Comments on: Marc Gasol reaches deal to stay with Memphis Grizzlies

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:28:58 +0000

fantastic counter arguement leearmon. well said. i agree.

there was an article on here (i think) about GM’s really controlling the destiny of teams and yeah, thats right. the Griz did a GREAT job drafting and getting key players…its paying off. same can be said with the Thunder. so, i’m not buying that whole “woe-is-me small market talk”…excuses.

By: leearmon

leearmon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:40:21 +0000

Well like I stated above, Randolph wasn’t on his second contract, he was completely a Free Agent. Also, Gasol didn’t sign an offer sheet with another team, so he obviously wanted to stay, and Conley Jr. signed while in the season, so he too didnt sign an offer sheet with another team.

As far as the “second tier” stars comment, thats completely subjective. I would argue that Chris Bosh is a second tier player, and many teams would rather have Gasol than Bosh. Carmelo is also in many circles considered a second tier star as well. Not to mention Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Steve Nash all re-signed in their respective small markets, none would be considered a second tier player.

And how can you be sure that Memphis or Indianapolis will not “get close to a title..”. I hate to bring it up, but the Pacers went to game 6 of the NBA finals in 2000. I would consider that “close”. Also last season, the Grizzlies, without arguably their best player, took OKC to game 7 in the Conference Semi-Finals. Thats closer than Boston, LA,, and New York went. So its hard to argue that Memphis didn’t get “close” and its completely false to say the Pacers haven’t.

By: dab000

dab000 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:50:47 +0000

You’re also talking second contracts and a tax-free state. You’re also talking about second-tier stars. It’s still great for well-run small market teams like Memphis and Indy, but facts are facts: neither of those teams will get close to a title with the rules as they stand. Ever.

By: klownboy

klownboy — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:55:45 +0000

Good for the Grizzlies! Or will Danny Boy Gilbert get in the way of this deal?

By: leearmon

leearmon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:07:57 +0000

Wait!! This must be incorrect. This goes against everything we’ve been told in regards to the NBA. A small market team (Yes Memphis is actually a small market, not big-medium sized market like Cleveland and Denver) was able to re-sign one of their young big stars?!?!?! Not only that, but in about a year and a half the Grizzlies have re-signed Rudy Gay, Mike Conley Jr. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol! It must be a sign of the end of days!!!

All joking aside, when you have a team that players are confident that the front office is moving in the right direction, they will sign or re-sign there. Period. I just gave you 4 players in about 15 months that Memphis re-signed. Yes Rudy and Mike were restricted, and so too was Gasol, but as the article mentioned Gasol didn’t even sign an offer sheet anywhere else. He wanted to stay in Memphis, just like Conley who signed during the season, and Z-Bo was a free agent when he re-upped. He didn’t even test the open market. Small markets, medium markets and big markets can all survive if they know what they’re doing, and the adverse is true too.

By: cside2605

cside2605 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:05:14 +0000

Those Gasol boys are not scare to come to America and make some money … Bravo to them! I wonder how it makes Mr. P*ssy 2 scared 2 travel: Fran Vazquez feel now that his buddies are filthy rich????