David Joerger agreed Friday to a two-year deal with the Grizzlies that includes a significant increase in pay and a promotion to lead assistant.

Joerger is entering his fifth year with the Grizzlies and assumes the position vacated by Johnny Davis, who left earlier this month to become the lead assistant with the Toronto Raptors.

“I’m happy for (Joerger). He was instrumental in us being successful. Keeping him gives me a little peace of mind,” Hollins said. “It’s really disappointing that we lost two guys because in any endeavor you want continuity. You want to have trust in who your coaches are and what they are about. And that takes time to develop. When you’re changing coaches on a regular basis you never really get that. It’s hard to find coaches who know how to be followers but are leaders.

“Johnny Davis was important to us and nobody really knows how valuable Damon Stoudamire was to us. He had a very good connection with all the players. His relationship was unique and one I couldn’t have with the players. There were a lot of fires he could put out.”

Assistants Henry Bibby and Barry Hecker are also expected to re-sign with pay raises and more responsibility.

Pistons guard Ben Gordon is one of four players who will continue to get paid if the NBA lockout stretches into the upcoming season.

All are clients of agent Raymond Brothers, who spread their 2010-11 NBA salaries over 18 or 24 months in case the lockout forces the cancellation of games.

The others are Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, Mavericks forward Caron Butler and Clippers forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Octagon agent Lance Young, whose clients include Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, said some of his players would take a wait-and-see approach.

"If a lockout keeps going, a guy like Stephen might go over for a little while," Young said.

"The biggest money is China, hands down," Young said. "You can make almost double in China what you can in Europe. The Chinese league isn't as good of a league. But if it's all about money, you might as well go over there and make as much money as you can."

The Chinese season doesn't start until December, and teams recruit in September and October.

In an interview with a Houston newspaper, Memphis Grizzlies forward Shane Battier talked about his upcoming free agency and where he sees his new team in the NBA pecking order.

"Houston is a franchise in transition. From a talent standpoint, Memphis is going to be a force to deal with for a few years," he said. "Talent wins. You can have all the rah-rah you can muster, but at the end of the day in the NBA, talent wins."

Kobe Bryant may take his talents to China during the NBA's lockout.

There are preliminary talks about a basketball tour to China this summer — and perhaps beyond — in which the Lakers superstar, who has called China a "home away from home" and has an enormous following there, would be the headliner with several other NBA stars forming two or three barnstorming teams.

Bryant and his agent Rob Pelinka are trying to put together the tour, said Minnesota Timberwolves rookie forward Derrick Williams, who is also represented by Pelinka.

Williams said several clients of Pelinka's agency, the Landmark Sports Agency, could be involved in the tour.

"Hopefully I would be able to do that because I've never been out of the country and I think that would be the best thing for me," said Williams, the former La Mirada High and University of Arizona star who was drafted second overall in June's NBA draft.