DRAFT PICKS:
O.J. Mayo, G, 6-5, USC -- Averaged 20.7 for the Trojans, earning first-team All-Pac 10 honors. Didn't quite live up to the hype he had in high school, yet his explosiveness and shooting range make experts believe he could be a potential all-star. Obtained in trade from Minnesota (as the No. 3 overall pick), who took the Grizzlies' pick at No. 4, Kevin Love from UCLA. Darrell Arthur, 6-9, F, Kansas -- Excellent mid-range player who has a nice mid-range jumper and can score with his back to the basket. Has a lot of length. Obtained from Portland (via New Orleans) in a trade for the Grizzlies' second-round pick, Donte Green, F, 6-9, Syracuse.
BIGGEST NEEDS: Still need an inside force that can bang people around and be enough of an inside threat where defenses can cheat out toward the perimeter.
Prior to officially signing rookies Mayo and Arthur, the Grizzlies had six players with guaranteed contracts for next season. They are Darko Milicic ($7 million), Mike Conley ($3.6 million), Rudy Gay ($2.57 million), Hakim Warrick ($2.1 million), Kyle Lowry ($1.16 million) and Javaris Crittenton ($1.38 million). Off the books after June's draft day trade to Minnesota are Mike Miller ($9 million), Brian Cardinal ($6.3 million) and Jason Collins ($6.2 million).
FREE-AGENT FOCUS: Kwame Brown, Aaron McKie, Casey Jacobsen, Andre Brown and Juan Carlos Navarro are Grizzlies who are now free agents. Navarro signed a three-year deal with FC Barcelona.
PLAYER NOTES:
--O.J. Mayo, the No. 3 pick acquired by the Grizzlies, was named to the USA men's select team and trained and scrimmaged this past week in Las Vegas against the USA senior team, who are preparing for the Beijing Olympic Games.
"It's a great opportunity for me to be a part of the USA Select Team in Las Vegas, and I'm proud to represent the Grizzlies' organization," Mayo said. "I want to do my part so I can help Team USA win the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing."
--Former University of Texas standout P.J. Tucker, who spent last season playing overseas in Israel, saw action on the Grizzlies' summer league team in Las Vegas.
Tucker, a former Big 12 Player of the Year honoree, left school following his junior season and was drafted in the second round, 36th overall, by Toronto in 2006. He bounced back and forth between the Raptors at the D-League before the Raptors released him on Mar. 24, 2007. Tucker played this past season for Hapoel Holon, an international team in Israel.
"I think I can bring this team toughness and versatility," Tucker said of the Grizzlies, and he was among the team leaders in Las Vegas in points, rebounds, steals and blocked shots.
