You think this gig cost Mike $3,000?Would you play through these seasons? We have all wondered what could have been if either or both Michael Conley and Daequan Cook would have stayed for one more year, but when it comes down to it you can't blame them for leaving.
The dynamic duo have endured a combined 121 losses and sit 82 games out of first place. Considering they also took home a combined 5 million dollars, don't feel too sorry for them.
Conley made 3.4 million this year, suffered through a couple of injuries and has started 42 of his 49 games. He leads the Grizzlies with 4.1 assists per game and a 2.38 A/T ratio. The Grizzles are one of the youngest teams, playing 7 dudes under the age of 25 who log at least 13 minutes and Conley has averaged almost 26 minutes a game. With 4 games left on the season, Conley has scored 12.3 points in his last four and raised his season average to 8.8 a game.
His last game against Phoenix was perhaps his best all year, going for 19 points, 7 boards and 5 assists. His season high of 20 came against LeBron back in January and he has shot a respectable 42 percent from the floor. Conley is rumored to be honing his skills in Cbus this summer, so he should be able to tutor PJ Hill and Evan Turner in their fight to settle the newest 11W debate.
Daequan has suffered through a bit more, but has seen a recent increase in playing time. Dizzy is bringing home 1.1 million, so experiencing 64 losses and a stint in the NBDL seems worth it. Cook has shot only 37 percent from the floor and just 32 percent from deep, leading to 8.2 points a game, but his lack of an overall game shows in his 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists averages.
There is no doubt Daequan would have benefited from another year at OSU, but I think he has always wanted to be called a millionaire and the NBA made it happen. I hope his summer workout routine is exceptional, because the Heat are a mess and no job is safe next year.
These two face off tonight in Miami, so the ladies of South Beach better be ready, a couple of former Buckeyes might be clubbing afterwards. Make it rain fellas, make it rain.
Comments
Clearly, Conley made the right decision for himself.
Even if he had stayed and averaged say 18-10-5 for the year (points, assists, rebounds) and led OSU to a Sweet Sixteen berth..
He still would be behind Derek Rose and possibly OJ Mayo and Jerryd Bayless as far as point guards go. Rose does everything Conley does, but does it with better size and strength. Mayo has struggled at times but is far more physically and athletically gifted than Conley. Bayless, again, is very much like Conley except he has better size and athleticism.
Do you see the trend?
Conley may have been on the outside looking in during the Top 10 picks of this draft.
(Postscript: With the exception of Rose, I don't think all of these players are BETTER than Conley,.. but the NBA drafts on potential based on size, athleticism and skill set - Conley takes a bit of a back seat to these guys in that area)
Agreed Brian. Mike Jr. made the right decision.
I hope more Grizz and Blazers games are nationally televised next year. I think I've seen Conley play maybe once.
I hope him and Oden get traded to the Cavs. Then I could watch them all the time........here's to dreaming!
Good points Brian, Conley may have slipped to the middle of the first round this year.
I'm sure there are going to be more Blazers games televised next year, Oden is a media darling. The Grizzlies also have the chance to get a Mayo, Rose, Beasley, etc., so they could see more air time as well. I refuse to buy any type of NBA package.
Possible football suspensions:
http://dottingthei.com/index.p...
those DB suspensions could hurt. Mo wells, who cares. Saine will take that spot, Boom will get the leftover carries & wells, if he comes back, will return kicks. d-bag. i'm still upset about the "i may transfer" comments from 2 years ago.
Sad to hear about those guys. O'Neal has been a huge disappointment since he arrived and this is just the last nail in his coffin. Mo Wells sure picked a bad time to stumble, considering how well Boom is playing. As for Clifford and Washington, no excuse after what happened prior to the bowl game. Seems like they should be smarter than this.
It it is true, none of them have an excuse or should get any sympathy. They made the decision that a little fun with the cronic is more important than their football career and in the case of one of them, their academic career.
Looks like our boys can't kick the tree. Is Clifford the new Louis Irizarry?
dottingthei.com had best be correct. even if it is a blog, and not espn, you better make sure of your sources. BuckeyePlanet hasn't caught wind and those guys are eerily on track.
last post about eugene clifford was "Talks about how he has matured since last year & also about his move from Corner to Safety."
it's on buckeyeplanet, the three players involved aren't suited and aren't practicing with the team, i'd say it's pretty much confirmed at this point.
it was a nice streak of non-incidents we had going there, but all good things come to an end, i guess. imo, clifford should be done, he's been given chance after to chance to straighten up and hasn't taken it. d-wash should be gone for probably half the season. too many problems have been rumored to come from him, not with pot per se, but team problems. and o'neal should be out for at least a few games.
part of me can understand one offense like this (barely), but clifford has been a pretty consistent dickhead. i'll be dissapointed if he isn't gone.
Look, I'm disappointed that these guys are still doing what half the other students are doing. They should know it's not permitted, and they let their team down. They deserve to be punished.
But to compare sucking on Mary Jane's toes with beating your girlfriend up is absurd. It's this convoluted reasoning that non-violent drug offenses are equivalent to actual physical violence which has resulted in American becoming the Land of the Imprisoned. There is no indication that Washington and Clifford are thugs like Irizarry. Indeed, I'm the farthest thing from a thug, yet I enjoyed the ganja while I was in college. They broke a rule, but they didn't anything I'd call wrong, outside of the rule breaking.
You're right, Dan. Poor comparison. I was just looking for unbelievable talent squandered because the guy couldn't stay out of trouble.
Beating your girl > Puffing
More bullets for the haters. Ugh.