Well the battle is over.

The team, fans and even the city were the biggest winners.

Xavier Henry and Grievis Vasquez broke even. Vasquez maybe even came out a step ahead since he at least participated in the summer league and has been seen in Memphis the last few weeks at FedEx Forum. It is assumed that even if he isn't able to work out yet he is getting a better grasp of what the team expects from him this season. Henry's absence has put him behind the ball in that respect. 

The loser was Michael Heisley. Not because he is going to have to pay the rookies 120% guaranteed either. He always said he wanted to pay the rookies 120%. He just wanted incentives in place in case they didn't perform the way he expected. 

According to this article on the Memphis Edge, the Grizzlies (i.e. Heisley, and, just as importantly, Stan Meadows) have folded tent on the negotiations with as-yet-unsigned rookies Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez and will sign them to full 120% of rookie scale very soon.

Never thought we'd see Heisley fold up, now did we? Crazy stuff. Nutty, nutty occurrence.

The bad part? The damage is done in terms of how this will affect the Griz' interactions with draft picks in the next draft, and the next, and the next, etc.

The ok part? Heisley did manage to spin his capitulation such that he can now make the case that "see, the Grinch is friendly now", hopefully mitigating if not negating the bad part.

Needless to say, more to come on this as details emerge....

It's become a battle of wills and as usual when these battles occur there are no real winners and plenty of losers.

What am I talking about? The unsigned rookies of course. The one blemish in what has been an otherwise decent off-season for the Grizzlies.

The battle no longer includes Xavier Henry or Greivis Vasquez either. Their interests and concerns are no longer involved in the decisions being made on their contracts. Now I know people are saying I always side with Management (all evidence to the contrary if you've read the blog) but after talking to both camps over the weekend and early this week I can safely say that neither side's objectives are above reproach right now.

It's a battle of egos. No. It's a battle of super-egos.

 A Rookie Scale Contract shall provide in each of the two (2) seasons covered by the contract and the first option year at least 80% of the applicable rookie scale amount in current base compensation. Components of salary in excess of 80%, if any, are subject to individual negotiation, except that (i) in no event may salary plus unlikely bonuses exceed 120% of the applicable rookie scale amount and (ii) s rookie contract may not provide for a signing bonus (except for "international player" payment in excess of $500,000 made in accordance with Article VII, section 3(e)) or a loan.
Article VIII Section 1 subsection c (i) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement

People who know me know that I generally am positive about the Grizzlies and I try to maintain an upbeat attitude on the team. They are the only team in town playing in a league considered "major" by all sources. Why shouldn't I support this team?

However the unsigned rookies situation has tried even my patience with the team. I appreciate the idea of having incentives in a contract. I feel that in most instances bonuses produce better work habits and higher production.

The furror over Michael Heisley's interview with Chris Vernon is beginning to calm down and there has been plenty written on what Michael Heisley said wrong duing the interview. This blog isn't going to address that issue.

However not much has been written about what Heisley should have been saying.

HELP US BREAK THE SICKLE CYCLE. 

Join the fight against Sickle Cell by bowling with Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley and other Grizzlies players and coaches at the Third Annual Mike Conley Bowl-n-Bash on Saturday, September 18 from 1-4pm at Bartlett Lanes located at 6276 Stage Road.  

I'm happy for the city because, again, it's the city's team. And the city will enjoy these guys because not only are they good players, but they're really good people.
Josh Pastner, Head Coach of the Memphis Tigers

Why? I'll tell you why. Because I'm the guy who makes up the difference between what we bring in in revenue and what we put out to pay for players. And believe me, kid, that is a lot of money.
Michael Heisley, Owner of the Memphis Grizzlies

Now I know these two comments aren't comparable. I realize that by themselves the comments taken out of context should not be placed side by side. I understand the context is just as important as the individual words.

However I also realize a fundamental difference in how Josh Pastner's message is received by the city and how Michael Heisley's is.

People on the Grizzlies message board are irate over the 'unreasonable' incentives being demanded of Xavier Henry and to a lesser extend Greivis Vasquez in the contracts the rookies have been offered.

I think we can dismiss the first two as trivial. Playing in the summer league and working out with the coaches for two weeks hardly seems to taxing after all. If anything I am upset that such activities warrant additional pay at all. They are requirements not electives in my opinion.

It's the 3rd incentive I want to explore. The third incentive has three parts to it and only one of the three parts has to be fulfilled for the Grizzlies to owe the players the money. First they can be named to the All-Rookie team by the NBA. Second they can participate in the rookie-sophomore game during all-star weekend and third they can average 15 minutes in at least 70 games.

A question was raised among some of my friends the other day. It revolved around some confusing comments made by the Grizzlies brass over the last few months and what it would mean to the future.

With Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley all free agents in the summer of 2011 and O J Mayo eligible for a new contract as well, can the Grizzlies afford the future they have put into place?

I was reading over the NBA wire today and noticed a particular trend that is somewhat disturbing.

A lot of NBA players are suffering injuries at the World Championships.

Oh sure, they aren't significant injuries like breaking a bone in your foot for instance but they are examples of tired bodies giving succumbing to the pounding that happens every night.