Ed Stefanski

Michael Wallace Grind Cit

MEMPHIS – More than anything, this collective move by the Grizzlies was about confidence, continuity and clarity. It reflects how the chemistry this feisty franchise displays on the court is mirrored by the current symmetry in play behind the scenes in the front office.

We’ve seen how the Core Four of Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen have transformed this team and this town into one of the toughest and proudest products in the NBA. But what we don’t always see, or quite comprehend, is just how the Key Three calibrates it all.

The decision by controlling owner Robert Pera on Thursday to extend the contracts of general manager Chris Wallace and top basketball operations executives John Hollinger and Ed Stefanski, all of whom were in the final year of their current agreements, is the right move at a pivotal time for the franchise.

After some initial turbulence in the front-office transition a few years ago, Wallace has helped steer the basketball operations staff through a restructuring process in which the Grizzlies have upgraded staff, facilities and a supporting cast around the Core Four to keep the team in contention.

There’s a confidence in this front office that starts at the top with Pera and extends through the roster and beyond among NBA agents and rival league executives who were not the least bit surprised by Memphis doubling down on its front-office trio.

It’s also about continuity. In an era of NBA business when smaller market franchises have struggled to hold on to their stars, the Grizzlies have maintained their foundation and continue to be an illuminating exception to recent trends. In the past two years, Wallace, Hollinger and Stefanski have been at the forefront of the Grizzlies’ successful efforts to retain Gasol in 2015 free agency and Conley last summer, with both players quickly accepting max contract offers without either seriously entertaining the thought of signing elsewhere.

That level of continuity and commitment is what drives a team that boasts the league’s longest-tenured four-man core. It’s pushed the franchise to the NBA’s third-longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances at six entering this season. And that four-man core has guided the Grizzlies to three 50-win seasons since 2012. But these contract extensions aren’t necessarily a reward for past performance.

That’s where the moves send a strong message about clarity. The Grizzlies believe they’ve found the right mix for long-term success and are on a clear path for the future. Conley, Gasol and Chandler Parsons are all in the initial years of long-term contracts. Memphis is also coming off one of the strongest drafts in the franchise’s recent history after acquiring point guard Wade Baldwin IV midway through the first round and center Deyonta Davis early in the second as arguably the steal of the draft.

Player development efforts have also quickly turned undrafted power forward JaMychal Green into a starter in his third season in which he is rated as one of the NBA’s best defenders at his position. And point guard Andrew Harrison, a 2015 second-round pick who spent all of last season in the NBA D-League, is starting in place of an injured Conley and leads all league rookies in minutes at 27.4 per game. Along those same lines, it was the collective evaluation of the front-office trio that sparked the bold call to release former first-round pick Jordan Adams after training camp in favor of undrafted rookie Troy Williams, who led all NBA rookies in preseason scoring and has recently emerged as a key rotation player.

There have been some gambles along the way.

In hindsight, Adams is an example of a draft pick that didn’t work out and was taken at a spot when, for instance, versatile shooting guard Rodney Hood was still on the board and has blossomed with the Jazz. It’s also easy to point out how the trade for Jeff Green two years ago didn’t have the desired results, although the Grizzlies advanced to the second round of the playoffs and held a 2-1 series lead before succumbing to injuries in a loss to eventual champion Golden State.

Two other shrewd moves last season might have been the most underrated transactions in the league. Under Wallace, Hollinger and Stefanski, the Grizzlies last summer flipped foreign prospect Janis Timma, who may never play in the NBA, to ultimately acquire respected veteran defender Matt Barnes. Then, Memphis followed that up early last season with another plus-sum move by sending out Beno Udrih and Jarnell Stokes for upgrades in Mario Chalmers and James Ennis. And to help offset having traded away two future first-round picks, including a high  lottery-protected one that goes to Denver next summer, Wallace scrambled to stockpile as many as seven second-round picks that could be used to sweeten future potential trades or to add young prospects, like Harrison, Deyonta Davis and Rade Zagorac.

And yes, there’s a risk to paying Parsons $94 million as he’s coming off a second knee surgery and is now sidelined again by problems with his other, non-surgically repaired knee. On top of that, hiring a first-time head coach in David Fizdale can be as easily questioned as it is defended and supported with so many factors in play for the franchise.

But therein lies the clarity aspect again. It’s clear the Grizzlies are going for it. Memphis has a team in place it believes in on the court and leadership it values in the front office. There’s a new core that is peaking, a developing supporting cast that includes several stars with a lot left in the tank, talented youngsters, a dynamic young coach and future roster/salary-cap flexibility.

Grit’N’Grind has evolved well beyond a style of play in Memphis.

It’s a bridge to confidence, continuity and clarity.

By collectively locking up Wallace, Hollinger and Stefanski with extensions, the Grizzlies have again locked in on that concept.

