Grizzlies waive former top draft pick Steve Francis

Steve Francis entered the NBA with the flashy moniker “Stevie Franchise”, drafted by the Grizzlies—then in Vancouver—with the 2nd overall pick in the draft behind Elton Brand at #1 and before Baron Davis at #3.  He refused to play in Vancouver, forcing a trade to the Houston Rockets where he would spend most of his NBA career.  On Wednesday, his career may have ended when the Grizzlies—now located in Memphis—waived Francis.

Memphis had acquired Francis in December along with a 2009 draft pick in exchange for a 2011 conditional pick.  Houston sent Francis packing to get under the NBA’s luxury tax, and with the Rockets on the hook for his 2008 salary it was really a “no lose” move for the Grizzlies.  Francis never played for the Grizzlies, nor did he travel with the team.  He did practice with Memphis occasionally, and otherwise conducted himself as a consummate professional during his short stay with the Grizz.  When the trade was announced, he indicated a desire to help groom some of the team’s talented young guards:

"Hopefully, I'll get an opportunity to play here and kind of teach some of the younger guys some of the things I've learned in my 10 years. It can help me stay young. I've seen a lot of stuff throughout my career. Hopefully, we'll work things out."

Ultimately, there wasn’t enough room in a young and talented Grizzlies’ backcourt for Francis. On Tuesday, Grizzlies President Chris Wallace announced that the team had worked out a contract buyout agreement and that Francis was being released.

Francis is only 31 years old, but his productivity has dropped substantially in the past few seasons due to injuries.  There’s some chance that he’ll re-sign with Houston—he’s very well thought of by the Rockets and within the community—but he’s a long way from his NBA All Star days of 2002,2003 and 2004. Francis averaged 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in nine seasons with Houston, Orlando and the New York Knicks. 

After Francis clears waivers he’ll become an unrestricted free agent, with Houston being his most likely destination.  Though he may not have the physical dominance he enjoyed early in his career, he’s a highly respected “character guy” and would be a welcome addition to any team’s locker room for this quality alone.