The five most interesting stories, rumors and notes in the NBA: 1. Chemistry test: Paging Lionel Hollins. Professor Hollins, please report to the chemistry lab. <\/p>\n
The Memphis Grizzlies are having a very nice season, overcoming the loss of forward Zach Randolph to put themselves in position to finish with a upper-division Western Conference playoff seed. At 25-18, they are a half game behind the Clippers for the No. 4 spot. <\/p>\n
On Friday, Randolph returned after missing 37 games with a knee injury. In two games since returning, Randolph is averaging 14 points and nine rebounds in 24.5 minutes off the bench. <\/p>\n
But do the Grizzlies need one more piece? Apparently they think so, and on Monday, they brought in veteran guard Gilbert Arenas for a physical and will sign him if he passes, the Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery reports. <\/p>\n
This should be interesting. Arenas, 30, has played 10 NBA seasons. During three of them -- 2004-05, '05-06 and '06-07 -- he was among the league's best offensive players, averaging 25.5, 29.3 and 28.4 points. <\/p>\n
But knee injuries and off-court issues -- especially his conviction on a gun charge and subsequent suspension in 2010 -- changed things. Before this season, Orlando -- which obtained him via a trade last season -- waived him under the league's amnesty clause. <\/p>\n
Arenas is one of six players who were amnestied this season, and none have bounced back to really make their old teams regret it. If Arenas plays, he would be one of three amnestied players currently active in the NBA, joining the Kings' Travis Outlaw (waived by Nets) and Knicks' Baron Davis (waived by Cavaliers). <\/p>\n
The Clippers' Chauncey Billups (waived by Knicks) is out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon, Charlie Bell (waived by Warriors) is playing in Italy, and, as we all know, Brandon Roy has retired. <\/p>\n
If the record of amnestied players hints that Arenas won't be an All-Star for Memphis, can he be an effective backup point guard, as Davis has become for the Knicks? That's the role the Grizzlies need filled -- a backup behind established starter Mike Conley. They don't necessarily need a gunner off the bench, a role filled by O.J. Mayo, who ranks third on the team in shot attempts. <\/p>\n
The signing of Arenas shows that the Grizzlies are looking to contend now, and there might be a good reason. There are rumblings in Memphis about a possible ownership change. Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle who was a finalist to buy the Golden State Warriors and also made an attempt to buy the New Orleans Hornets, is apparently making a run at the Grizzlies. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\nNBA High-5: Grizzlies flirt with chemistry experiment by courting Gilbert Arenas<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"