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A bridge to confidence, continuity and clarity

admin

Memphis Grizzlies Controlling Owner Robert Pera announced today that General Manager Chris Wallace, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Hollinger and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Ed Stefanski have been signed to multi-year extensions with the organization.  Per team policy, terms of the extensions will not be disclosed.

“I am pleased to announce that our Basketball Operations executive team, led by General Manager, Chris Wallace, will continue to lead our franchise for years to come,” Pera said. “Chris, John and Ed bring a wealth of NBA experience and success, and have done a tremendous job establishing the strong culture that I believe is necessary to ensure sustained success in this ultra-competitive environment. More importantly, I am confident that the toughness, resilience, discipline and unselfishness that are embedded in the fabric of our culture will continue to serve as a point of pride for Memphis, the surrounding region and all Grizzlies fans.”

See Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace’s analysis.

Wallace joined the Grizzlies as general manager and vice president of basketball operations on June 18, 2007 and assembled much of the talent that has helped guide the franchise to a club-record six consecutive playoff appearances.  Through trades, free agency and the draft, Wallace established a core that includes: the franchise leader in assists, steals and games played Mike Conley; 2014-15 All-NBA First Team center and 2012-13 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol; two-time NBA All-Star (2009, 2012) Zach Randolph;  five-time NBA All-Defense mainstay Tony Allen and highly coveted free agent Chandler Parsons.

The culture established in Memphis during Wallace’s tenure has been a major factor in the signing and retention of the Grizzlies’ core players over several different off-seasons.  The result of such stability has been the organization’s sustained success over the course of Wallace’s long tenure. The Grizzlies have recorded six consecutive winning seasons (compared to just three in the franchise’s first 15 years of existence), and their 60.9 winning percentage during the regular season is the seventh-best in the NBA over that span. The team has made six straight trips to the NBA Playoffs, the third-longest active streak in the league, and advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2013 after setting a club record for regular season wins (56) that year. Wallace’s roster construction led to the Grizzlies’ first 27 postseason victories; the franchise had never won a playoff game in its 12 seasons before his hiring.

Wallace has served seven NBA franchises in his career and has worked with five former NBA Executive of the Year winners, including Red Auerbach, Danny Ainge, Bucky Buckwalter, Geoff Petrie and Jerry West.  In addition, he has worked alongside Basketball Hall of Fame members Billy Cunningham and Pat Riley.

Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Wallace spent 10 seasons as general manager of the Boston Celtics (1997-2007) and four seasons as a scout with the Miami Heat (1993-97), where he was promoted to director of player personnel in his final season.  Wallace worked in various scouting capacities for the New York Knicks (1991-92), Los Angeles Clippers (1990-91), Denver Nuggets (1989-90) and Portland Trail Blazers (1986-89).

Wallace, an avid basketball fan before breaking into the NBA, got his start in basketball in 1981 when he founded the award-winning Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Sports Illustrated named Wallace as one of the most inﬂuential members of the college basketball media in 1991. He has also served as an expert witness in basketball-related litigation and is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Touchdown Club of Memphis and Catholic Charities of West Tennessee.

John Hollinger, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations:

Hollinger joined the organization as vice president of basketball operations on Dec. 13, 2012. Best known for his work at the forefront of basketball's analytics movement, Hollinger holds a prominent role in more traditional basketball functions such as scouting and medical support, while his analytics background is vital in analyzing personnel decisions such as trades, draft, free agency and salary cap management. In addition, Hollinger oversees the Grizzlies’ analytics infrastructure and international scouting.

Before coming to the Grizzlies, Hollinger was an NBA columnist for ESPN.com for eight years. His daily "PER Diem" column was a mainstay of their coverage, while analytic tools he developed became key elements of the site. In particular, Hollinger is the inventor of Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and developed several other statistics that are now in wide use today, including Rebound Rate, Usage Rate, Offensive Efficiency, Defensive Efficiency, Pace Factor, Pure Point Rating, Game Score, and Estimated Wins. He was among the first to use analytics to forecast player performance and analyze draft prospects.

Before joining ESPN, Hollinger covered the NBA for SI.com, Oregonlive.com and The New York Sun. He also authored four annual editions of the Pro Basketball Forecast. He first gained notoriety as the creator of Alleyoop.com, a website devoted to basketball analytics. Hollinger is a native of New Jersey, where he played on his high school basketball team, and graduated from the University of Virginia with degrees in Economics and Environmental Science.

Ed Stefanski, Executive Vice President of Player Personnel:

Stefanski joined the Grizzlies as executive vice president of player personnel on July 30, 2014, bringing to Memphis his well-earned reputation league-wide as an excellent evaluator of talent following management positions at the highest levels with the New Jersey Nets (1999-2007), Philadelphia 76ers (2007-11) and Toronto Raptors (2011-13).

