Memphis, TN – After Friday’s blockbuster trade, Memphis Grizzlies coach Mark Iavaroni has been tinkering with the idea of playing his three young point guards with his two colossal failures.
Said Iavaroni, “I really think that if we can get Kwame (Brown) and Darko (Milicic) on the floor together, it will help people understand that these young guys we have now are pretty good by comparison.”
Acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers, Brown is widely considered to be the worst number one draft pick in NBA history. Originally drafted by the Washington Wizards, Brown was an immediate disappointment and was quickly shipped to the Lakers in exchange for Caron Butler and others. Nonetheless, Brown parlayed his athleticism and size in to a sizeable contract – one that Grizzlies will be all to happy to rid themselves of this off-season.
Iavaroni said, “Kwame’s been quite the disappointment around the league. We don’t expect that to change, but we’ve had Darko half the season, so we think we’re prepared.”
Milicic, a forward from Serbia, was drafted by the Pistons ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. After sitting on the bench for a little more than 2 years, Darko was traded to the Magic where he failed to live up to expectations. This summer, Milicic was signed by the Grizzlies as a complement to the recently departed Pau Gasol.
Also acquired in the Gasol trade was rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton. A rookie from Georgia Tech University, Crittenton joins Kyle Lowry and Mike Conley, Jr. as the third point guard on the roster with less than a full year of NBA experience.
Though unorthodox to play three point guards and two centers, Iavaroni feels that the contrast in talent between the guards and centers will showcase just how good the youngsters can be.
“The way I figure,” said Iavaroni, “we’ve got nothing to lose. We’re barely better than the Knicks. Why not lose a few more games and draft Michael Beasley?”
