Watching the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday was watching a major-statement game. They defeated the defending champs, albeit by 1 point, making it known that these guys are for real. Who woudl want to play Memphis in the 1st round of the playoffs?

We will find out how good Memphis is on back to back nights tonight when they play LeBron James at Cleveland. Memphis won in December when they hosted the Cavs at Fex Ex Forum. The Cavs are out to seek revenge.

Zach Randolph is a reborn superstar as far as I am concerned. This guy is playing the way we all knew he could, but always wondered why he never did. Until now.

Which Cavalier will be able to step up and stop him tonight? Is there anyone?

The main concern I have with the Grizzlies is Michael Conley at the point guard. I am not convinced he has the right stuff to be the leader they need to take the team to an elite level. However, he should be allright against a depleted Cavs backcourt.

Will Rudy Gay rise up against the Cavs? (Credit: picapp.com)

The matchup I am looking forward to tonight will be to see how Rudy Gay performs against LeBron. If Gay can make the game competitive vs. LeBron, then O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol and Randolph should be able to make this game a competition.

The only concern I have is if the Grizzlies can bounce back withotu experiencing a “hangover” from the joy of defeating the Lakers.

This summer marks the continuation of major spending reform (and not for the better) in the NBA. The Vince Carter, Shaquille O’Neal, and Richard Jefferson deals exemplify that liquidating huge contracts for scrap (or crap) heaps, and aiming to win it all now, is THE popular trend–the rich getting richer. Ben Gordon, Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Kidd, and many other free agents will land large deals, but who can afford to pay them?

Teams are preparing for next summer by dangling expiring contracts via trade to desperate teams.  Assessing the chances to land a marquee name–LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobili–in 2010 is becoming commonplace, and as a result unthinkable trades are being made.

But let’s not forget, there is top-notch talent available this summer, and Protect the Paint will now evaluate who we think the most relevant free agent is for the teams with the most spending power. Lets face it, money talks, or else the free agent walks.

The teams with the most cap space are:

1. Memphis ($18 mil)
2. Detroit ($16.6 mil)
3. Atlanta ($14.8 mil)
4. Oklahoma City ($14.7 mil)

Other teams with significant room are:

1. Utah ($9.2 mil)
2. Portland ($8.1 mil)
3. Miami ($6.7 mil).

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Memphis is going to need every penny they have if they hope to lure a major free agent to play for the Grizzlies. We’re talking about a small market team and a perennial losing franchise. It is doubtful any free agent of substance would be willing go there. What’s the draw? Don’t say Mark Gasol. Beale Street is pretty nice though.

Whoever Memphis signs, they will likely pay more than that player’s true market value. Additional revenue is the only thing luring a player to the Grizzlies. The only destination less attractive may be Milwaukee where Brandon Jennings hardly looks (or sounds) like a savior.

BIGGEST NEED: New Location. If the Grizzlies were located in a larger market, we’ve got to believe more players would consider playing there. Until then, have your checkbook ready Griz. They do have the money to offer Hedo Turkoglu a salary he could not refuse. The combo of Turkoglu, OJ Mayo, and Rudy Gay is solid yet entirely unrealistic.

DETROIT PISTONS

Wednesday’s breaking news of head coach Michael Curry being fired implies Joe Dumars wants to insure free agents will want to come to Detroit. It is well documented that Curry ruffled more than just one player’s feathers. Apparently, Dumars plans to let Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace walk.

Iverson and Wallace are in the twilight of their careers, and locking either one of them into a long-term deal makes absolutely zero sense when the Pistons are building around Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince. Acquiring a third scoring option who is entering/closer to his prime is what Detroit needs.

Gordon's offensive skills would help Detroit (Credit: chi-ball.com)

GREATEST NEED: Ben Gordon or Hedo Turkoglu. Ben Gordon is ideal for Detroit. He is a young, capable scorer who would give the Pistons a solid trio of offensive weapons to build a bright future around. Turkoglu might not make sense with Rip Hamilton and Stuckey already there, but he is a major factor why Orlando went to the finals and the Pistons can afford him.

ATLANTA HAWKS

After recently acquiring Jamal Crawford from Golden State, it raises questions if Atlanta will re-sign Mike Bibby. Crawford gives Atlanta another 4th quarter scoring threat, easing the defensive pressure on Joe Johnson.

Atlanta can let 30-year-old Bibby walk, and re-sign key reserves Zaza Pachulia and Flip Murray. Retaining Pachulia gives Atlanta depth in the post, which is a necessity for playoff basketball.

Will Childress play another year in Greece? (Credit: lowposts.com)

GREATEST NEED: Keeping what they already have (re-signing Pachulia and Murray). These two players are too valuable and affordable not to re-sign and the Hawks need to save their coin for Johnson who can opt out next summer. Josh Childress returning from Greece would give them back-court flexibility.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

OKC cannot afford to spend too much on a major free agent. The Thunder need to spend frugally in order to retain the core of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook. It is an unconditional must. This being said, signing a mid-level free agent would be the wise move for OKC and there are several available. One in particular would fit nicely with the Thunder’s nucleus.

