What Stu Jackson taught us, if anything, while studying Inept GM 101, is that you never trade future first-round draft picks.

The unknown can come back and bite you like Memphis mosquitoes.

Somebody pass the rubbing alcohol, and also a soothing solution to the Grizzlies' bumpy and uncomfortable draft predicament.

Here's a worthwhile idea: Trade the 13th pick.

It's different from anything basketball players chasing their dreams ever experience.

When a player is trying to make a junior high or high school team, there are team tryouts. And when a player is recruited for college, it happens because of his play in a team concept.

But when the NBA is interested in a player enough to bring him in for an individual workout, suddenly the spotlight narrows.

You have one or two hours to impress an NBA coaching staff that you might fit their situation. On your marks. Get set. Go!

Ever see a floating basketball court?

Greg Lowry, our favorite spokesman for The Pyramid, saw one last weekend when the heavy rains came and lightning knocked out the pump that keeps the Pointed House from flooding.

A private function had been held on The Pyramid floor just hours before on the Grizzies' basketball court.

When the rains hit, a flood of water poured through the rear loading dock and filled the arena floor and down the hallways.

"The court was floating," Lowry said.

The court, owned by The Pyramid, will be replaced at a cost of at least $100,000.

Former Tigers forward Chris Massie began his latest journey to the NBA, showcasing skills and competitive spirit Sunday for the Grizzlies.

Massie, listed at 6-9 and 253 pounds, was one of four participants in a pre-draft workout at Rhodes College.

But the 26-year-old knows he has farther to travel for a spot in the league.

After just a couple of additional private workouts Massie said he plans to return to Chicago for the NBA's final pre-draft camp. Last year, Massie was an early-entry candidate for the draft but decided to return to Memphis after a poor showing at Chicago.

"I'm just going to try to outplay everybody," Massie said. "I feel comfortable with going to Chicago because I've been there and I know the ropes."

Grizzlies majority owner Michael Heisley sat in his downtown Chicago office pondering what could have been.

Not even 24 hours had passed since the NBA draft lottery dealt the Grizzlies another crippling blow. The Griz won the No. 2 overall pick last Thursday, and then they were required to promptly hand it over to the Detroit Pistons.

The Grizzlies owed Detroit. And big time - all because of an ill-advised 1997 trade for then-35-year-old Otis Thorpe.

The heartache still fresh, Heisley didn't hesitate to use a sharp tongue in describing his first three years as an NBA owner.

The Spurs are close to finalizing a deal to play a preseason game against Memphis in Paris, two league sources said Friday.

The game likely would be scheduled around Oct. 9 and the team would spend about five days in France.

NBA officials contacted the Spurs about playing in the game to help capitalize on the popularity of Tony Parker, who grew up in France. Last summer, Parker held a Nike-sponsored basketball camp in Paris that drew a large number of fans.

The Grizzlies are expected to also play a game in Spain after facing the Spurs.

When the NBA lottery was reduced to just two teams in the all-or-nothing LeBron James sweepstakes on Thursday night, Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown began believing.

"Anxiety, oh yeah," Brown said of his feelings. "Did I think we had it? Well, maybe."

Then, the draw. Game, set, lottery and LeBron, the high school wonder boy and certain No. 1 pick, to the Cleve land Cav a liers. The Grizzlies' No. 2 pick gone-with-the-wind to Detroit to satisfy an awful 1997 trade.

Suddenly, the Heartbreak Hotel wasn't at the end of Lonely Street. It was at the Grizzlies offices downtown in the Toyota building.

"Frustration?" Brown said of the end result. "Absolutely."

No one suffered more than Grizzlies general manager Dick Versace.

A rule of the NBA draft lottery states that teams must send two representatives - someone to sit on stage and another person to watch the closed-doors proceedings.

Versace sat in that locked room for nearly 90 minutes.

He knew the lottery results in 180 seconds.

Grizzlies president of basketball operations Jerry West compared the disappointment to losing NBA championships.

"This is easy when you've lost a whole bunch of championships," he said about falling short at the NBA Draft Lottery. "Not fun, but easy."

The analogy was West's attempt to show strength in the franchise's darkest moment since he took over.

Driving a fully loaded Hummer has elicited as much notoriety as his ability to finish at the rim.

If the basketball intellect and instincts don't speak volumes, his presence on the Internet does (an official Web site, and Yahoo! search hits exceeding 30,000).

He's already armed with a publicist and a high-profile sports agent. Three major shoe company executives are in pursuit with multimillion dollar checks in hand.

Yes, many people already believe LeBron James is worth all that.