Grind City Media’s Lang Whitaker and Kelcey Wright Johnson weigh in on the most pertinent news from around the NBA. What’s lit? What’s lame? Find out each week right here.
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2021 11:31 AM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: IMHO
Kelcey, we are in the thick of NBA Summer League action, which means the NBA Offseason, or what passes for an NBA offseason these days, is only a few days away! And just when we thought we were going to get a couple of weeks off, that rug got yanked out from under our feet last night.
So there I was, seasoning up a whole chicken and getting ready to throw it into the oven for our Sunday night dinner, when a friend called me to tell me that he just saw on Twitter that the Grizzlies were trading Eric Bledsoe for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Kelly Oubre. My first thought was, Isn’t Oubre a free agent? Then I thought, OK this is a pretty good trade! He asked me what I knew about this deal and I told him I knew less than him—just because I work for the team doesn’t mean they tell me jack. (A few minutes later he called me back to let me know it wasn’t Kelly Oubre, it was Daniel Oturu.)
Anyway, we’ll see how all of this turns out, and whether any of those three guys ever actually suits up for the Grizz. But bigger picture, do we think history matters? Because Pat Bev has some bad blood in the past with Grizzlies’ fans. If a player who was formerly an enemy gets traded to your team, are we OK with just letting that go and instead embracing the new guy?
From: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2021 8:37 PM
To: Lang Whitaker
Subject: Re: IMHO
Haha! I had to read that email twice because Rondo, Oubre and Pat Bev would be a wild get for Bledsoe.
But anyway – to simply answer your question about Patrick Beverley: Yes.
Of course I remember the choke hold on Mike Conley four years ago when Pat Bev was on Houston. And yes, everyone remembers the two-hands-to-the-back-push-from-behind to Chris Paul this past playoffs.
Has he committed some questionable plays? Yes. But is he one of those guys that although you hate playing against him, you love to have on your team? Also yes. That’s a case that current Grizzlies fans should be familiar with; every other team in the NBA hates playing offense against Dillon Brooks. But do we, as Grizz fans, love his heart and tenacity? Of course.
If I’m being completely honest with you, Lang, that was me in college. I played four years of basketball at one school where I was the Dillon Brooks of my team. I was an intense and aggressive defender that no one liked playing against. But when I transferred for my fifth year of eligibility to another school…I quickly won them over.
And I think Pat Bev will do the same. At first, fans will remember that he was once enemy number one of the Grit and Grind era…but I think he will win them over very quickly with how well he buys in to the culture and how much hustle he brings to the squad.
I mean, look. He’s already embracing the team’s identify (as if he wasn’t the most Grizzlies player in the league that wasn’t already a Grizzly).
As I write that, it makes me think…The Grizzlies are known for being all grit and grind and that is totally what Pat Bev embodies. What other NBA players, who aren’t on the Grizzlies, do you think are the most gritty and grindy?
From: Lang Whitaker
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at 12:12 PM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: RE: IMHO
How fast things change! In the time between you sending me that email and me responding, everything changed, lol. The Grizzlies traded Beverley to Minnesota, and got back Jarrett Culver and Hernangomez the Lesser in return. As I said on Twitter: Farewell to Patrick Beverley, Grizzlies legend.
Every time we start to think the NBA is just a lot of fun and a way to keep us all entertained, we get reminded that it’s still a business. Like you said, Kelcey, Beverley undoubtedly would have fit perfectly into the ethos of Memphis, where hard work and grinding for what you get is always valued. But looking at it practically, Beverley is 33 years old, and the Grizz were able to flip him for a 22 year old (Culver) who was the 6th overall pick a few years ago.
But as to your original question, which are the grittiest players in the NBA? I’ve always thought Russell Westbrook should be at the top of that list. That dude has played monster minutes and put up monster stats, all while playing an incredibly physical, athletic brand of basketball. I’d also put Jimmy Butler on that list, as well as a guy like James Johnson, who I believe is a black belt in some martial art? And heck, what about new Grizz big man Steven “Grizzly” Adams? Doesn’t he belong on that list?
In other news, did you see the clip of Draymond Green interviewing Kevin Durant? As odd as it all was, it was interesting to hear Draymond fearlessly pass some blame to Steve Kerr and Bob Myers for the way things ended with KD there in Golden State. But it did get me thinking: Which NBA players would you most want to host a podcast or show where they would be open and honest?
From: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 7:52 AM
To: Lang Whitaker
Subject: Re: IMHO
Oh man, Lang…I have thought about this a lot. Because I love the Road Trippin podcast where Allie Clifton hosts the show with Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye – I think that dynamic is perfect. I also really love JJ Redick’s podcast and the way he is able to get NBA guys to open up.
There are so many options…you know, ratings-wise, people would listen to a LeBron James podcast. Steph Curry would be pretty great too. Kyrie would bring up some interesting and out-there topics and perspectives. Jaren Jackson Jr. you know would be entertaining as heck. But if I had to choose just one, I think I’d go with Blake Griffin.
Hear me out. He’s hilarious, like literally does stand-up comedy. He’s been around the league so long that he would have a billion friendships and connections to get good guests, and I think he’s at the age in his career now that he wouldn’t be scared to just speak his truth. Episode one: hard fouls and crazy dunks.
Or wait. Maybe I want to change my answer to Kawhi Leonard…to have him speak open and honest? To have him speak at all? I know it’d never happen, but a girl can dream!
Anyway, I woke up to Anthony Davis trending on Twitter this morning. And it’s all because of his NBA 2K rating! Lang; you’re well versed in 2K as the GM and Head Coach of Grizz Gaming…should AD feel some type of way that he doesn’t have a top 10 rating or he is out of line here? Is he a top 10 player in the league??
From: Lang Whitaker
Date: Friday, August 18, 2021 at 8:50 AM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: RE: IMHO
Well, let’s not confuse different things here. Anthony Davis is definitely one of the ten best players in the NBA. He has a unique combination of size and speed and agility, and when he’s healthy, there is no player in the NBA that can really match up against him.
But let’s be real: Anthony Davis not having a top ten rating in 2K has nothing to do with how good he is on an NBA court. NBA 2K is a game that people play. AD’s rating in that game has zero actual connection to his ability to dominate in the NBA. Could he find some sort of motivation in this rating, the same way LeBron has found fire in his lack of votes in a random poll of scouts? Sure. Should he find motivation there? Well, that’s for him to figure out – you get motivation wherever you can find it, I suppose.
We’re in that time of the NBA calendar where rosters are mostly settled, where NBA GMs and coaches and players take vacations, and where stories that would only be a blip otherwise become talking points argued about on television. I guess AD can do AD, but me? I’m ready for the real games to start.