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Q & A with Michael Heisley

CHICAGO -- Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley sat just a few rows behind his team's bench last Thursday night in United Center.

The Chicago-based billionaire wore a scowl during the first half. by the time the Grizzlies erased a 17-point deficit to complete a 105-96 come-from-behind victory, no one could wipe away a toothy grin from Heisley's face.

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Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley says he wants Rudy Gay back in Beale Street Blue next season. "I feel we're going to sign him. I don't know what else you want me to say," Heisley said.

The Griz are above .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2006 -- the last year Memphis appeared in the postseason. No one is happier than the franchise's self-proclaimed biggest fan.

"I'm very pleased with where we are," Heisley said. "I love Zach Randolph. I loved him before he came with us. He's done everything I'd hope he'd do for us. Marc Gasol is a quality guy and quality, intelligent basketball player. He's part of the glue, with Zach, that holds us together.

"Rudy Gay is a stupendous talent that will get better. O.J. (Mayo) is a little Kobe Bryant. He's not Kobe but he's got the same personality, attitude and professionalism about him. He's fantastic. This has been the most fun I've had since I've owned the Grizzlies."

Heisley, too, would be the first to tell you that the Griz are far from a finished product.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Commercial Appeal, Heisley discussed the team's draft history, offseason priorities, whether selling the franchise still is an option and much more:

Q. has the team met or exceeded expectations?

A. at the beginning of the season, if you go back and look at the record, I said I'd be happy with a 35-40 win season. With 40, I'd be very happy. at this point we're ahead of that pace so I'd be less than honest if I didn't say I was pleased. but like everything else in life once you get to a certain point you always want better.

So I kind of hoped that we would make the playoffs. we still have a chance but it's going to be a tough road. but we'll rack up a very respectable record this year.

Q. was Hasheem Thabeet a bad pick with the No. 2 overall selection?

A. No. I don't think Thabeet's a bad pick. everybody told me I should pick (Ricky) Rubio. What would we be doing with him now? Winning the Spanish League? Quite frankly, there were a lot of highly respected people who said you cannot pass on Thabeet. I've said before that people pat me on the back for the good things but a lot of this is sheer luck.

We (drafted) the way we're going to do it again. I talk to some of the best basketball minds. I have not given up on Thabeet. I put him in the development league because Lionel was not playing him. he is going to play when he gets back. I'm going to make sure he is. Right now, Thabeet hasn't played enough. when we drafted him, Tony Barone said you better play him 20-25 minutes a game so he can get used to the game. we haven't done that so he's in the development league. I still think Thabeet can be a real player in this league.

Q. overall, did you have a bad draft?

A. Yeah, I could have gotten (Darren) Collison or (Tyreke) Evans. There's a lot of good players I could've gotten that I didn't get. at one time we had a chance to do (Carlos) Boozer and we got some guy from Illinois (Robert Archibald in 2002). but every other team had a chance to get Boozer and didn't take him. Every other team almost had a chance at Collison and didn't take him. Looking at the draft now, after 60 games, you know how they're going to do in the NBA. My point is virtually no one wouldn't sit back and say maybe we should've taken that guy. we did the best we could.

Q. Does this organization have to draft better?

A. No we don't have to do better. I've done well. We've been right on Zach Randolph. Right on Marc Gasol. Right on O.J. Mayo. you expect us to be right every time? Nobody was asking me whether I was concerned about the draft when we were beating everybody's (butt) in December and January. What I'd like to talk about is people coming out and supporting this team. I'd like to see people paying $5 to see the games.

I'd like to see people spend less than what they spend for a movie to come see one of the better up-and-coming teams in the NBA. I heard it for years that we aren't very good. well, they can't say that now and there's no big rush through the turnstile. That's what I'm disappointed about. Nobody in the NBA has $5 tickets. People say are you going to pay Rudy Gay? My answer to them is simply are you going to come to the games?

If I can't get people to come to the games I can't pay anybody. am I upset? No. I've always said we have to make people want to come. With this team, if we can't make them want to come I don't know what I can do. It's the youngest team in the NBA. They're good guys who can beat anybody in the NBA. but the only time we can draw is when the Lakers are in town.

