The Pistons traded Otis Thorpe to Vancouver prior to the 1997-98 season in exchange for a future 1st round pick. Four years later, that trade could come to fruition for Detroit. Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports that the Grizzlies face a Friday deadline to hand over a 1st round pick to Detroit (18th overall or better) or face parting with a more attractive 1st rounder next season.

NBA Commissioner David Stern says Memphis is "looking good on the road to approval" for getting the Vancouver Grizzlies.  Stern and the seven-member relocation committee visited Memphis Tuesday.  The main remaining issue is a big one: approval of a $250 million arena.  Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik says arena financing needs to be "as ironclad as it can be" before the league will give approval.  Some Memphis politicians don't like the fact they're having to move so fast on a large expenditure with too little information.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal presents a fairly long and balanced profile of Grizz owner Michael Heisley.  If you missed everything before the fireworks started in January, it's a good piece to read.  Meanwhile the Vancouver Province says the writing was on the wall for the Grizz as soon as John McCaw sold the team.  They go on to add that there had been talk of turning GM Place into a crown corporation, thus giving the Grizzlies a situation somewhat more like the one Heisley expects to have in his new rent-free arena in Memphis. But the suddenness with which the NBA allowed Heisley to begin his relocation search effectively doomed such a complicated process.

The Knicks' draft pick is going to the Suns.  It can then go to the Magic.  And the Magic owe a pick to the Rockets.  The Rockets owe the Grizzlies.  But the Pistons don't want that pick to reach Vancouver (oops, Memphis), because the Grizzlies owe the Pistons a pick.  This season it can be any team's top-18 pick, but next season it must be the Grizz' pick (top 5 protected).  So the Pistons are lobbying the Magic, and might even return Chucky Atkins to the Magic if they'll just keep from moving that pick to Houston.  BTW - RealGM understands the Grizz must get the pick to Detroit by June 1.

In a remarkably candid interview with the Vancouver Sun, Mark Cuban says, "Vancouver shouldn't be mad at Michael Heisley. They should be mad at the NBA. We both got our franchises at the exact same time and the NBA convinced him to do it their way by following the NBA template. They also tried to convince me, but I told them to take a long walk. We can see the difference in what happened."  Cuban explains how the team could have been made to work in Vancouver.  But he says he'll support Heisley in moving, adding that Heisley is "getting screwed again because the NBA hasn't made up their mind so he can't start selling tickets. I'm sure Heisley's kicking himself for even buying the team now."

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the City Council and County Commission may vote on a public financing plan for a new $250 million basketball arena on June 4.  That comes a week after David Stern is expected to visit Memphis.  Both elected bodies could vote on the financing plan as well as an arena lease agreement for the Grizzlies June 4.  At the same time, the University of Memphis is attempting to negotiate a change in financial arrangements for the Pyramid.  They fear construction of a new NBA arena could cost them $2 million per year.

AP reports that a re-located Vancouver Grizzlies won't be called the Memphis Express.  The NBA has a firm policy that doesn't allow corporate names for its teams.  The Express name is part of Fed Ex's $100 million offer for naming rights.  David Stern will join the league's relocation committee visiting Memphis next week.