Rumors

Al Jefferson: "That was Doc Rivers’ first year. Let me tell you what happened. This was in May, right? I’m flying to Boston for my first NBA workout, and I have no idea what to expect. Now, it’s 90 degrees in Mississippi, so I’m wearing a Paul Pierce jersey with the sleeves cut off and some shorts. I show up in Boston, and it’s cold as hell. Chris Wallace, the GM, had just bought a new car and lost it in the airport parking lot. We walked around for 45 minutes trying to find his car. Finally, we had to call for one of those airport carts to drive us around until we found it."

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Then Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace was looking to get his team younger and shed future salary commitments at the behest of then team owner, Michael Heisley. "One of the things that we had heard was the guy, the owner, wanted to sell the team and they weren't going anywhere," Kupchak said. "They weren't having a very good season. Maybe they would lose some money, I don't know. So one of the first things we did was, with Chris, 'We can go two ways: We could give you players that add up to Pau's [salary] number, or if you prefer, we have a large expiring contract in Kwame Brown, right? And we can go that direction.' "I didn't ask him what they were trying to accomplish, I just gave them two options, and he called back and he said, 'Hey, let's work on the Kwame Brown option.'"

ESPN

But the salary numbers did not quite match up, so the Lakers had to get creative. Enter Aaron McKie, who was out of the league and volunteering as a coach with his alma mater, Temple University, after playing 24 games combined the previous two seasons. "We were short a small number, but there was no way to make it work," Kupchak said. "We just didn't have any more players to put in." So he called up McKie's agent with a proposition. "I said, 'Listen, the league will allow us to sign Aaron to a rest for the season contract, and we will put him in the trade and he'd have to report in Memphis. ... Would he do it?' And I forget how much money it was, I don't know, $600,000, $800,000 for three or four months, right?"

ESPN

McKie agreed. The trade went through. And the league, that now is a 24/7 news cycle of endless trade rumors and incremental negotiating updates, was shocked. "Chris didn't want it out," Kupchak said. "We both knew if it got out, it's not good. Just complicates things, right? "After the fact, there was certainly a lot of people saying stuff like, 'If we had known, we would've ...' But that could be sour grapes too, right?"

ESPN

Kupchak was thrilled to acquire Gasol. But he didn't want to hurt Wallace in the process. "At the time, it was viewed as a very lopsided deal, and it made me uncomfortable," Kupchak explained. "I mean, obviously being on the side that got Pau, I was pleased, but you don't want your colleagues to ever get crushed. "There was a lot of negative pushback, but when a year or two later, all of a sudden, you have Marc Gasol who's the starting center making the All-Star team, the deal didn't look as lopsided then as it did maybe the first month or two."

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JD Shaw: The Grizzlies have issued the following release on former general manager Chris Wallace, who left the organization to join the Rockets’ front office this week. pic.twitter.com/Rc9tYju5Ly

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Adam Wexler: #Rockets announce basketball operations staff additions of Chris Wallace & Matt Bullard (@bull50). The team also announced additions Matthew Barlowe & Jake Flancer as analysts & Ross Homan & Javier Pesquera as scouts. pic.twitter.com/P5Js1zsCCg

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Tim MacMahon: Sources: The Rockets are hiring former Grizzlies and Celtics GM Chris Wallace as director of scouting. Houston made it a priority to add experience and expertise under GM Rafael Stone, investing in infrastructure as the franchise rebuilds.

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Daryl Morey: Before I came to the @Houston Rockets Chris Wallace told me the greatest scout in the NBA was BJ Johnson & I should talk to him first. I followed his advice & what followed was an amazing 14 yr friendship. He was by my side for every key decision. I cant believe he is gone. RIP BJ

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Parsons said the day after the season ended that he "doesn't really speak" to the Grizzlies' front office. But with Chris Wallace demoted from general manager to a scouting role and Zach Kleiman leading basketball operations, perhaps the sides can work together to find a mutually agreeable way to end Parsons' rocky time in Memphis.

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Going forward, Jason Wexler will serve as President of the franchise with oversight of both business and basketball operations. Chris Wallace’s day-to-day operational responsibilities have been reallocated and he will focus exclusively on player scouting. Zachary Z. Kleiman has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, and Special Advisor Tayshaun Prince, Vice President of Team Operations and Player Programs Chantal Hassard and Director of Player Personnel Chris Makris will continue in their roles. John Hollinger will continue in a key role with the organization in a senior advisory capacity.

NBA.com

Jeremy Woo: Chris Wallace literally told the media this morning that J.B. Bickerstaff was safe. Now the Grizzlies are completely restructuring everything in their front office. Dysfunction has a distinct scent, I think.

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Mark Giannotto: Chris Wallace, about 5 hours ago, when asked about his status as Grizzlies GM and his relationship with Robert Pera: "I’m very comfortable here and comfortable working with him and really not worried about my situation at all.”

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Adrian Wojnarowski: The Grizzlies dismissed coach J.B. Bickerstaff and reassigned GM Chris Wallace to a scouting capacity in the front office, league sources tell ESPN. VP John Hollinger will also move into a senior advisory role.

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