It was possible, though, and it has happened. Indeed, the Raptors may have somehow gotten an even return in the deal to alleviate their mistake. In exchange for Gay, third-string center Aaron Gray, third-string power forward Quincy Acy and (effectively) third-string point guard D.J. Augustin (waived to accommodate the deal), the Raptors acquired a point guard in Greivis Vasquez who was among the league leaders in assists as recently as last season and a couple of occasionally useful backups. It is just a shame the whole process cost them Ed Davis.
The only two players from the 2010 draft that have not signed theirs are the two picks that the Grizzlies didn't sell; Xavier Henry (#12) and Greivis Vasquez (#26).
Nothing is said about why Vasquez hasn't signed, although the fact that he just had his ankle scoped may well factor. Henry, however, is the subject of a broo-haha. A rum-do. A fracas. A rumpus. Henry - or perhaps more specifically, Henry's agent Arn Tellem - are offended at the Grizzlies suggestion that Henry sign a rookie contract that includes performance-related incentives. He sat out of summer league play due to the drama, ensuring that the beef has been taken public, and the Grizzlies have thus been made to look like a cheap, reprehensible franchise.
However, as we learnt in the above quote from last year's post, the inclusion of said incentives is standard practice. So what's the problem?
Pick 28: Memphis has the Lakers' pick here, as a part of the Pau Gasol trade. You know of the Pau Gasol draft, right? It was the trade that looked far worse than it was when it first happened, then began to show its true value once Marc Gasol came over and starred, but then looked really bad again when Pau made noticable improvement after the age of 28. Memphis finally got their last asset from the deal by choosing Greivis Vasquez.
Jon Barry called the Vasquez pick a few seconds before it happened, which stuns Stu Scott, who interrogates Barry for how he knew that. Stu either didn't know, or pretended he didn't see, that Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted the news just before Barry spoke of it. And Barry also has an earpiece in. We're onto you, Jon Barry.
Unlike most of the players immediately preceding him, Vasquez is at the draft, and celebrates enthusiastically. He starts with an air punch and a yell, hugs everybody within 40 feet, bounds up the stage with a merry jig, and then gives David Stern a rib rattling bear-hug. The whole scene is punctuated by the dance of the night from this random Maryland fan.
Vasquez then joins Mark Jones - who thought he was done interviewing for the night, and who can be seen still chewing on the remains of a pasty - and then proceeds to laud the strength of the Grizzlies roster; "Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, the guy who just got drafted." I really hope he meant himself. He then thanks God repeatedly, for apparently this was largely God's work. Come on now, Greivis. Give yourself more credit.
The purple blobs under Vasquez's eyes look like unwashed pizza wheels. And when he's playing, they grow like asexually reproducing pizza wheels. That's all I have to say about that.