Before coming to Memphis, Stefanski served two seasons (2011-13) as executive vice president of basketball operations with the Raptors and four seasons (2007-11) as president and general manager of the 76ers, reshaping both franchises through trade acquisitions and key draft picks that would eventually guide both clubs back to the NBA Playoffs.

Prior to joining Philadelphia, Stefanski served nine seasons (1998-2007) with the New Jersey Nets where he oversaw the team’s basketball operations and was heavily involved in the team’s roster development and player personnel matters.  He was promoted to general manager in 2004 following a one-year term as senior vice president of basketball operations and four seasons as director of scouting. Stefanski was instrumental in the New Jersey’s back-to-back Eastern Conference Championship teams in 2002 and 2003 after the team drafted Kenyon Martin with the top overall selection in the 2000 NBA Draft and acquired Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins from Houston in a 2001 draft night deal.  Stefanski acquired multiple All-Star and current Grizzlies wing Vince Carter from Toronto in 2004.

A 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School of Business), Stefanski played three seasons for Penn, where he was coached by Hall of Famer Chuck Daly.  He was a member of two Ivy League Champions (1974 and 1975) and helped the Quakers reach the NCAA Tournament in both of those seasons.  Stefanski was drafted by Philadelphia in the 10th round of the 1976 NBA Draft.

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Grizzlies announce multi-year contract extensions for Chris Wallace, John Hollinger and Ed Stefanski

Memphis Grizzlies Controlling Owner Robert Pera will introduce General Manager Chris Wallace and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Ed Stefanski at a press conference on Friday, Aug. 1 at 11 a.m. (CT) in the Don Poier Media Center at FedExForum. Head Coach Dave Joerger will also be on-hand to discuss the coaching staff and player development additions.

Wallace was named general manager on Monday, July 28, while Stefanski was hired as executive vice president of player personnel on Tuesday, July 29.

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Memphis Grizzlies to introduce Front Office additions at 11 a.m. press conference Friday, Aug. 1 at FedExForum

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace announced today that the team has named Ed Stefanski as executive vice president of player personnel.

“We are pleased to welcome Ed Stefanski to the Grizzlies and the city of Memphis,” Wallace said. “Ed is an established NBA executive and excellent talent evaluator who has had success with multiple organizations. Together, with our ownership, front office and coaching staff, we will continue to work to realize our collective vision of hosting a championship parade down Beale Street.”

Stefanski comes to Memphis following upper management positions with the New Jersey Nets (1999-2007), Philadelphia 76ers (2007-11) and, most recently, Toronto Raptors (2011-13), where he served as executive vice president of basketball operations.

Prior to that, Stefanski spent four seasons as president and general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, where he guided the team back to the playoffs three times after it had not qualified for the postseason in the two seasons before his hiring.  Stefanski helped rebuild the 76ers by re-signing key players such as Andre Iguodala and using mid-first round draft picks on young talent such as Marreese Speights (16th overall in 2008), Jrue Holiday (17th in 2009) and Nikola Vucevic (16th in 2011).

Before joining Philadelphia, Stefanski spent nine seasons with the Nets where he oversaw the team’s basketball operations and was heavily involved in player personnel matters.  He was promoted to general manager in 2004 after serving one season as senior vice president of basketball operations and four seasons as director of scouting.

Stefanski was instrumental in helping build the Nets’ back-to-back Eastern Conference championship teams (2002 and 2003).  He had a significant part in drafting Kenyon Martin with the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, as well as a draft night deal in which the Nets acquired Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong from Houston.  Martin, Jefferson and Collins would develop into starters for the Nets’ 2002-03 Eastern Conference championship squad.

In 2004, Stefanski played a major role in the trade that moved All-Star and current Grizzlies wing Vince Carter from Toronto to New Jersey in 2004.  Carter and Jefferson rank second and third, respectively, in Nets franchise history in points scored.

A 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School of Business), Stefanski played three seasons for Penn, where he was coached by Hall-of-Famer Chuck Daly. He was a member of two Ivy League Champions (1974 and 1975) and helped the Quakers reach the NCAA Tournament in both of those seasons.  Stefanski was drafted by Philadelphia in the 10th round of the 1976 NBA Draft.

While in college, Stefanski founded and secured funding for the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Inner City Basketball League, which provided a structured basketball environment for hundreds of boys and girls living under the Housing Authority.  The Housing Authority later celebrated his efforts with a special recognition award, commending his contributions to the youth of Philadelphia.

Stefanksi also enjoyed a 20-year run as a color analyst for Big Five basketball and ESPN’s Atlantic 10 basketball coverage.

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Memphis Grizzlies name Ed Stefanski Executive Vice President of Player Personnel

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