Inside the Grizzlies' Loco Draft Day
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:40 pm
Disclaimer: All GM quotes in this article are fictional and do not reflect the author's opinions of the GMs but are provided simply for entertainment value.
It's still hours before the draft but Grizzlies GM Loco is already in the draft room. Heading into the draft the Grizzlies possess the 8th, 39th, and 51st draft picks.
GM Loco: It should be a quiet day. Not gonna change the franchise with the 8th pick and two second rounders.
Loco grabs a jam-filled powdered doughnut from off the table, puts his feet up on the desk, and leans back.
GM Loco: Then again, maybe I'll mix things up. Get a little crazy.
Loco takes a bite and the red filling drips down his chin. I start to wonder how crazy things could really get.
Trade 1
The Grizzlies send last year's very promising #2 overall pick, Josh Jackson to the Magic for picks #3,11,52, and 56, Dion Baily, and 5 points.
Josh Jackson: Man, this time last year I was on the phone with Loco and he was telling me how I would be the face of the franchise, how I would be the one to bring the team out of the depths of tax hell. Now I'm moving to Orlando. I know it's all a business, man, but this is cold.
Dion Baily: I was cut before I even heard the news about the trade, which was nice. I'm planning on enjoying the rest of my summer in Orlando.
Pick inventory: 3, 8, 11, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 5
Trade 2
The Grizzlies trade the #3 pick to the 76ers for the #5 pick and 5 points.
GM Loco: This was an easy choice for me. We were ambivalent towards guys 2 through 6 on our draft board so why not move back .
GM Balls O'Hard: We think Nassir Little is the real deal. Super athletic. Good skills across the board. For us, making sure we got our guy was easily worth 5 points.
Pick inventory: 5, 8, 11, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 10
Trade 3
The Grizzlies trade the #51 pick to the Pistons as obligatory trade fodder in a salary dump of Rudy Gay. They receive pick #28 and 7 points for their troubles.
GM Loco: Look, other teams need to shed salary, we need points. It just makes sense. We also need players. We aren't even allowed to hand out bad contracts. Absorbing "bad" contracts is one of the only ways we can acquire talent.
Rudy Gay: I knew this day was coming when I signed that contract. They were so desperate to retain me they overpaid me. Am I sad I probably won't be competing this year? Yeah. But I've been in the playoffs all but three years of my career. Might be nice to get some fishing in next year. Or, who knows? Maybe I'll be in the playoffs again.
Pick inventory: 5, 8, 11, 28, 39, 52, 56
Points acquired: 17
Trade 4
The Grizzlies trade the #5 pick to the Bucks for the #14 pick, Russel Arciniega, and 10 points.
GM Loco: Russel seems like a guy we'll be able to sell later this year. He's only 28, still has room to grow, was a starter on a championship team, and is making under $9 million a year. I'm thinking this guy will land me another 10 points down the road. Or he'll stick around and we'll compete. Who knows?
Russel Arciniega: You give your heart and soul to a team, a city, win a championship, and what do you get in return? A one way ticket to Canada. I thought we had a great core with Small, Booker, and Pulley. But what do I know? I guess they'd rather have some guy who won't contribute for 10 years.
Pick inventory: 8, 11, 14, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 27
Trade 5
The Grizzlies trade picks # 8 and #11 to the Heat for the #6 pick and 5 points.
GM Loco: You think I made that trade with the Bucks without a backup plan? No way. I already knew I could back up the draft board. This was a calculated move.
GM LogPMess: We really weren't too thrilled with what was left at 6. We thought we could get equally talented players that were just a little more raw a little later in the draft so, for us, this was a two for one deal.
Pick inventory: 6, 14, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 32
Trade 6
The Grizzlies send pick #14 and their 2023 first-rounder to the Kings for Kyrie Irving and 8 points.
GM Loco: At this point my math started to change a little. I realized I had a good thing going racking up all these points and I wanted to keep it going. I also realized that I had acquired two good players in Gay and Arciniega. When I heard I could get Kyrie (!) and points, it just made sense. Kyrie and the rest of this squad are going to win me points with their play this year too. It just made sense.
