Heading into last week's draft, the Grizzlies carried images of injured guard Michael Dickerson.

The NBA's free agent period begins today with the Grizzlies staring at these cold, hard facts:

Third in points allowed (100.7 ppg).

28th in opponents' field goal percentage (.460)

28th in defensive rebounding (30.1)
That's where the Griz ranked last season, a situation created by a hole in the middle the team plans to fill by adding a true center this offseason.

NBA teams can negotiate with available players but not sign free agent contracts until July 16.

It's no secret that Griz president Jerry West is intent on luring a back-to-the-basket, defensive-minded post player. The Griz have played the past two seasons primarily with Lorenzen Wright in the middle. Wright (6-11, 240 pounds) and Stromile Swift (6-9, 225 pounds) are undersized at that position despite their aggressiveness.

"Yes," West said when asked if acquiring a center is his primary goal. "We think we got two players at every position, and (darn) good players. We've made progress to get where we want to go. So we're going to work very diligently to try and do something that will give us a center."