Millsap would thrive playing with the Thunder (Credit: deseretnews.com)

BIGGEST NEED: Paul Millsap would immediately add a tough rebounding presence and the blue-collar attitude that the young Thunder need. Adding Millsap makes the playoffs a possibility, especially considering Yao Ming’s injury in Houston puts the Rockets 2010 playoff hopes in major jeopardy opening up a spot for another Western Conference team. Millsap gives any team he’s on many second (and often third) chance opportunities on the offensive end. If Boozer opts out of Utah, then expect the Jazz to match any offer made on Millsap.

UTAH JAZZ

The Jazz faced potential free agency disaster, but both Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur have decided against opting out and will stay. Luckily for Utah, Boozer’s injury-plagued 2008-09 season and lingering questions of his ability to stay healthy is most likely all that prevented him from bailing and receiving a large offer elsewhere. Does he care about money more than winning? He did bail on LeBron. That should answer that question.

Okur–a big man who can shoot–must believe his best chance for another title (he won a ring in Detroit) lies in Salt Lake City.

Mehmet Okur won't abandon the Jazz. (Credit: nba.com)

BIGGEST NEED: Staying healthy. A healthy Jazz are as good as any team in the NBA. Re-signing Milsap as insurance for the fragile Boozer would be huge, but chances are good a team with more cap room will nab him.

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

Portland is a young team on the rise. They made the playoffs, and in doing so, exposed their greatest weakness.  Depending on which players they decide to retain the rights to, they could go as far as $15-30 million under the cap. They will not advance past the 1st round with Steve Blake as the starting PG. The Blazers have a solid leader in two time All-Star Brandon Roy, but they need a savvy veteran who can bring the ball up court.

Andre Miller is a massive ugrade to Steve Blake (Credit: ESPN)

BIGGEST NEED: Andre Miller or Jason Kidd. Miller would instantly bring leadership and make Portland a title contender as the Blazers mature. Miller has a lot of game left in the tank, and with $8 million to spend in cap space, they could afford to sign him.

With Jason Kidd coordinating the offense, there is no telling where the Blazers could go. Odds are Kidd remains in Dallas or signs with the New York Knicks. Kidd is already in New York and ready to begin negotiations.

MIAMI HEAT

Miami obviously has no interest in spending any money this summer. Their top priority is re-signing Dwyane Wade. The irony might end up being that in not making moves to secure talent around Wade they may lose him. Wade has made it abundantly clear in the media that he wants players provided for him now, not later. What Miami really needs is a low post presence. A solid center would immediately seal up a lot of loose ends for the Heat.

Marcin Gortat can start and make a difference in MIami (Credit: pablonasportowo)

BIGGEST NEED: Marcin Gortat or Anderson Varejao. With Orlando recently acquiring Vince Carter, Orlando will have trouble matching offers for Gortat. With Cleveland making the O’Neal trade they have no chance of paying Varajao the money he wants. Gortat has proven to be a solid performer when filling in for foul-prone Dwight Howard, and could be an affordable solution to fill the void in the middle in Miami. Varejao’s athleticism and defensive prowess might be the better move for Miami. He can give them what last year Jermaine O’Neal couldn’t.

The 2009 NBA Draft is in the books begging the question: What teams added the piece that will help them out of the lottery and into the playoffs next year? The Bulls, Heat, and Blazers—lottery teams from 2008—made the playoffs, replaced this year by Phoenix, Toronto, and Washington (who traded their pick to Minnesota). Below is Protect the Paint’s grades for what this year’s lottery teams did with their lottery pick and a prediction of their lottery-status for next season.

Blake Griffin should start immediately (Credit: ESPN)

#1     Los Angeles Clippers        Blake Griffin            Grade: A

No surprise here. Look for the Clippers to make some roster moves to insure Griffin a starting spot and get rid of some locker room headaches. NEXT YEAR: they’ll be better, but the Western Conference is stacked, so back to the lottery.

Can Thabeet develop an offensive game? (Credit: ESPN)

#2     Memphis Grizzlies        Hasheem Thabeet        Grade: B

The next Dikembe Mutombo? Thabeet should be an immediate impact player on the defensive end. Luckily for him, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo will be taking most of the shots. Lookout if he develops an offensive game. He should be in the league for his D alone for years to come. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

James Harden might be the best player of the draft class (Credit: ESPN)

#3    Oklahoma City Thunder    James Harden            Grade: B

The Thunder eliminated their biggest weakness and gave Russell Westbrook a running mate in the backcourt. The combination of Westbrook, Harden, Jeff Green, and Kevin Durant is downright frightening for what the future has in store for the Thunder. Look for this team to dramatically improve their win total (23) from last year. NEXT YEAR: much improved, but back to the lottery.