Kyrie Irving: I was a little shocked to be honest. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to leave Sacramento, but the Kings organization is a class act. I just didn't realize the Grizz were in the market for, you know, winning. It's cool. I'm excited to be the number one guy again. Playing second fiddle was never really my thing.
Pick inventory: 6, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 40
Trade 7
The Grizzlies send pick #6 to the Blazers for the #7 and 5 points.
GM Loco: Like I said, at this point I'm mostly concerned with racking up the points. The drop-off from 6 to 7, easily worth 5 points to me.
GM Kucoach: There was a hot debate in our draft room about players 7-14 on our draft board. We were actively pursuing trading down just so the decision would be made easier by allowing other teams to draft first. When we realized we might be able to buy our way out of the predicament by getting our #6 guy, we were thrilled.
Pick inventory: 7, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 45
Trade 8
The Grizzlies send Kris Dunn (drafted with the #7) to the Bulls for #16, #30, and 10 points.
GM Loco: 10 points to trade back 9 spots and pick up an extra pick. 10 POINTS! Do you know how much 10 points is worth to me?
Kris Dunn: Wow. Just shocking. You know? One minute, I'm like, "I'm gonna play with Kyrie!" The next thing I know I'm teammates with Vernon. It's all cool with me. It's just a roller coaster. You know what I'm sayin?
Pick inventory: 16, 30, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 55
Trade 9
The Grizzlies trade pick #16 to the Nets for #21 and 3 points.
GM Loco: It's all gravy at this point. These 3 points were icing on the cake. A cherry on top, if you will. 58 points in one day is HUGE for any team, especially for one in tax hell.
GM RPF: In our minds Glenn Irvine was the last solid bet left in the draft. To snag him for 3 points was a steal. To get a shooter like Glenn with the 16th pick is a steal. It was great move for us.
Pick inventory: 21, 30, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 58
The Grizzlies would end up using the 21st pick to actually select and keep Eugene Haupt. As draft day winds down, I meet up with GM Loco and ask him how he feels about the day.
GM Loco: I racked up 58 points today! 58! Oh course I feel great. One of the best days in the history of the franchise. Not to mention, bringing in two potential Hall of Famers and a reigning champ. It just goes to show that you never know. At least, with me, you never know.
It's still hours before the draft but Grizzlies GM Loco is already in the draft room. Heading into the draft the Grizzlies possess the 8th, 39th, and 51st draft picks.
GM Loco: It should be a quiet day. Not gonna change the franchise with the 8th pick and two second rounders.
Loco grabs a jam-filled powdered doughnut from off the table, puts his feet up on the desk, and leans back.
GM Loco: Then again, maybe I'll mix things up. Get a little crazy.
Loco takes a bite and the red filling drips down his chin. I start to wonder how crazy things could really get.
Trade 1
The Grizzlies send last year's very promising #2 overall pick, Josh Jackson to the Magic for picks #3,11,52, and 56, Dion Baily, and 5 points.
Josh Jackson: Man, this time last year I was on the phone with Loco and he was telling me how I would be the face of the franchise, how I would be the one to bring the team out of the depths of tax hell. Now I'm moving to Orlando. I know it's all a business, man, but this is cold.
Dion Baily: I was cut before I even heard the news about the trade, which was nice. I'm planning on enjoying the rest of my summer in Orlando.
Pick inventory: 3, 8, 11, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 5
Trade 2
The Grizzlies trade the #3 pick to the 76ers for the #5 pick and 5 points.
GM Loco: This was an easy choice for me. We were ambivalent towards guys 2 through 6 on our draft board so why not move back .
GM Balls O'Hard: We think Nassir Little is the real deal. Super athletic. Good skills across the board. For us, making sure we got our guy was easily worth 5 points.
Pick inventory: 5, 8, 11, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 10
Trade 3
The Grizzlies trade the #51 pick to the Pistons as obligatory trade fodder in a salary dump of Rudy Gay. They receive pick #28 and 7 points for their troubles.
GM Loco: Look, other teams need to shed salary, we need points. It just makes sense. We also need players. We aren't even allowed to hand out bad contracts. Absorbing "bad" contracts is one of the only ways we can acquire talent.
