Van Memphis Grizzlies 2006 Presser

[LoCo89]

In strolls Enrique, the GM of the Van Memphis Grizzlies

"Oh cool, they finished they updated logo. Anyways, we haven't done one of these in awhile, so we're gonna recap how we got here really quickly. 3 seasons ago we traded picks and players for Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. We joined them with a starting five of Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, & Pau Gasol. We thought it was our best shot at going far in the playoffs, however injuries derailed us that year and we had a rough year after that in which we were put into tax hell. This offseason, we traded off the last piece of that team in Pau Gasol. While we loved Pau, we felt we were only doing him right by moving him, and even found him a home in New Jersey with his former teammate Vince Carter. We wish them both luck moving forward.

And that brings us to our team now. Even though we finished with the 3rd worst record last season, we wound up with some draft lotto bad fortune, falling to the 5th pick. With the selection, we were happy to select G Kyle Lowry and pair him up with our other young guard, Jose Calderon on our second unit. With the agreement to the Pau trade in place, we were also allowed to make the selection of Tyrus Thomas out of LSU.

With the Pau trade, we also brought along veteran shooter, Morris Peterson and second year big man Andrew Bynum. We liked the idea of adding a center to our young stable of players. However, to counter having too many young players, we brought in veterans Michael Finley & Antonio Daniels from the Sixers, and a stable of bigs including Shawn Bradley, Adonal Foyle, Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje and Al Harrington. we felt these additions gave us a nice balance of young and older players on our roster.

Looking ahead to this season, we hope that we can bring along our young core and see how well they mesh together. We hope to see some progress out of them by seasons end. We also know we're not entirely happy with our team as constructed for the future and will be making moves to address that. We hope to surprise some people during the season and are looking forward to seeing this team together.

We thank you for being here today and now if there are any questions, I'd like to address those now:

[NOLa.]

You say you aren't happy with your current team and looking to see what your young core can do with a years experience plus rookies. This sounds of a non-playoff season in which you look forward to drafting high in 2007.

Is this correct? Expanded thoughts if so?

Sent via Morse code

[LoCo89]

You say you aren't happy with your current team and looking to see what your young core can do with a years experience plus rookies. This sounds of a non-playoff season in which you look forward to drafting high in 2007.

Is this correct? Expanded thoughts if so?

Sent via Morse code

Partially correct. We dont have our own draft pick so no.

[NOLa.]

You say you aren't happy with your current team and looking to see what your young core can do with a years experience plus rookies. This sounds of a non-playoff season in which you look forward to drafting high in 2007.

Is this correct? Expanded thoughts if so?

Sent via Morse code

Partially correct. We dont have our own draft pick so no.

Wait really?

Sent via Morse code

[JNR]

GWR: If you decide that two point guards starting together isn't going to work, which one would you trade?

[coltsguy510]

Do you feel that your post talent, or lack thereof, will be the downfall of your team this season?

[logpmess]

With four different players with ratings greater than 80 in three point shooting, are you planning an all out barrage from the perimeter this year?

[WigNosy]

Bynum still doesn't seen to have grown into the potential many saw for him when he was drafted? How long can your team afford to wait for his production to catch up?

[LoCo89]

You say you aren't happy with your current team and looking to see what your young core can do with a years experience plus rookies. This sounds of a non-playoff season in which you look forward to drafting high in 2007.

Is this correct? Expanded thoughts if so?

Sent via Morse code

Partially correct. We dont have our own draft pick so no.

Wait really?

Sent via Morse code

Yup

[LoCo89]

GWR: If you decide that two point guards starting together isn't going to work, which one would you trade?

Not sure where you got that we're starting two point guards together. Our starting guards will be Antonio Daniels and Michael Finley, with Jose and Kyle coming off the bench

[LoCo89]

Do you feel that your post talent, or lack thereof, will be the downfall of your team this season?

I mean I feel like that our issue coming into the season is more lack of talent and experience.

[LoCo89]

With four different players with ratings greater than 80 in three point shooting, are you planning an all out barrage from the perimeter this year?

We've discussed internally the idea of trying to play a four out system with Jose, Mo Pete, Finley, and Simmons with a big man, but we haven't quite been happy with the logistics of it yet, since the guys not name Calderon are closer to guards than forwards. But it is something we want to experiment with at some point this season.

[LoCo89]

Bynum still doesn't seen to have grown into the potential many saw for him when he was drafted? How long can your team afford to wait for his production to catch up?

Andrew came in after his senior year in high school, so his slow growth into an NBA starting caliber center is not entirely unexpected. In fact we'd've probably been more shocked if he was where his potential said he could've been. That being said, we see Bynum as our center of the future and feel like we have plenty of time to wait for him