The Kings surprised everyone by selecting Evans over Rubio (Credit: ESPN)

#4    Sacramento Kings        Tyreke Evans            Grade: D

This was a shocker. It seemed every mock draft, rumor, or news report had Ricky Rubio coming to Sac-town. Evans has flaws in his overall game. He is raw, but there is an abundance of raw, young talent in Sacramento. In three years, one must question where Evans will be in comparison to Rubio. Low grade is for not selecting Rubio. The kid displayed abilities and poise years beyond his age in the Olympics against the redeem team. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Ricky Rubio will likely be dealt or play next season in Europe (Credit: ESPN)

#5    Minnesota Timberwolves    Ricky Rubio            Grade: B
The T-Wolves got their man with Rubio. Flynn (see 6th pick) is an athletic, charismatic type player whom will lift his teammates on and off the court. However, he is one of 5 guards selected by Minnesota. We here at Protect the Paint envision Rubio emerging as a superstar in this league. Look for multiple moves in the near future from Minnesota. A good question is if Rubio even plays in the NBA this year. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Jonny Flynn has the talent to star in Minnesota for years to come (Credit: ESPN)

#6    Minnesota Timberwolves    Johnny Flynn            Grade: B-
Guard #2 of 5 selected by Minnesota. It will be very interesting to see who is dealt and who is kept. With Minnesota’s luck, it is a safe bet the guy dealt experiences greater NBA prosperity. Right now, Rubio has far more trade value. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Stephen Curry: NBA Rookie of the Year? (Credit: ESPN)

#7    Golden State Warriors        Stephen Curry            Grade: A+
The Warriors high-octane offense just acquired a serious scoring threat. Scouting reports knocked his defense and decision-making. Sounds like a perfect fit for the Bay Area. The only disclaimer in Oakland: the brass told Monta Ellis they would not select a PG. If the two can get along, the Warriors could be quite dangerous when going small. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Hill is the Knicks consolation prize after Curry was taken at 7. (Credit: ESPN)

#8    New York Knicks        Jordan Hill            Grade: C+
The Knicks lost out big time by not being able to draft Stephen Curry but are satisfied with Hill. Hill provides immediate relief if David Lee leaves. Pundits believe he will thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun style of play. Will the Knicks ever be good again? NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Can DeRozen make Chris Bosh reconsider leaving Toronto? (Credit: ESPN)

#9    Toronto Raptors        DeMar DeRozan        Grade: A-
This is possibly the best pick the Raptors could have hoped for. DeRozen is freakishly athletic.  Will be a key piece in forcing Chris Bosh to consider staying, If Bosh leaves, Toronto has a solid component to build around for the future. NEXT YEAR: if they keep Chris Bosh, this should be a playoff team in 2010.

Brandon Jennings appears poised to excel for the Bucks (Credit: ESPN)

#10    Milwaukee Bucks        Brandon Jennings        Grade: B-
It will be interesting to listen, watch, and read about how coach Scott Skiles and his new point guard get along. It could be like dynamite and nitro glycerin. With Richard Jefferson gone, and rumors of Luke Ridnour being on the block, Jennings and Ramon Sessions will form the nucleus of a young Bucks backcourt. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Terrence Williams joins a crowded backcourt in New Jersey (Credit: ESPN)

#11    New Jersey Nets        Terrence Williams        Grade: B
Williams will fit into a young backcourt rotation of Devon Harris, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Courtney Lee now that Vince Carter is headed to Orlando. If he learns to be consistent as a pro he will be fun to watch. It is a safe bet New Jersey might hold a higher pick in next years draft with their youth movement officially set in motion. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Michael Jordan drafted archrival school Duke's Henderson (Credit: ESPN)

#12    Charlotte Bobcats        Gerald Henderson        Grade: C-
Wow, Michael Jordan drafted a Dukie. At least he didn’t draft fellow UNC alum Tyler Hansbrough (see next pick). Henderson is super-athletic a very good defensive player. Will need to develop more of an offensive game or he could become the next Bruce Bowen (minus the corner three). Weird pick with Earl Clark still on the board. NEXT YEAR: they’ll be a better team, but back to the lottery.

Indiana failed heinously selecting Tyler Hansbrough (Credit: ESPN)

#13    Indiana Pacers            Tyler Hansbrough        Grade: F*
Hansbrough might be a tough guy—a blue-collar worker whom Indiana fans will appreciate—but he appears to be a man without a position in the NBA. Lacks the foot speed and athleticism to succeed at this level. Indiana blew it. This organization already misses Donnie Walsh. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

*F grade due to who was selected at pick #14.

Brandon Jennings stepped in late on behalf the 14th pick Earl Clark (Credit: ESPN)

#14    Phoenix Suns            Earl Clarke            Grade:  A
The Suns are obviously in a rebuilding mode. Earl Clark is a shooting guard in a big man’s body and will give the team versatility. Good ball handler for his size (like a right-handed Lamar Odom). Needs to improve his range. If the rumors about his lack of work ethic prove unfounded, Phoenix could have the steal of the 2009 NBA Draft. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

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