Rudy Gay: I knew this day was coming when I signed that contract. They were so desperate to retain me they overpaid me. Am I sad I probably won't be competing this year? Yeah. But I've been in the playoffs all but three years of my career. Might be nice to get some fishing in next year. Or, who knows? Maybe I'll be in the playoffs again.
Pick inventory: 5, 8, 11, 28, 39, 52, 56
Points acquired: 17
Trade 4
The Grizzlies trade the #5 pick to the Bucks for the #14 pick, Russel Arciniega, and 10 points.
GM Loco: Russel seems like a guy we'll be able to sell later this year. He's only 28, still has room to grow, was a starter on a championship team, and is making under $9 million a year. I'm thinking this guy will land me another 10 points down the road. Or he'll stick around and we'll compete. Who knows?
Russel Arciniega: You give your heart and soul to a team, a city, win a championship, and what do you get in return? A one way ticket to Canada. I thought we had a great core with Small, Booker, and Pulley. But what do I know? I guess they'd rather have some guy who won't contribute for 10 years.
Pick inventory: 8, 11, 14, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 27
Trade 5
The Grizzlies trade picks # 8 and #11 to the Heat for the #6 pick and 5 points.
GM Loco: You think I made that trade with the Bucks without a backup plan? No way. I already knew I could back up the draft board. This was a calculated move.
GM LogPMess: We really weren't too thrilled with what was left at 6. We thought we could get equally talented players that were just a little more raw a little later in the draft so, for us, this was a two for one deal.
Pick inventory: 6, 14, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 32
Trade 6
The Grizzlies send pick #14 and their 2023 first-rounder to the Kings for Kyrie Irving and 8 points.
GM Loco: At this point my math started to change a little. I realized I had a good thing going racking up all these points and I wanted to keep it going. I also realized that I had acquired two good players in Gay and Arciniega. When I heard I could get Kyrie (!) and points, it just made sense. Kyrie and the rest of this squad are going to win me points with their play this year too. It just made sense.
Kyrie Irving: I was a little shocked to be honest. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to leave Sacramento, but the Kings organization is a class act. I just didn't realize the Grizz were in the market for, you know, winning. It's cool. I'm excited to be the number one guy again. Playing second fiddle was never really my thing.
Pick inventory: 6, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 40
Trade 7
The Grizzlies send pick #6 to the Blazers for the #7 and 5 points.
GM Loco: Like I said, at this point I'm mostly concerned with racking up the points. The drop-off from 6 to 7, easily worth 5 points to me.
GM Kucoach: There was a hot debate in our draft room about players 7-14 on our draft board. We were actively pursuing trading down just so the decision would be made easier by allowing other teams to draft first. When we realized we might be able to buy our way out of the predicament by getting our #6 guy, we were thrilled.
Pick inventory: 7, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 45
Trade 8
The Grizzlies send Kris Dunn (drafted with the #7) to the Bulls for #16, #30, and 10 points.
GM Loco: 10 points to trade back 9 spots and pick up an extra pick. 10 POINTS! Do you know how much 10 points is worth to me?
Kris Dunn: Wow. Just shocking. You know? One minute, I'm like, "I'm gonna play with Kyrie!" The next thing I know I'm teammates with Vernon. It's all cool with me. It's just a roller coaster. You know what I'm sayin?
Pick inventory: 16, 30, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 55
Trade 9
The Grizzlies trade pick #16 to the Nets for #21 and 3 points.
GM Loco: It's all gravy at this point. These 3 points were icing on the cake. A cherry on top, if you will. 58 points in one day is HUGE for any team, especially for one in tax hell.
GM RPF: In our minds Glenn Irvine was the last solid bet left in the draft. To snag him for 3 points was a steal. To get a shooter like Glenn with the 16th pick is a steal. It was great move for us.
Pick inventory: 21, 30, 39, 51, 52, 56
Points acquired: 58
The Grizzlies would end up using the 21st pick to actually select and keep Eugene Haupt. As draft day winds down, I meet up with GM Loco and ask him how he feels about the day.
GM Loco: I racked up 58 points today! 58! Oh course I feel great. One of the best days in the history of the franchise. Not to mention, bringing in two potential Hall of Famers and a reigning champ. It just goes to show that you never know. At least, with me, you never know.