Hooped Up

All-Star guard Allen Iverson has through representatives told the Grizzlies he would like to play in Memphis, an NBA source said Thursday.

The high-scoring veteran is a free agent for the first time in his professional career. Iverson, 34, reportedly has only had mild discussions with the Miami Heat since the free agency period began Wednesday.The Grizzlies had no comment about Iverson’s inquiry.

While no deal is imminent and conversations have been only exploratory, Griz brass are said to be weighing the pros and cons of adding Iverson to the team’s youth movement.

Iverson would certainly have to take a major pay cut from the $21 million he earned last season with Detroit. It is believed that the Griz would only entertain Iverson at what they’d deem a reasonable price, and if the 13-year veteran agreed to play off the bench.

Commercial Appeal

The Grizzlies have a nonbinding agreement in place with the Los Angeles Clippers for a trade that would swap recently acquired guard Quentin Richardson for forward Zach Randolph, NBA sources confirmed late Wednesday night.

The deal cannot become official until next week due to rules under the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Also at play is the unpredictable nature of Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who nixed a draft-night trade the Grizzlies proposed in an attempt to acquire Randolph.

Commercial Appeal

While insiders contend the organization remains undeterred in its efforts to consummate a trade for Los Angeles Clippers forward Zach Randolph, there are several other options the Griz can now consider in hopes of bolstering their frontline. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is determined to bring to Memphis a high-caliber power forward, making that his priority this offseason, less than two years after gift-wrapping Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers. That player must fit the criteria, though, of being young, productive and reasonably priced.

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Hasheem Thabeet remembers why he used to make people laugh when he first stepped onto an American basketball court.

“When I got here for high school, people said I couldn’t walk, chew gum and dribble a basketball at the same time,” Thabeet said. “It was the joke. But I’ve grown a lot.”

He can say that again.Thabeet grew to stand 7-3, and the center out of the University of Connecticut became even bigger Thursday night when the Grizzlies made him the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft.

Commercial Appeal

And by free I mean trade.

“The Grizzlies aren’t just entertaining the idea of parting with the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday’s draft. They’ve also engaged in advanced discussions with the Knicks that should put former No. 2 overall pick Darko Milicic in New York by week’s end … unless Memphis winds up needing Milicic’s expiring contract in another draft-related trade.

Sources say that the proposed swap would send Milicic to the Knicks for swingman Quentin Richardson and cash. Milicic is scheduled to earn $7.5 million next season in the final year of a three-year deal he received from the Griz in 2007; Richardson has a player option for next season at $8.7 million.

If the teams go through with the trade, Milicic would join his fourth team since Detroit infamously gambled on him in 2003 with the pick immediately after LeBron James … and right before Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.”

ESPN

The Memphis Grizzlies select second overall in the 2009 NBA draft. Listen to who Fantasy Sports Girl NaFessa thinks the Grizlzlies are picking and then check out her selections vitals, strengths, 08-09 stats and draft demo reel after the jump.

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If Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio indeed comes to the America and visits NBA teams before the draft, the Grizzlies expect to be part of the tour.

The 18-year-old’s plans are still foreign to Griz general manager Chris Wallace, but several media outlets say Rubio and his family are scheduled to board a flight June 13 bound for the United States.There are Internet and Spanish reports that contendRubio would skip Memphis and visit only Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and Sacramento — teams that own the first, third and fourth picks.

Wallace, though, said Monday afternoon that no one from Rubio’s camp has indicated the Spaniard would bypass Memphis — owners of the No. 2 overall selection.

“I don’t have anything set up. But it’s open-ended. If he’s in the country, we definitely want him here,” said Wallace, who is seriously considering selecting Rubio with the Grizzlies’ lottery pick in the June 25 draft.

Commercial Appeal

After Rudy Gay threw this dirty dunk down, on the Golden State Warriors last night. The announcer immediately calls the dunk “The LeBron James finish”. Strange, I thought that was a Rudy Gay finish - seeing as how Rudy Gay dunked the ball. Maybe I’m confused.

Anyway, I’d tell you how many points Rudy Gay finished with but, I couldn’t find the Cavaliers versus Warriors box score from last night anywhere.

Stop writing love ballads and sexting Adriana Lima. Her husband Marko Jaric who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been officially cleared of sexual assault allegations.

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Would you mess around on Adriana Lima? A Philadelphia woman alleges Memphis Grizzlies Marko Jaric did, and possibly worse.

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