Summer League: Grades

Well, Grizzlies fans, the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League is in the books and it's time to hand out grades to the Grizzlies. Just so you know: they're not very good.

O.J. Mayo: D
O.J. playing point guard was easily the biggest story heading into the summer league. Would he be able to run the point effectively? Could he be a true point guard? Would he hog the ball? We were all excited to see the Juice Man put on a show but, unfortunately, that didn't happen. He played just 2 games but managed to turn the ball over 15 times. He scored 31 points, sure, but proved ineffective at distributing the basketball and finding open teammates. He forced too many passes and generally tried to do too much. Give him an "A" for effort, though; it couldn't have been easy to lower himself to the summer league knowing he might not do well. More than that, he was honest about his bad performance, even giving himself an "F" after the first game. Basketball isn't about having a good attitude, however, and I have to grade him based on his play. The good thing about his horrible performance is that, now, the coaching staff shouldn't have to deliberate about whether or not to put O.J. at point guard; they should just not do it.

Sam Young: B+
If it wasn't for his performance against the Spurs, Young would have an "A." In the first four games, he was far and away the Grizzlies best player. He nailed the game-winning 3 in the second game, put up 35 points in the third and showcased his many offensive talents. More than that, he even played pretty good defense. No, he won't start for the Grizzlies this season. But he should be the first player off the bench and will provide spark to a maligned second unit.

Hasheem Thabeet: C-
The big Tanzanian showed why he was the #2 pick in the 2009 Draft...for one game. Against the D-League All Stars, Thabeet posted a 21-14 with 6 blocks. The rest of the time? Let's just say he left much to be desired. He was average at best on the defensive end, finishing the summer league with 14 blocks and 26 personal fouls. Offensively, he was extremely timid. He showed flashes of aggressiveness but never had that mean streak for even an entire quarter. He shot 53% from the field, but many of his misses were flat-out embarassing, like a layup yesterday that clanged off the underside of the rim. Yes, you read that correctly, a 7'3" center missed a layup because it hit the bottom of the rim. The NBA: Where Amazing Happens!! Joking aside, watching Thabeet is an incredibly frustrating experience and Griz fans should count on him for 17 minutes, 3.7 points, 3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game this season. In other words, don't expect much.

Greivis Vasquez: C-
Like Thabeet, Vasquez came into Las Vegas with something to prove: that he could be a quality backup for the 2010-2011 Memphis Grizzlies. And also like Thabeet, he proved that he could not be. While he was overshadowed somewhat by Mayo's point guard experiment, he did start in the team's final three games. In those three starts, he dished out just 15 assists and turned the ball over 15 times. Like Mayo, he was unassertive when running the point and rarely made the best pass. His defense was disappointing, as opposing point guards were able to drive-and-kick routinely. Since there are zero other options, Vasquez will be the team's backup point guard when the season begins. Grizzlies fans should hope, however, that starter Mike Conley plays as much as possible.

DeMarre Carroll: D+
Memphis' resident Junkyard Dog played like junk for most of the five summer league games. He proved he is the worst shooter on the team, shooting a putrid 37% from the field and a horrendous 48% from the free-throw line. Carroll didn't do much on defense, either. Overall, he is a large waste of space on the basketball court and does little to help the team. Like it or not, however, he is in the running (against Darrell Arthur and Xavier Henry, possibly) to back up Rudy Gay at small forward. Hopefully, though, he becomes the team's 11th Man and never sees the court.

Darrell Arthur: C
Arthur's performance in the summer league was like a roller coaster: up, down, up, down. In his first game, he 17 points and 7 rebounds. (Yes! Darrell is going to be a force this year! Look out!) In his second game, he scored 6 points on 3-10 shooting. (Come on, Darrell! You can do better than that.) In his third game, he scored 17 points again and grabbed 6 rebounds. (All right! Darrell's getting it!) In his fourth and final game, he scored just 4 points. (Boo! Darrell sucks!) Hopefully, Darrell can straighten things out by the time the regular season rolls around. He doesn't have to score 17 points every night, but anything less than 10-11 points and 5-6 rebounds per game would be a disappointment for someone who finished last season on such a high note.

Memphis Grizzlies: C-
After playing great for the first three games, the Grizzlies rolled over in their final two, losing by a combined 15 points. Point guard play, either from Mayo or Vasquez, was uninspiring, shooting was poor, turnovers were abundant and agressiveness was nowhere to be found. If not for the play of Young, the grade would be even lower. He kept the team from finishing with a losing record and was the only player who looked like he belonged in the rotation. Additionall, the team's contract dispute with Xavier Henry hung over Las Vegas like a dark cloud. Overall, the summer league left Grizzlies fans with more questions than answers as the season approaches.

Owen