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Run GMC
Join Date: Sep 2002
Age: 13
Posts: 7,602
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Grizz fire warning shot to fans; Grizz will take a step back to develop youth
Youth will be served for Griz, and quickly
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While Fratello later would say that West has not issued a "directive" to play young players over veterans regardless of performance, the Grizzlies clearly are now operating on a long-term plan rather than a near-term one.
After three straight playoff seasons and 12 consecutive playoff losses, there is nothing to be gained by maintaining the status quo. That's why the Grizzlies traded face-of-the-franchise Shane Battier for the rights to Gay (the eighth overall pick from Houston) and Stromile Swift.
Sometimes to get better, a team must first be willing to get worse. This is a burden that West is now willing to bear.
"We are a very talented team," West said, and he's sky-high on Gay, a forward from Connecticut that The Logo already is predicting can become an annual All-Star. "Talent doesn't always equate into victories. But we are a very talented team up front.
"I think our fans are going to be very pleasantly surprised. We don't know when, but they're going to be very pleasantly surprised."
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Gay, who is 6-9 and 220, figures to get every chance to be the starting small forward on opening night. And if you're wondering what this might mean for second-year forward Hakim Warrick, here's one guess: He looks like the perfect bait to lure a veteran point guard in a trade. The Grizzlies still need insurance behind Damon Stoudamire, who is coming off major knee surgery.
Although no one is going to say there is a mandate to play Gay a certain number of minutes, the future of the franchise is brighter if Gay plays well enough to earn 25-30 minutes a night.
Fratello, recalling the playing time Gasol enjoyed as a rookie, said: "Most times, that's going to be a plus somewhere down the road for the player -- regardless of whether or not they're leading their team to 45, 47 or 50 wins or not."
Translation: If the coach has to play the highly touted rookie, and if the rookie is slow to develop, don't be surprised if the win total drops.
Heading into training camp, Fratello says he's keeping an open mind as to who plays, how much, and where.
"Things tend to work themselves out once you start practice," the coach said. "There's usually a separation somewhere at some point. Sometimes, it happens early. Other times, it's the sixth or seventh exhibition game or the fourth game of the regular season that the picture clears up.
"You have to give people a chance to develop," Fratello continued. "A lot of it has to do with, who are the pieces in front of them? Unless a directive came down where you're told, 'we don't care about the veteran guys, just play young guys,' which has not happened ...
"The goal is you're supposed to try to win," he said. "Now, you get into competition at practice every day. Who's the better player? Who gets these minutes? If you're not playing by these rules, you're gonna have disgruntled veterans who know they're better than the guy you're shoving in ahead of them, just giving them minutes to be giving them minutes."
All true.
Yet, all outward signs point to the Grizzlies giving the young guys every "opportunity."
Gay is expected to be a star.
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I would not be mad if this is our depth chart:
PG Stoudamire, Lowry
SG Mike Miller*, Eddie Jones*, Dahntay Jones*
SF Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick*
PF Alexander Johnson, Lawrence Roberts, Brian Cardinal^
C Pau Gasol, Stromile Swift*, Jake Tsakalidis*
* Trade bait
^Give to anyone taking
Players I am interested in bringing in: Luke Ridnour and Josh Childress. |