Memphis rookie O.J. Mayo got a glowing endorsement from the league MVP Kobe Bryant, who dominated the rookie early in the U.S. National team scrimmages, but to his credit Mayo got better the more they played, the L.A. Times are reporting.

"Kobe completely shut him down in the beginning," said U.S. managing director Jerry Colangelo. "But the longer they went, the better Mayo got."

"I think the world of him," Bryant said. "I think he's extremely talented. I think he has a great overall game that a lot of young players don't have in terms of skills. He can handle, he can shoot, he can pass, he's fast, he's quick, so that's the whole package."

At one point, the Grizzlies were offering a package that included either Kyle Lowry or Javaris Crittenton for Nenad Krstic.

The Bulls have a $5.2 million trade exception from the Ben Wallace/Larry Hughes trade and were contemplating throwing in a future first-round pick.

The Orlando Magic have held serious trade talks with the Memphis Grizzlies about point guard Javaris Crittenton.

Crittenton is part of the backcourt logjam in Memphis and would welcome a trade.

"I know there's a lot of interest between the two teams, and I have a call in to Otis (Smith) to talk to him about it," his agent Wallace Prather said on Monday. "We know a lot of the players on the Magic team, so it would be a good fit for Javaris."

Crittenton played high school basketball with Dwight Howard.

To get Crittenton, the Magic would most likely surrender veteran shooting guard Keith Bogans and multiple draft picks. Orlando has a glut of shooting guards with Pietrus, Bogans, J.J. Redick, and rookie Courtney Lee.

O.J. Mayo hit the best highlight shot of his career to date with a long 69 foot heave to beat the buzzer at the end of the first quarter, the Associated Press is reporting.

"I thought it wasn't going to make it to the rim," Mayo said. "I was surprised. After practices recently, we have been practicing half-court shots. I made a few there, and now I made one in a game."

Mayo finished with 18 points, but his Grizzlies fell to the Spurs 78-76.

David Lee is nervous that his time in New York may be coming to an end, but he does understand it is a business.

According to the New York Post, after meeting with Coach Mike D'Antoni for lunch, Lee found out the reason his name keeps appearing in rumors is because the Knicks are trying to move Zach Randolph, and Lee would be included to try to entice another team into taking Randolph's large contract off the Knicks' hands.

Before the NBA Draft Lee was close to being dealt to Memphis in a trade which would have landed New York the Grizzlies' first round pick, #5 overall.

Lee did not deny his agent Mark Bartlestein before the draft advised Memphis not to trade for him because Lee would never sign a long-term contract with the Grizzlies.

"I don't know what happened on his end," Lee said. "His job is to represent his players."

O.J. Mayo made his summer league debut for the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, finishing with 15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and a win, the Associated Press is reporting.

Memphis beat New Orleans 88-75.

Fellow rookie Darrell Arthur, whose stock fell dramatically on draft night, stood out in his pro debut, scoring 18 points on 9-for-12 shooting.

The Milwaukee Bucks worked out former first overall pick Kwame Brown on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting.

Brown started the season with the Lakers before being dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Pau Gasol trade.

?He was good,? Skiles said of Brown?s workout session. ?Nothing that we didn?t already know he could do. He?s got enough of a background now. We?ll take a serious look at him."

?We?re weighing some other options, too. But we were fortunate enough to get him in for a workout.?

It is believed that Miami are also showing interest in Brown.

The Memphis Grizzlies signed Spanish center and 2008 ACB Most Valuable Player Marc Gasol, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The younger brother of the Grizzlies? all-time leading scorer Pau Gasol, Marc has played the last five seasons (2003-08) in the Spanish ACB League, making his professional debut as an 18-year-old with F.C. Barcelona. Most recently, he was named the league MVP after averaging 16.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks for Akasvayu Girona in 2007-08.

The Memphis Grizzlies signed 2008 first-round draft choices O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur to multi-year contracts, Grizzlies' General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Mayo, a 6-5, 200-pound guard, averaged 20.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game as a freshman at USC and was a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards. Selected third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Mayo?s draft rights were sent to Memphis as part of an eight-player draft-night trade.

Arthur, a 6-9, 225-pound forward, was originally selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 27th pick before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets in separate draft night deals. The Grizzlies acquired his rights from the Rockets in exchange for Donte Greene (28th) and a 2009 second-round pick.

The Grizzlies will have another Gasol in uniform in 2008-09 after agreeing to a three year, $10 million contract with Marc Gasol - Pau's brother - Marty Burns from Sports Illustrated is reporting.

The contract has yet to be signed but was said to be near completion.

Memphis GM Chris Wallace said previously last month that Gasol could have been a lottery pick this year.

"He was drafted 48th by the Lakers last year, but if he was in the draft this season he'd be deep in the lottery," Wallace said. "He's one of the elite players in Europe."