Memphis Grizzlies: Playing Poker at the 2nd Table

The Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace and JaMychal Green are playing big time poker just out of the main spotlight of media attention.

Some fans are upset about Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and likely Tony Allen leaving the Memphis Grizzlies.

I’ll admit I’m sad (and will be sadder when Sacramento comes to FedEx Forum this season), but these are the types of things that happen in NBA basketball.

I didn’t want the team to make this move. I’m going to miss Z-Bo and Tony and even Vince wearing Memphis on the front of their jerseys next season, but I understand the reason for the moves. These players, while great legends in Memphis, weren’t moving the team ahead in the future.

The Grizzlies are building for the future behind their stars Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. It had to be done. It was never going to be easy, but that’s why the Grizzlies front office gets paid. They must make these tough decisions.

It’s not like the Grizzlies haven’t been active this summer either. They signed Ben McLemore, who was a former lottery pick just a few years ago. They traded into a loaded draft to find two talented players in Ivan Rabb and Dillon Brooks. Former Memphis Tiger Tyreke Evans is back in Memphis on very friendly one-year deal. The Grizz even brought back an old face in Mario Chalmers to calm people’s nerves.

The Grizzlies aren’t done making moves though. There’s the matter of their 26-year-old starting power forward.

The Ongoing Poker Game between Green and Front Office

The Memphis Grizzlies offered JaMychal Green offered a qualifying offer of a reported $2.82 million for next season. Green now can go out and find a better deal. If he receives the payday, the Grizzlies can either let him walk (with little chance of any compensation) or match the offer.

Many Memphis fans want the Grizzlies to increase their ante and offer Green a contract before he receives a maximum offer from another team. I understand their anxiousness about the situation, but people must understand that this part of the General Manager’s job is as much about poker as it is basketball.

This is about not showing your cards too soon. Wallace is playing the cards very close to his vest. Granted, this isn’t playing at the high-stakes table type poker. They aren’t trying to outfox a team to acquire Gordon Hayward after all. It’s still poker and money! Any move could affect the team one way or another for several years.

GM Chris Wallace could’ve come out and said he would match ANY offer. In doing so, other teams would force the Grizzlies to pay up for a player who may not justify such a deal.

The Grizzlies picked up JaMychal Green from D-League after San Antonio dropped him. Green looked very promising at first, but fans didn’t see a noticeable improvement in play this season – just a bump in minutes. His per-minute production improved somewhat on offense but didn’t move at all on defense. His defensive rating stayed at 107. He was exposed in the playoffs where he averaged just 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds and lost his starting spot.

JaMychal has his fans, none the lest, and I believe the Grizzlies want to keep him on the roster. However is this a player the team should pony up maximum dollars for the next four years?

Wallace clearly doesn’t believe so.

Risky Business

Wallace has done some things to prevent teams from making a maximum offer that would force the Grizzlies to match.

First, they have a surplus in power forward. They traded into the draft to acquire a big in Ivan Rabb, who was more highly-rated in college and high school. Brandan Wright, Jarell Martin, Deyonta Davis and Rabb all are capable of being the team’s starting power forward next season.

That’s a good thing.

Second, Wallace has the possibility of filling his roster without Green. Unlike other teams, the Grizzlies can easily fill all 15 roster spots without re-signing Green. From the looks of it, JaMychal Green is expendable. However, teams must think long and hard before calling Wallace’s bluff.

Third – and this is important – they have made it known that they would like Green back. They haven’t turned their back on him like they did to their other free agents (Tony Allen, Vince Carter, Zach Randolph). The Grizzlies haven’t gone overboard with that feeling, but they want Green back.

Next: Grizzness as Usual Podcast - Episode 1

Dangerous Game

It’s a dangerous game to play for the Grizzlies. Their fans are already upset with the losses of Zach Randolph and Vince Carter. They’ll be even more upset if Tony Allen leaves as well. Losing JaMychal Green could be the tipping point for fans’ angst. However, it’s a risk the team should make. They can’t afford to offer every player a maximum contract on a team barely playing above .500 basketball the last two seasons.

This off-season has been painful for the Grizzlies already, but most of this pain was needed to improve the condition of the team down the road.

Now the poker game is very important and must be played properly for future development.