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As Memphis saddles up for its first playoff hunt since 2006, it hoped to get a boost from swingman Ronnie Brewer, a Jazz starter acquired for a protected first-round pick just before Thursday's trade deadline. Brewer was expected to back up O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, and perhaps even play between the two when Mayo shifts over to point guard. As Matt Moore wrote at the point of Brewer's acquisition, Memphis's bench has been its albatross, and Brewer figured to be a huge relief.His fairly serious injury, then, a tear to his right hamstring in just his first game with Grizzlies, one which will keep Brewer shelved at least three weeks, is a reversal of that relief. That these three weeks are critical to both Memphis's playoff hopes and Brewer's financial future provides more "ugh!" to the proceedings. The Grizz sit at 27-27 right now, some 3-1/2 games behind Portland for the No. 8 seed in the West. The deficit is complicated by the two other teams (New Orleans and Houston) between Memphis and the Blazers. The Grizz knew they faced strong headwind in the quest for the postseason, precipitating the trade for Brewer. Obviously, then, losing him hurts that quest.
But even further than that, three weeks on the shelf costs Brewer three critical weeks of an opportunity to show Memphis and the NBA at large he's worth his weight in bronze, or at least nickel. Brewer is a restricted free agent this summer, facing a famously crowded market. It'd be surprising if Memphis did not present the $3.8 million qualifying offer required to reserve the right to match any offer sheet Brewer may sign. But faced with that, Brewer may find an exceedingly slow market out there. That could lead to a delay in true free agency should Brewer take the Q.O. -- a delay that runs right into the daunting summer of 2011, the summer of a new collective bargaining agreement.
But supposing Brewer comes back in three weeks, he will have one month of court time. Hopefully, for the sake of he, the Grizz and the drama-loving masses watching the Western race with glee (or instead of Glee, I suppose), Memphis can hang tough (as it has all season) and Brewer can make a real difference this season.
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