2014-15 season record:  38-44

Season Highlight

GM Houndy!  The last 2 GMs the Grizz had ran the team into the ground.  Finally, a GM came into Memphis with a winning mentality.  The Grizz responded immediately and made a strong push for the playoffs, but it was not to be.  I wonder if they would have made it if their strength of schedule would not have been one of the toughest the last 2 weeks!?!?!?

Season Lowlight

The trainwreck of a season, until March 2^nd, 2015.  The Grizzlies were in full disarray, they had gone through 2 managers already before that date, the day Houndy took over.  The team was horrible, the GMs were trying to make horrendous trades (fortunately the buddy system and Admin approval helped protect the team from becoming the NLL version of the NBA 76ers) and they could not seem to string many wins together.  Rumor was that if Houndy had not been hired, the entire Grizzly fan base was going to migrate to the Hornets.  When you’re willing to jump fan base to another under .500 club, that’s saying something!

Best Trade

The Houston Rockets send Jeff Green, Donald Sloan and Chris Copeland to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Memphis Grizzlies send Tiago Splitter, Evan Fournier and Tony Snell to the Houston Rockets.  The Houston Rockets send a 2^nd Rounder (BOS) to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Houston Rockets receive 10 GM points.  The Memphis Grizzlies trade -10 GM points.

Fournier was a solid 14 PPG scorer for the Grizz, but Jeff Green became THE leading scorer.  Splitter was a bum in Memphis, even Sloan scored more per game. 

Worst Trade

The LA Clippers send Tony Snell to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Memphis Grizzlies send Hassan Whiteside to the LA Clippers.  The LA Clippers receive 6 GM points.  The Memphis Grizzlies trade -6 GM points.

OUCH!!!!  Snell is still a bum, but Whiteside blew up and is now a starting center looking for a big payday.  He became that diamond in the rough that GMs dream about.

Other Notable Trades

The Memphis Grizzlies send Markieff Morris to the Utah Jazz. The Utah Jazz send C.J. McCollum to the Memphis Grizzlies.

2^nd choice for Best trade sees Morris dumped for CJ…..  Morris is a headcase now and CJ finally getting burn in Portland.

 

The Memphis Grizzlies send Glen Rice Jr. to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Oklahoma City Thunder send Ricky Ledo to the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Memphis Grizzlies trade -5 GM points.The Oklahoma City Thunder receive 5 GM points.

2 players that mostly see time in the D-league. 

The Memphis Grizzlies send Dakari Johnson to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Portland Trail Blazers send Satnam Singh to the Memphis Grizzlies.   The Memphis Grizzlies receive 3 GM points. The Portland Trail Blazers trade -3 GM points.

Another hope and speculation deal.

Best Free Agent Signing

Hassan Whiteside, but he traded him away!

Worst Free Agent Signing

Jamaal Franklin….0 minutes played, Nuff said!

Star

Jeff Green – a shade under 20 points per game and 5 boards.  He shot 40% from 3 for Memphis and was the only player that averaged over 12 minutes a game that DIDN’T have a negative +/-.

Surprise

Dante Exum – In the NLL, he lived up to the predraft hype, which is more than you can usually say for a rookie.

Goat

Tiago Splitter – He was picked up to improve team rebounding, big man presence in the paint and overall offense.  The truth?  Tiago got paid for nothing!  He made $32,356 per point over the course of his tenure with Memphis…..

Draft Report Card

Houndy drafted Kelly Oubre, Dakari Johnson and Marcus Eriksson.   None of which are going to be on the Grizz roster opening day.  Overall, the Grizz draft card would be a B-, but mostly on Oubre, who was turned into Bosh.

Upcoming Free Agents

David West – Aging PF that can still be productive in the NLL, but he turned down his player option.  Memphis’ win/loss record will make it hard to resign him.

Aron Baynes – filler player that will test free agency.  He is a RFA for Houndy, but is he worth it?

Donald Sloan – decent reserve player, but will test free agency.

Ricky Ledo – Currently unsigned in NBA, likely will not be on roster.

Bernard James – Another player without a contract yet.  Good reserve big man.

Chris Copeland – Used to be a scorer, now just a dud.  Will test free agency.

Jamaal Franklin – had a lot of hype early on, couldn’t do anything and looks more like a bust now.  Strong possibility he resigns with Memphis.

 

Looking to the Future

Very strong starting 5 next year with Lopez, Bosh, Green, Exum, and Teague, but Brook tends to be injury prone, so it was a shock he almost played an entire season last year.  There is ZERO depth on this bench.  Houndy will need to work the phones or wry a few players from free agency, either task looks daunting, unless some 1^st rounders get dangled as trade bait.

Projection

Memphis will end the season close to or over .500 in the West and I predict they will end up with the 8^th seed this postseason.  However, I also predict that Brook Lopez won’t play more than 50 games, Bosh will again be traded after another GM can’t get him to play to his potential, Exum will experience a sophomore slump and Jeff Green will lead the team in scoring again!