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Memphis Grizzlies: They Are Not Who They Say They Are

By Justin Lewis

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Former NBA player, Bruce Bowen and Alison Williams help host the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: Former NBA player, Bruce Bowen and Alison Williams help host the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Tonight is the NBA Draft Lottery and a big night for the Memphis Grizzlies, however, there will be two very different narratives floating around.

Being a Memphis Grizzlies fan certainly has its advantages. A seven year playoff run featuring the Core Four. Career long stars in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. Great crowds and family atmosphere. The best mascot in the NBA. Awesome local media.

The most frustrating disadvantage of being a Memphis Grizzlies fan is the fact that Memphis is a small market. Being a small market, casual NBA fans have no real grasp on what is happening with this franchise. Even more than that, even some of the national media do not pay enough attention, nor care, to the team to really know what is going on.

Take Chris Mannix for example saying that the Grizzlies needed ” to be relevant again” to keep the franchise in Memphis.

First of all, the Grizzlies have been relevant for the last seven years, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Should we remind them that the Grizz made it there before the big market Clippers and Chris Paul?

Second, for Mannix to bring up the lease getting easier to get out of and Pera living out of market is irresponsible because he neglected to mention the clause that allowed the local owners to buy him out before a move and Pera’s personal statement to keep the Grizzlies in Memphis. Sure Pera could be lying through his teeth, but that is what the clause is there for.

So there will be out of market narratives tonight, throwing the Grizzlies in the same conversation as Sacramento or Phoenix or Atlanta. The true narrative, the one true Memphis fans know and local media reports is that the Grizz are in a unique spot this year.

What The Grizz Are Not

The Grizz are not the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns or the Atlanta Hawks. The Kings and Suns are teams stuck in NBA purgatory. They are stuck in a cycle of mid to late lottery picks, with the exception of the Devin Booker pick, that have not worked out whether it was by lack of organizational development or over compensation for potential.

The Grizzlies are also not the Atlanta Hawks. The popular call from the national media all season was that it is time for the Grizzlies to “blow it up.” Trade Gasol was of course the quick solution. Blow it up and start over. Well drafting has not been a strong suit for this front office, so that is a terrible idea.

The Hawks blew it up this year. After the blow up, they could not manage to land top three odds in the draft lottery. They also lost one of the tops coaches in the NBA because of the decision to blow it up and start over.

The morale of the story is that the Memphis Grizzlies did not blow it up nor are stuck in NBA purgatory. The Grizzlies had a season wrecked with injuries, a head coach firing, and young players learning on the fly.

Chris Wallace does need to get this pick right, it will have long term effects on the future success of this franchise. This pick is not the key to keeping the franchise in Memphis. The Grizzlies will take this pick and return to the playoffs again next year and be “relevant again.”

Don’t let the national media discourage you Grizz fans. Believe Memphis.

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