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Memphis Grizzlies Grizzlies figure to be singing same old losing tune
Updated: Monday October 08, 2001 3:40 PM
By Marty Burns, CNNSI.com After five years in Vancouver, the Grizzlies have moved to Memphis. Unfortunately for their new fans, the team figures to be singing the same old losing tune. That's usually what happens when you trade away your two best players and start over from scratch. During the offseason, the Grizzlies shipped away their leading scorer and assist man, respectively, in Shareef Abdur-Rahim (Atlanta) and Mike Bibby (Sacramento). In return, they got flashy point guard Jason Williams, veterans Lorenzen Wright and Brevin Knight, and the right to draft promising Spanish big man Pau Gasol. With talented youngsters Michael Dickerson, Stromile Swift and their own rookie draft pick, Shane Battier, the Grizzlies feel they can be competitive in a few years.
In the meantime, head coach Sidney Lowe will use training camp to try to find a lineup that can play the up-tempo style he craves. That means Wright likely will play more at center than holdover Bryant Reeves, while Swift gets another shot at power forward. The flashy Williams and the underrated Dickerson will man the backcourt, while the 7-foot Gasol and the 6-foot-8 Battier split time at small forward. The Grizzlies are too young to expect more than the 23 wins they had a year ago. They simply hope to gain experience and find the chemistry that has eluded them for so long. In the meantime, the new fans in Memphis will just have to keep whistling Dixie. Standout stat: 3 Seasons remaining on "Big Country" Reeves' $10 million-a-year contract.
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