Q. will you re-sign Rudy Gay, who is a restricted free agent this summer?

A. I feel we're going to sign him. I don't know what else you want me to say. Rudy is an outstanding player. he fits our team well. We've got the best front line in basketball.

Q. People wonder if trading for Ronnie Brewer was done in part to get insurance against losing Gay. Do you intend to re-sign both players?

A. I don't know where people get this stuff. we were very active at the trade deadline. we just didn't look at Brewer. we think Brewer is an outstanding player. but if you want to put it that way, let's say this: He's insurance for a couple of guys. OK? He's a great defensive player, which we can use. but I never even thought about Brewer being insurance for Gay. You're the first person to bring that to me. in fact, I thought he was more of a two guard than a three. I absolutely am going to try to re-sign Brewer and Gay. What do you think I gave up a first-round pick for? for fun?

Q. Mike Conley's up-and-down play has become a lightning rod. Do you need to upgrade the point guard position?

A. Michael really is the type of point guard we need. we don't really need a point guard like (Deron) Williams, who is a big scorer. We've got four big scorers on the floor. we need a guy like Conley, who can pass. but we also need him to be a danger like he was in the last few games so his guy has to defend him. we can't afford to have guys throw zones at us, and we don't have a threat to break it. He's got to shoot the ball more. He's got to finish better. Michael's game (last Wednesday at New Orleans) shows that he can be a strong point guard. but Michael's got to be a strong point guard.

Q. What does the team need going forward?

A. we need to do two things. Mike (Conley) needs to get better, and I think he can. but if he doesn't we need to back him up with a stronger point guard. And then, more importantly than that, we need to add some scoring on that second team.

Q. What is the status of coach Lionel Hollins' contract extension?

A. It's in my hands. but I'm not going to get into the negotiations with Lionel or Rudy or anyone else. I'll tell you that Lionel's our coach. Why wouldn't I feel as strongly now about bringing Lionel back as I did in January. you think I'm going to basically change my mind in 30 days? I'm the guy that went and got him. Nobody else was thinking about that. Lionel is an outstanding person. He's a good coach. he deserves a lot of the credit for the success of this team. That's where we are.

Q. Did you try to trade O.J. Mayo?

A. I'm not going to get into who we talked about trading or not. People bring trades to you at all times. I would say we were approached about a number of our better players at the trade deadline. If somebody came to me and said we'd trade you Kobe Bryant for O.J. Mayo then everybody would say obviously, you'd take that. If they gave me Dwyane Wade for O.J. Mayo, obviously, you'd do that. the point is everybody is traded if you can get somebody better.

Right now, no one has offered me something that I think is better. Golden State called us at one point, and we called them at one point. it never got together and couldn't be done. I'm not going to go into what it was; what we would do and not do. There's not a player on my team that somebody hasn't talked to me about trading for. not one. it just so happens that Golden State has diarrhea of the mouth. but I'm not going to talk potential trades.

Q. Is selling the team a dead issue?

A. I'll reiterate my position again. I'm 73 years of age. My family is not going to take over this basketball team. My point is very simple. If the right person makes a reasonable offer for the team I will sell it. If the minority (local) owners want to come up with a reasonable offer, I would love to sell it to them. I think they would make great owners. If it's not to be, it's not to be.

Quite frankly, I don't have to sell this team. I'm not in any financial difficulty. we have to be a model for what has to be done in the new era of pro basketball when teams are losing the kind of money they're losing. some people have got to be more fiscally responsible. We've lived within the rules. I've taken the heat. everybody says I'm cheap. but I've shown that it does you no good to just go out and spend huge amounts of money.

Q. Would you sell the team to anyone who intended to move it?

A. let me put a close on something. there is a contract that holds the Grizzlies into Memphis for 17 years. People should get off of this. I can't move it tomorrow. It's like talking about something that cannot be. all people have to do is read the contract. I've never said anything about moving. I'm not ready to be sued and go to jail. the NBA wouldn't let it happen. What are we talking about? It's not possible. If somebody calls up, we tell them (moving) is not possible. Tell the people to wait about 10 years, let attendance never get any better and then they better start worrying. Right now, there's nothing to talk about.

-- Ronald Tillery: 529-2353

Nets at Grizzlies

When, where: 7 p.m., today at FedExForum.

TV, radio: Fox Sports Tennessee; WRBO-FM (103.5)

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