HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Memphis Grizzlies waived forward/center Jarrid Famous and guard/forward D.J. Kennedy, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace, Jarrid Famous 

Chris Vernon: Grizz GM Chris Wallace has always had a thing for Bill Walker + he still has not signed anywhere - Grizz have met with him. Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Bill Walker, Chris Wallace 

Ronald Tillery: Griz GM Chris Wallace says team still needs another center. "If we add another player it’s more likely to be a center with size." Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace 

Chris Vernon: Grizz GM Chris Wallace has always had a thing for Bill Walker + he still has not signed anywhere - Grizz have met with him. Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Bill Walker, Chris Wallace 

Ronald Tillery: re: Pargo. Agent Mark Bartelstein tells CA he's working with GM Chris Wallace on finding best opportunity. Didn't rule out trade or waiver. Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Mark Bartelstein, Chris Wallace, Jeremy Pargo 

The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed forwards Marreese Speights and Darrell Arthur to multi-year contracts, Grizzlies General Manger and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Chris Wallace, Marreese Speights, Darrell Arthur 

"He and (North Carolina's) Kendall Marshall are probably the two best passers in the draft," Griz general manager Chris Wallace said. "Tony was a little turnover prone as a freshman and doesn't shoot the ball real well but he's got terrific size for a point guard and he's got some talent." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Draft, Chris Wallace, Tony Wroten, Kendall Marshall 

Wallace, though, has this piece of advice: Don't rely on Internet mock drafts to forecast the Grizzlies' pick. "All of the projections in the mock draft are just that: They're projections," Wallace said. "We don't know until the night of the draft which players will be available to us, and what we will do." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Draft, Chris Wallace 

But the summer will be more than just about plugging holes for the Grizzlies. They'll have difficult decisions to make with six players entering free agency while trying to manage a payroll that will have little room under the luxury-tax threshold next season. "We've been thinking about that all along," general manage Chris Wallace said. "But we don't have to make any final decisions until the beginning of July when free agency starts. So we'll let the dust settle from this season and move forward deliberately on those final decisions." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Chris Wallace 

Ronald Tillery: Griz GM C Wallace cwallace@grizzlies.com is auctioning 4 seats w/dinner for Game 2 for teen cancer patient. Email 2 bid. Have to beat $2,500 Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace 

The Grizzlies have raised their game. Now Memphis fans have to raise their game. That was the gist of a four-hour meeting Saturday of team owner Michael Heisley, his top executives, and several Memphis business and community leaders. The meeting was prompted by, among other things, recent reports that Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is interested in buying the team and possibly moving it to California. The newly created advisory board or local board of directors — the title is not yet clear — met in an office at FedEx Forum. This account is based on interviews with participants Kevin Kane and Henry Turley. Others at the meeting were Stan Meadows, Chris Wallace, and Greg Campbell representing Heisley and the Grizzlies, and Memphians Pitt Hyde (a minority owner) Bryan Jordan, Lawrence Plummer, Billy Orgel, Otis Sanford, Bob Henning, and Joe Hall, the head of a public relations firm in Nashville that worked with NBA NOW 12 years ago. Absent were Staley Cates, Willie Gregory, and Beverly Robertson. Memphis Flyer

Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Heisley, Chris Wallace 

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace admitted he got the idea to sign free agent Gilbert Arenas after reading a blog post on a Grizzlies fan site. “[The idea] came up a couple weeks ago and we gradually worked towards it,” Wallace said on The Chris Vernon Show. Host Chris Vernon pressed Wallace about the issue, and the GM caved. “I’m going to admit this, I’m going to come clean. I’ll be honest about it, okay? … I’m in the office of [President of Business Operations] Greg Campbell, he says, ‘You outta read this thing that’s on a blog today.’ And I don’t read the blogs, but this guy wrote this case for Gilbert Arenas, and I read the thing and said ‘Greg, you know something? This guy makes some sense.’ “I thought about it and said, you know, we gotta look into it a little further. “So I called his agent up. I’m willing to admit it — I pride myself on being open-minded — and you look at the finances involved, and the group of players involved, and why not?” Larry Brown Sports

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Gilbert Arenas, Chris Wallace 

Memphis moved below the NBA’s luxury-tax threshold by getting rid of Young’s $948,000 salary. Sanchez, who is playing in Argentina, will never wear a Grizzlies uniform. “Sam preferred another location because he wasn’t playing,” Griz general manager Chris Wallace said. “Sam earned his keep around here and is clearly an NBA player. He was a guy who was a big part of us being able to be successful when Rudy Gay went down last year. But teams evolve.” Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Rudy Gay, Chris Wallace 

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace confirmed that the team recently received a disabled player exception to compensate for the loss of Darrell Arthur. However, Wallace predicted that it is unlikely the Griz will use the exception. The Griz have roughly $1.1 million to use in order to aid a potential trade. "I can't say for certain if we'll use it," Wallace said. "It's fairly small as exceptions go. It's just one more piece to have. When you look at the restrictions around it, the probability is we won't use it." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Chris Wallace 

The Griz can't use the exception to sign a free agent. It can only be used to acquire a player in a trade. That player also must be in the final year of his contract. Wallace said the Griz applied for the exception to add another tool that could be used in a potential multiplayer transaction. The NBA granted the exception last Friday because Arthur was lost for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon. Memphis will have until March 5 to use the exception. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, Chris Wallace 

The Griz are on the verge of re-signing backup center Hamed Haddadi, general manager Chris Wallace confirmed. Haddadi, an unrestricted free agent, attended the game after arriving in Memphis from Dubai earlier in the day. The Griz are expected to sign Haddadi to a one-year deal. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Chris Wallace, Hamed Haddadi 

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Ish Smith, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Wallace 

Chris Vernon: Grizz GM Chris Wallace on the show: "I don't see any way that Marc Gasol is not signed with us" Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Chris Wallace, Marc Gasol 

You also spent time with Gasol in Barcelona. What is your strategy in trying to re-sign Gasol? Are you in essence recruiting Gasol even though he's a restricted free agent? Chris Wallace: I've had several conversations with him just telling him about our plans with the team and asking him what his opinions are of the team. It's like being a recruiter like we were when we picked him up in the trade. I'm telling him this has been a great place for you. He came in from Europe and his value and status has increased three straight years here. Our team has significantly improved during that period of time. He stepped up in the playoffs. And there's no reason why he can't continue to thrive individually here. And our team will thrive in the future. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Chris Wallace, Marc Gasol 

Is Mayo a guy who is on the trading block come draft night? Chris Wallace: I've said this time and time again. Look at who has been traded the last few years. You've had Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady and Ray Allen. The vast majority of players in the NBA who have lengthy careers get traded at some point. That's just the nature of the game. So I never tell a guy he can't be traded. We're looking at every option to improve our team and we're happy with what O.J.'s done here. He definitely provided us with a pick-me-up in the playoffs, particularly in Game 6 of the Oklahoma City series. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Memphis Grizzlies, Trade, OJ Mayo, Chris Wallace