s charities of choice: a split donation between Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington for Beal; Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer for Dunleavy ; the Frye Family Foundation on behalf of Frye; the Cleveland Clinic Foundation on behalf of Green; a split donation between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Oregon/Southwestern Washington affiliates of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for Lillard.

The annual award reflects the ideals of sportsmanship — ethical behavior, fair play and integrity — in amateur and professional basketball, a key focus of the league’s NBA Cares program efforts. The trophy is named for former Detroit Pistons guard and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, the award’s first recipient.