Grizzlies center Lorenzen Wright wears his emotions on his sleeve.
He doesn't say what he believes you want to hear.
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In other words, Wright is no phony.
So believe it when the 6-11 local product says he is not bothered that team president Jerry West left him unprotected for today's expansion draft.
But Wright has a few words of advice for the incoming Charlotte Bobcats: Don't take him.
"I feel good about being here. Memphis is my team," Wright said. "I feel very excited about going into the new arena (FedExForum). If they (the Bobcats) took me, I'd be mad. I'm looking forward to being on this team."
Wright was left exposed for the expansion draft, joining Troy Bell, Ryan Humphrey, Dahntay Jones, Bo Outlaw, Theron Smith and Jake Tsakalidis among the players available to the Bobcats.
West was unavailable Monday.
West said he would inform unprotected players of his rationale. West and Wright had not spoken as of last Thursday when the Griz unveiled their new uniforms. Wright, who modeled the new attire, had been in the Bahamas on a family vacation.
Recognized as the heart and soul of the Grizzlies, Wright remained upbeat even after acknowledging that the team wants to upgrade his position either through trade or free agency.
"It doesn't bother me. I prepare every summer to play in October," Wright said. "Wherever I am in October, I'm going to be ready. All of the business part of this, I let Jerry and those guys handle that. I play ball."
When the expansion draft unfolds the Bobcats must select at least 14 players. They can take just one player per team. If the Grizzlies' reported list of unprotected players is accurate, Wright would join a number of high-priced veterans available to the Bobcats.
But the Bobcats' brass is on record with their strategy. Expect Charlotte to select young, low-priced players instead of loading up on veteran players such as Wright, who will earn $7.1 million this season.
Bernie Bickerstaff, the Bobcats' coach and general manager, has said he likely will keep as few as four players from the expansion. The Bobcats may take mostly restricted free agents so that they can become unrestricted and unattached from the Bobcats.
"I told him there are personnel reasons, strategic reasons and financial reasons," said Robert Fayne, who is Wright's agent and a Memphis native based in New York. "The fact that you're on the list doesn't mean that they don't want you back."
More realistically, Memphis will lose one of its developing players. Bell is a strong possibility. Jones would give the Bobcats local flavor given he played at Duke. Smith played the most of any Griz rookie and proved his wares in limited action.
A pre-determined deal between Memphis and Charlotte is perhaps the most shocking way Wright could depart. The Griz could encourage the Bobcats to take Wright by offering up to $3 million and draft picks.
Phoenix already has a trade in place so that the Bobcats will take Jahidi White off its roster.
"You never know what's going to happen," Wright said, "so you have to be ready for anything in this business."
- Ronald Tillery:
