Grizzlies S71 Press Conference

[K-100]

Hi everyone,

Welcome back to another season of Sim League.

The Grizzlies are hanging in there. It was a promising start to last season, but we bailed out at the trade deadline and fell
to the 9th seed missing the playoffs again. The team's young core is here but we still have some major work to fill out the roster and begin contending. We started the offseason with an interesting decision on draft day. We selected Nika Muhl at #11 as a future point guard we are looking forward to developing in our system.

Free agency was not too exciting. We managed to sign Herman Cambell and Alex Fudge to max deals in RFA but both were quickly matched by their incumbent teams so no gains there. We were also able to retain Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kaminga during UFA which was great for the frontcourt cohesion, but we decided to ship out Looney to Toronto in exchange for an interesting player in Gradey Dick who will slide in at the 4 spot now.

Overall, we did not make as much noise as I wanted to in the free agency so I'll just stick to my patient approach as we navigate another season in a tough division and conference. Our chance will come soon enough but we just ask our fans to remain patient while we continue to bide our time. I expect teams will reach out about our cap space soon enough so hopefully, I'll be able to build back our bank to train Giddey and Bane even more. I'm excited about what is going on in Memphis so I look forward to this season and beyond.

[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: You drafted Nika Muhl while Rudolf Keever was still on the board and mention that he's your future point guard. With players like Josh Giddey, Desmond Bane, and Tennessee Rainwater having much higher ceilings and the capability to play multiple positions...perhaps Giddey or Bane would even make stronger options at the point. In 3 seasons, what do you think the starting lineup will look like for the Grizzlies in terms of the players you have now and which positions are TBD?

[Black Superman]

Desert here,

This is the last season with the current RFA format. Given that, is there any urgency in rushing bane and giddey along so that your team can have success? Teams will have to factor in recent success when it comes to resigning first contract players as to not lose them in the new free agency market. Bane will be in that new market after next season, just curious if you've given that any thought.

[K-100]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: You drafted Nika Muhl while Rudolf Keever was still on the board and mention that he's your future point guard. With players like Josh Giddey, Desmond Bane, and Tennessee Rainwater having much higher ceilings and the capability to play multiple positions...perhaps Giddey or Bane would even make stronger options at the point. In 3 seasons, what do you think the starting lineup will look like for the Grizzlies in terms of the players you have now and which positions are TBD?

Long term, I think Giddey will be the PG for the team but in the immediate future, I like Muhl's ability to hold the position down while we wait since her skillset is that of a facilitator. Three seasons from now I think the backcourt is set with Rainwater, Bane, and Giddey but I still think the frontcourt is TBD.

[K-100]

Desert here,

This is the last season with the current RFA format. Given that, is there any urgency in rushing bane and giddey along so that your team can have success? Teams will have to factor in recent success when it comes to resigning first contract players as to not lose them in the new free agency market. Bane will be in that new market after next season, just curious if you've given that any thought.

I still think someone will step up in S73 to handle RFA so I'm not too concerned yet. I expect Giddey to crack the starting lineup next season so we'll just need to start contending then in case the new proposal does go into effect and I do not have RFA protection anymore.

[MexicanMamba]

You've mentioned not making the noise you wanted in free agency. In an ideal world, but also a realistic one, what kinds of deals would you have made this off-season that would have been the appropriate level of noise for there to be more excitement in Memphis?

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[jlmarines]

Justin Bieber, Teremana.com: It's been almost a decade since you made real noise. During preseason the Grizz finished 1-5. What do you consider a successful season?

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[K-100]

You've mentioned not making the noise you wanted in free agency. In an ideal world, but also a realistic one, what kinds of deals would you have made this off-season that would have been the appropriate level of noise for there to be more excitement in Memphis?

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I was looking to add a younger frontcourt piece like Britney Griner into the fold but my offer did not work out. I'll try again next offseason.

[K-100]

Justin Bieber, Teremana.com: It's been almost a decade since you made real noise. During preseason the Grizz finished 1-5. What do you consider a successful season?

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35 wins, finish no lower than 10th in the conference

[BigDaddyd8720]

Picks Emmington of the New Orleans Advocate:

As a team that went from 12 wins two seasons ago to 35 wins last season, and then just had a less than ideal preseason, where do you see the holes in your team and what will be you plan of action to fill those holes? If this season doesn't go the way you hope, will try a restart or keep pushing forward with this group you have now

[Mike Lowry]

First of all, Thank You for mentioning RFA.
I think you been doing a kick ass job the past few seasons of pushing people to keep the market honest!
You're like the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Also, I like that two seasons running you have acquired strong players in UFA and flipped them, it's a model I am trying to follow when I don't chase squirrels.
Finally, I love the fact that you have 3 big dogs growing in your kennel!
All 3 of them are the real deal.
How long do you imagine yourself in this mode before you are forced to add depth around them and make a run?
How do you gauge when it is time to make a run and push your chips in?

[LazyTitanSmash]

What realistically what do you think you will get for Kaminga this season?

[AngryBanana]

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: Are you trying to build a team similar to the Pistons currently, and if so do you think it would kill the league?

[K-100]

Picks Emmington of the New Orleans Advocate:

As a team that went from 12 wins two seasons ago to 35 wins last season, and then just had a less than ideal preseason, where do you see the holes in your team and what will be you plan of action to fill those holes? If this season doesn't go the way you hope, will try a restart or keep pushing forward with this group you have now

Overall, I think we have several gaps. Our defense is pretty lousy. We cannot stop anyone in the paint or on the perimeter. We are so-so at rebounding. We cannot steal or block. It is pretty much a guaranteed bucket when we are defending. I really like the potential of this offense but because my backcourt is still developing these guys are nowhere near their peak, it is going to be rough for them to sustain this throughout an entire season.

I will not be restarting. These guys will have to abandon the team before I trade them away. I like this build too much to break it up so early.

[K-100]

First of all, Thank You for mentioning RFA.
I think you been doing a kick ass job the past few seasons of pushing people to keep the market honest!
You're like the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Also, I like that two seasons running you have acquired strong players in UFA and flipped them, it's a model I am trying to follow when I don't chase squirrels.
Finally, I love the fact that you have 3 big dogs growing in your kennel!
All 3 of them are the real deal.
How long do you imagine yourself in this mode before you are forced to add depth around them and make a run?
How do you gauge when it is time to make a run and push your chips in?

Thanks for the praise. It is always nice to get your flowers. Realistically, I need to start surrounding the Big 3 with talent as soon as next offseason. Assuming the new RFA goes into effect, Josh Giddey will be vulnerable to the new rules so I'll need to start winning more often to persuade him to stick around for the long haul.

[K-100]

What realistically what do you think you will get for Kaminga this season?

Ideally, a combo of points plus a frontcourt rookie contract that I can experiment with heading into next offseason. I've turned down a few offers so far because I think I can fetch that kind of return and with his hot start in Sim 1 I think I have the leverage to hold out a bit longer for the right deal to come along.

[K-100]

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: Are you trying to build a team similar to the Pistons currently...?

Yes.

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: ...if so do you think it would kill the league?

Yes...hopefully.