Sportsfrog.com

Thanks (kinda) to swamp all-universe member DSafetyGuy for this heads up on a piece in the Indianapolis Star with regard to the NBA’s mid-level exception, and the dangers to teams that throw mid-level money at guys not really deserving of same. Like, say, the Grizzlies did in Memphis with regard to Brian Cardinal. The horrible, eternally bad, Brian Cardinal. Who is collecting $38 million guaranteed for being horrible and eternally bad. Why, the few of us in Memphis who still care have often wondered, would Jerry West have done this?

Well, Mark Montieth of the Star tells this story that may explain it:

“An exceptionally well-connected league insider once told me the story of how Brian Cardinal got his mid-level. Seems Memphis owner Michael Heisley, frustrated by general manager Jerry West’s lack of activity, walked into West’s office one day and asked why he hadn’t signed anyone yet. So an exasperated West picked up his phone, called Cardinal’s agent and offered the mid-level on the spot. Then he turned to Heisley and said something along the lines of ‘There, you happy now?’”

Oh. my. god.

If THAT’s what really happened, then Heisley should have fired West on the spot.

I remain firmly in “show me” mode with new GM Chris Wallace, but cannot express enough how happy I am that Jerry West is no longer directly pulling the strings in Memphis. And hope like hell his indirect influence has sufficiently waned that Wallace et al can hang up the phone when he calls with suggestions.

Enough is enough. And that story, if remotely true, is stomach churning.