Memphis Grizzlies = Bright Future?

When considering up and coming teams, the one team that comes to mind are the Portland Trailblazers with a stacked roster that could potentially challenge the Lakers in upcoming years. However, the one team hardly anyone has looked at are the Memphis Grizzlies. Yes, the same team we traded with and got Pau Gasol. Upon closer look at their roster, they may actually be a playoff contender in a few years in the Talented Western Conference. A quick breakdown of their team should suffice for hte moment:

Positions (The Current Roster as of 8/23/08)

PG: Mike Conley

Mike Conley is a solid PG in the league although he has only one year of experience under his belt. Very quick, good handles, and has the ability to shoot the three. He could develop into a very good player, maybe not an All Star, but he could be a "glue player" who can hold the team together as most point guards do. The way I see it, he could be a Jose Calderon-type player who doesn't shine for his team but plays effectively. With the likes of OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay at the helm, he won't need to take up the scoring burden. In the near future he could become a 15-19 pt/ 8-10 ast player if he develops into the type of pointguard who is more of a distributor as opposed to a scorer. Still only 20 years old and has a lot of time to develop. Injuries are an issue with him, but the depth the Grizzlies could have in a few years might make up for it.

SG: OJ Mayo

Mayo will be entering his rookie season come the 2008-2009 season, but has already shown maturity beyond his years in his individual play at USC over the past year. He is a scorer who has the complete package with the ability to finish at the rack and step outside and hit the three pointer. Though he does have a tendency to turn the ball over, he definitely has the time to develop his handles at the tender age of 20 (despite looking 30). If he's anything like he was at USC, he could be a very good player for the Grizzlies in the near future. All Star? Perhaps in the '10-'11 season. He'll be a great scorer in the league with a variety of offensive tools for his use. Could be a 25 ppg, 6 apg player in the next few years.

SF: Rudy Gay

The SF position seems like it could be a problem for the Grizzles after dealing away longtime starter Mike Miller in the Kevin Love Trade, but Rudy Gay should be able to fill in for him. The 6'8 Gay is a high-fly act, much like Andre Iguodala, and is consistently improving his mid range game year after year. He's able to shoot the three pointer, though not consistently, and is an aggresive player when finishing in the paint. He's a scorer, a decent defender, and very young. He will be an All-Star in the future already posting an average of 20 ppg in his sophomore year in the NBA. Watch out for him in the West, he's the Andre Iguodala of the Western Conference; a high-fly act with gobs of potential.

Prediction: 25 ppg, 3 apg, 2 spg, 1 bpg; very good player in the future

PF: Darko Milicic/Hakim Warrick

This seems to be the only position where the Grizzlies could have an issue, with Warrick and Milicic manning the 4 spot for them. Milicic has consistently been known as one of the biggest draft busts ever, while Warrick has been a solid contributor for the Grizzlies. Although Milicic is awkward on the offensive end, he's a solid defensive player and can grab his share of rebounds per game (6-7rpg). Warrick 's offensive game is a little better, but his defense isn't as good as Milicic. They each play hard though, and their efforts on the defensive end should be good enough for an offensively stacked team with the likes of Conley, Mayo, and Gay scoring the majority of points.

C: Marc Gasol

Pau's little brother has definitely improved from his previous years in the Euro-leagues developing from a solid player to one of the league's MVP. His play is much like that of his older brother with a soft touch and an ability to grab rebounds. He's not as quick as Pau, due to his different physique, but has that same soft touch allowing the bulky younger Gasol to finish in the paint much like his brother. His bulk allows him to clog up the lanes and take up much more room than Pau. He's a solid player and could probably become a 16 ppg, 12 rpg, 2 bpg player in the league. All Star? Probably not, but will be a solid player. But, who knows? He could drastically improve to the point where he could be better than his brother. He certainly has the tools at his disposal...

Bench

Very solid with the likes of Javaris Crittenton and Kyle Lowry coming off the bench. Crittenton has shown he has the potential to be something special in the league, while Lowry is yet another solid player on this very young team. They have veterans in Antoine Walker and Marko Jaric, but both are past their prime (yet they both are being paid way too much imo).

Overall:

This team could be a playoff contender in the West anywhere from 5th-8th seed within the next few seasons. With a core of Gay, Mayo, and Conley, they have a young trio with a ton of potential. Gasol is a perfect fourth option for them and is a solid player on both ends of the floor. They could make some noise in the future, but first they have to add some more depth at the 3 and 5 positions, and they need to get rid of a few guards. Other than that, and if Chris Wallace doesn't screw them over, they could be a competitive team in the West. Maybe not for a title, but making the playoffs on a consistent basis is very possible.

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