BROOKLYN – You don’t need a watch to know the time for the Memphis Grizzlies to win a title is now.
If you did, acquiring Jeff Green was the beeping alarm clock that woke up the rest of the Western Conference.
With Green, Memphis has the missing piece to compete atop the vaunted West.
In an exclusive interview with SheridanHoops, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace described how the deal for Green came to fruition and what he brings to the team.
“We’ve been talking for quite some time and these deals take a life of their own, and late last week talks intensified and the whole picture sort of crystallized and we had a chance to make the deal,” Wallace told SheridanHoops. “Then we got New Orleans involved in it as well, and we’re just absolutely excited to have Jeff here because he brings a versatility, scoring ability, athleticism, some size on the perimeter we need and – I’ve never worked with Jeff before, but from everything I’ve heard – he’s an absolutely terrific person and someone that we feel will fit in very quickly here.”
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Wallace isn’t the only one who is “absolutely excited” for Green to be in Memphis.
After participating in his first shootaround with the Grizzlies on Monday morning, Green addressed the media for the first time since the trade. He was asked how he’s been since the trade.
“I’m absolutely amazing,” Green replied with a wide smile and laugh.
Who wouldn’t be? Green was the primary option on the rebuilding Boston Celtics, who didn’t see him as part of their long-term future. Now he’s the fourth option on the Grizzlies, a team with serious championship aspirations.
“It’s great,” Green said. “The atmosphere, just being around the players, the competition in the Western Conference is fun. I’m glad to be a part of it. It’s a fresh start. You get energized over things like this.”
With Marc Gasol (29) and Mike Conley (27) in their primes and Zach Randolph and Tony Allen (both 33) nearing the end of their primes, Green (28) is the perfect complementary piece to balance the starting lineup and make a title run.
“Obviously we hope it improves our team,” Wallace told SheridanHoops. “Time will tell. Tayshaun Prince was terrific for us and helped us in a variety of ways both on and off the court. Quincy Pondexter had a big series against San Antonio a couple of years ago and you got a first round pick so obviously you’ve got to give to get in this business.
“But we’re very happy with what we picked up. We think that Jeff Green and all that he brings can definitely help us be a better team.”
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There has been a chain reaction in the loaded Western Conference since Dallas acquired Rajon Rondo, Green’s former teammate in Boston. Houston, Oklahoma City and Memphis all have made significant moves well in advance of the Feb. 19 trading deadline. That will give the Grizzlies an extra month to appropriately acclimate Green.
“That’s one of the things that’s nice about not getting the deal done at the trade deadline where you only have six weeks left and you just throw them out there,” coach David Joerger said. “We’ve got some time here to try to build something.”
Memphis has built an impressive and diverse frontcourt trio and will use a five-game homestand with no back-to-backs from Jan. 17-26 to develop chemistry with Green.
“Jeff is proven,” Randolph said. “Jeff has been through it all. He’s big for us. We want to be big and he’s going to help us.”
Green’s versatility as a playmaker, shooter and penetrator is an upgrade from Prince and will make it hard for opposing defenses to double-team Gasol and Randolph in the post.
The presence of the big men also should make it easier for Green to score more efficiently – if not as much – than he did in Boston, where opponents locked in on him more.
“It’s going to definitely just clear the lane a little bit when I attack,” Green said. “They both can shoot so you’ve got to stay home on them. When you have big guys that are a threat underneath, it just opens a lot of avenues trying to get to the basket.”
Some have questioned whether there would be adequate floor spacing for the trio. Although Green has the 3-pointer in his repertoire, he is just a 33 percent career shooter from the arc.
However, Green is a much better distance shooter than defensive demon Tony Allen. And as Gasol explained, it’s not the first time the Grizzlies have juggled three scorers in the frontcourt.
“Well, we’re used to playing with Rudy (Gay) not too long ago, so we’re used to playing three big guys inside so we might go back to some of the old plays that we used to have with Rudy,” Gasol said. “At the end of the day it’s just how are we going to play together as a team and how much we’re going to share the ball on one end and how much we’re going to help each other, communicate and talk and all the good stuff on the other end. That’s the key for us. If we don’t defend as a team and we don’t do those things that need to be done defensively, we’re not going to outscore many teams in this league in order to win consistently.”
The addition of Green also shows Gasol – the prize free agent this summer – that the Grizzlies are committed to maximizing his prime years.
The same cannot be said for Gasol’s supposed biggest suitor, the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony has been plagued by knee trouble and will likely require surgery, while the Knicks are in the midst of the franchise’s worst season ever.
Green has a $9.2 million player option after the season that he will likely decline, based on the new TV contract. If he does, the Grizzlies – who are diametrically opposed to paying the luxury tax – will have roughly $40 million on the books before beginning the task of re-signing both Gasol and Green.
However – as I wrote in my previous column – Gasol is likely to stay in Memphis.
“I like having success as a team, I’ll tell you that,” Gasol said. “Everything makes more sense. It’s easier to go through the grind when you’re winning. I don’t think right now we’re at the peak of what we want to do as a team yet.”
With Green in the lineup, the Grizzlies hope to peak by April 18 – the date the NBA playoffs begin – by having home court advantage in the first round and preparing for a title run.
“It’s like a breath of fresh air,” Green said. “To be able to get in a situation where you have a team who’s competing to win the West and also with great players who compete every night. I’m excited for the challenge I have ahead of me, studying the craft, getting along with them and just trying to get on the same page with them.”
Michael Scotto is an NBA columnist for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeAScotto.
exista doua variante:s-ar putea sa fie o fotografie facuta cu alt prilej si pusa in alt context.s-ar putea sa fie un trucaj, dar in nici un caz finut ci de-a dreptul grosolan…personajul respectiv intr-o fotografie are cravata in cealalta nu:)
Hi Peter – that sounds strange – your car is the same age as the demonstrator that I was using when I wrote this. Unattrunfoely, it was just a demonstrator, and I can’t remember the specifics now (I didn’t choose the Mondeo in the end so don’t have one to test at the moment) but I don’t remember having to answer calls with the iPhone so it does sound as if something is not quite right.