Grizzlies guard Ronnie Brewer is confident that he'll return to the floor this season.

Brewer has missed the team's last two games with a sore right hamstring and there are just nine contests left in the regular season.

"I'm still working my way onto the team in practice and trying to get stronger," Brewer said. "I'll come back when it feels closer to normal."

He returned on March 16, a little more than three weeks after suffering a partially torn right hamstring, but Brewer insists that he didn't come back too soon.

"No. I don't think so," he said. "The first game, it felt really good. The second game, it was weaker. I really couldn't do the things I'm capable of doing, so I decided to take a step back."

O.J. Mayo said his agent informed him about a potential deal to the Warriors before the deadline, and he credited veteran teammates for keeping the ordeal in perspective.

"It's part of the business," Mayo said. "I can't imagine not being here (with Memphis). But it is what it is. I guess the team thought maybe Monta Ellis would be a better fit. I don't know."

Mayo said he remains unaffected by having his name in trade discussions.

"I'm always going to go out on the court and compete and try to help my team win," Mayo said. "It happens. Look at Zach Randolph. As great as he is, he's been traded three or four times. It's the business."

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told a group of season ticket holders that the team plans to match any offer Rudy Gay receives this summer.

Gay will be a restricted free agent, meaning that Memphis has the right to match any offer sheet he signs.

Heisley spoke before Tuesday's game against the Bulls at the team's annual "State of the Franchise" Chalk Talk where season ticket holders could ask questions.

Grizzlies guard Ronnie Brewer expects to return on Tuesday night against the Bulls.

Brewer hasn't played in three weeks because of a partially torn hamstring. He was explosive in practice on Monday, intercepting a pass and streaking down the court for a dunk.

"After I got the steal, coach said 'hold on.' But that's part of the confidence thing with me -- to be able to do the things I was doing before I got injured," Brewer said. "I want to be able to play defense, get steals and finish at the basket. Slowly but surely, I'm getting where I need to be."

Rudy Gay will be among the Knicks' free-agent targets this off-season and could wind up in New York if the team's top choices cannot be had.  He is a restricted free-agent, which means Memphis can match any offer sheet he signs with another team.

Gay is happy in Memphis but said Madison Square Garden is a special place for him to play.

"It's the most famous arena in the world and it's great to play there," said Gay.  "Every time I play there, I get chills. To play in that arena would be nice, but FedEx Forum has kind of been home for me."

Gay also spoke favorably about Mike D'Antoni's free-flowing offensive system.

"That's an appealing style they play," Gay said. "Every kid grows up playing like that and enjoys it. What I like about D'Antoni's system is that everybody is effective in it. At any time, anybody can score. So it's something I'd look at this summer."

Some players tire of hearing the same questions over and over in each NBA city, but Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay understands that his pending free agency is just part of the business.

"It's just part of the business," Gay said. "Like I've said, I'd like to be here. But, you know, this is the NBA. It's a business."

Gay will be a restricted free agent this summer and since the trade deadline passed his status has become a hot topic at each of the team's stops.

Many consider him an option for teams that miss out on unrestricted free agents like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh.

Grizzlies guard Ronnie Brewer could return to the floor as early next week.

Memphis acquired Brewer in a trade with Utah on Feb. 18 and is recovering from a partially torn hamstring.

On Tuesday he participated in his first noncontact practice since suffering the injury Feb. 19.

"If I push it, I might be (back) this weekend. If not, early next week," Brewer said. "I plan on getting out there and helping this team. I have to get the OK from the doctors but I'm trying to come back soon. But 31/2 games out (of the eighth playoff spot) is not unachievable with the talent level on this team.

"You don't want to have to watch games and hope the teams ahead of you lose. You want to take care of your business. I think that's what this team needs to do."

Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph missed Monday's game against the Nets with lower back stiffness.

Randolph, who is averaging 20.8 points and 11.8 rebounds this season, was a late scratch.

Memphis defeated New Jersey 107-101 despite his absence.

The Memphis Grizzlies recalled center Hasheem Thabeet from the Dakota Wizards, the team?s NBA Development League?s affiliate, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

The second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Thabeet averaged a double-double with 13.8 points and 11.2 rebounds along with 3.17 blocks on 50.0 percent shooting in 31.3 minutes in six games (four starts) with Dakota after being assigned by the Grizzlies on Feb. 25.  

The 7-3, 267-pound center, who led the Wizards to a 5-1 record, scored a D-League career-high 19 points on Feb. 28 at Fort Wayne and grabbed a personal-best 18 rebounds on March 5 at Tulsa.

Memphis owner Michael Heisley was asked about rumors surrounding an O.J. Mayo trade to the Warriors.

"I'm not going to get into who we talked about trading or not," said Heisley. "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."