After reading this I am getting to the point I don’t even want to travel by air anymore. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40289750/ns/travel/?GT1=43001

I guess I just don’t understand professional basketball and how to build a team. Because if I did, then I’d probably understand why in the hell the Grizzlies broke open the bank to give a $8M per year contract extension to Mike Conley. Not that any of this is Conley’s fault – hell, if Michael Heisley wanted to give me $8M a year to be a bad point guard, I’d take it faster than a heart attack too. And make no mistake about it, Mike Conley is a bad point guard, albeit a 23-year old who shows occasional flashes of having a clue how to play pro ball.

I have numerous reasons why this is such a bad deal, potentially one that could cripple the future of the franchise for many years to come, most of which have been stated in other parts of the internet and with more factual information to support those beliefs. The more troublesome opinions come from the locals, and in particular the Griz beat writer for the local fishwrap. His article can be found here, but I have a few things to say about it:

*The idea that the contract isn’t much of a shock to the system, and that there “is no doubt that Conley would have received an offer starting at least $6 million”? Looking at all the other PG’s in the league, there are exactly 3 teams who may have been interested in Conley: Toronto, Charlotte, and Detroit. We can probably rule out Detroit, who invested a TON of money in mediocre players already (I’m looking at you, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva). Actually, Miami and Atlanta might also fall in this list, except they’ve already heavily invested in other positions and for higher quality players (well, at least that’s true of Miami.)

But even so, it’s the same as the Rudy Gay situation. Both guys were restricted free agents, so instead of bidding against yourself and paying WAY too much, let them go out and get offers, then decide if you want to match. And if some other team wants to get a raging case of the stupids and overpays for Conley, LET THEM. It’s not as if the Griz can’t get another point guard in the draft just as good (or bad, as the case may be) than Conley. This is the same Mike Conley, after all, that the Griz has tried to upgrade the position for the past 3 years with guys like Marcus Williams, Jamaal Tinsley, Allen Iverson, drafting Greivis Vasquez, trying out OJ Mayo (more on him in a bit) at PG in summer league, and Acie Law. Yet, Mike Conley’s the guy we’re gonna give $40M to, despite him being a below-average player?

*Of course, the more damaging part to all of this is that the Griz are once again going to have to bust up the team. Now mind you, I’m not convinced that’s a bad thing – this thing has a max-out potential to me of 50 wins and maybe a playoff win. But is this team, as currently constructed, EVER going to win a title? Or even challenge for one? (HINT: Not as long as the Lakers or Thunder are around.) The problem with busting up the team now is that with Gay and Conley being paid like they are, you can’t improve the team in a meaningful way unless you draft well, and with this team, well… may I remind you that this is the same team who drafted Tha-Bust over Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry last year? BOTH of which would be an improvement at PG over the $40 Million Dollar Man!

*It’s also very disturbing that this organization evidently doesn’t know to plan out their franchise-building, or even worse, *THIS* is the plan. So, putting on my amateur GM hat, let’s think about this: who is the best player on the Griz? The guy you want to build around? Baggage and all, my vote is Zach Randolph. His contract is up at the end of the season, so he needs to be re-upped. 2^nd on the list? We can argue this one, and likely will, but I’m saying Marc Gasol. He’s already one of the best centers in a league woefully thin on good centers, and it’s been basically proven that the Grizzlies can’t win consistently without him. I direct you to the last 10+ games of last season, when the team crumbled and vanished from the playoff race without him. Another guy who needs a new deal after this year. 3^rd – probably can argue either Gay or Mayo. Rudy already got his – too much of it, sadly, based on his performance for 4 years – but now Mayo is up for a new deal after next year. And a new deal he will get, only with another team, thanks to this Conley deal. (Let’s not forget Tha-Bust, who already got picked up for over $5M next year. Oy vey.)

Now, if you want to see how a real organization builds a team, look no further than the Grizzlies’ opponent tonight (as much as it pains me to admit it) – the Lakers. Or even my Miami Heat – yes, they spent a metric buttload of money this summer, but which is the more sound investment? Rudy Gay and Mike Conley, or Dwyane Wade/LeBron James/Chris Bosh, and money left over for Mike Miller & Udonis Haslem? Granted, apples and oranges due to the sheer amount of money available and spent, but it does illustrate what happens when an organization has somebody who knows more about basketball than what it looks like in charge of things. To paraphrase, well, Freezer: Feh, bah, and FUCK YOU, MICHAEL HEISLEY.

Stay hard. -mlm

Somebody’s auditioning to play Isaac the Bartender in a Love Boat re-make -

Freshen ya up?

And somewhere, Ted Lange weeps softly to himself…

Stay hard.   -mlm

A Star Wars-themed wedding… um, I have no response to this.

Stay hard.   -mlm