We’ve been fairly lucky weather-wise this June, up until yesterday when the summer Memphis feel returned. I’m talking about that feeling when you walk outdoors and are immediately hit in the face with that muggy, disgusting, swampy, oppressive combination of heat and humidity. It probably won’t go away until September either. To top it all off, it’s about time for the mosquitoes to come back.
Just looked at the Weather Channel site… forecast high for Saturday is 94. Heat index will probably be triple digits. Yuck! Staying indoors sounds like a very good idea for this weekend.
The big news today is that Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is being traded to the Utah Jazz. In return Memphis will get Jae Crowder, a small forward about to turn 29; Kyle Korver, a 38-year-old wing; Grayson Allen, a 23-year-old shooting guard; Utah’s 2019 #23 pick in tonight’s draft; and an additional first-rounder. The additional pick, according to the Daily Memphian’s Chris Herrington, is protected top 7 and 15-30 (so it conveys to Memphis if in the 8-14 range) in 2020 and 2021. It then becomes top 6 protected in 2022, top 3 protected in 2023, and top 1 protected in 2024. If the pick hasn’t conveyed by 2025 it will turn into two second-round picks.
Geoff Calkins points out that the most likely scenario is that Utah will make the playoffs each of the next two years, and then the pick will convey to Memphis in 2022. It’s believed that will be the year the NBA draft will re-open to high schoolers, so that draft will be unusually deep with talent.
With the Grizzlies giving up their starting point guard, there is a very good reason to believe the front office will select Ja Morant in tonight’s draft. Alternatives had been discussed, including selecting forward R.J. Barrett or moving down in the draft, most likely to the #4 pick. Those seem less likely now.
THANK YOU MIKE for your years of building Grizzlies basketball into what it is today. I hope you can now become the next ex-Grizzly to get you one of those championship rings.
On to other news… as your #1 source of news and information about The Edge District, it’s my pleasure to link you to this Daily Memphian article about Edge Triangle. Work was completed on the off-leash dog park this week, installing synthetic turf that will make it possible for dogs and their owners to enjoy green grass all year long. $30,000 was invested in the space, at the corner of Madison Avenue and Monroe Avenue Extended, to improve it for visitors. An Explore bike rental station was also added.
In other Edge news, the Memphis Business Journal has a photo gallery and information about Slim & Husky’s, the Nashville-based pizza chain opening a location at 634 Union across from the former Commercial Appeal building. Check out their website to learn more what the pizza chain is all about.
Krystal is going to experiment with a $6 all-you-can-eat burgers and fries option. Well that sounds like a stomachache!
Ghost River is looking for a taproom manager with beer and event experience. Send resumes to Suzanne@ghostriverbrewing.com.
There are bosses and there are leaders, and the Memphis Solid Waste director is a leader. Wanting to understand what his employees go through on a typical workday, he has spent multiple days riding the trucks and pickup trash alongside them. Well done, sir. Respect.
DJ Epic brings his hip-hop/dubstep/mashup style to the Peabody rooftop this evening for their weekly party. $10 general admission, $20 VIP. Your admission includes a buffet of mini spring rolls and pot stickers. If you’re in VIP you get a second buffet of lobster spring rolls, chicken satay with peanut sauce, assorted sushi, and fortune cookies.
The Jerry and Jerry Show (Lawler and Calhoun) comes to Jerry Lawler’s Bar and Grill on July 21.
This will be fun! Hope to see you there! July 21st, Memphis TN pic.twitter.com/8w24qbjnlu
— Jerry Lawler (@JerryLawler) June 17, 2019
The Daily Memphian has the story of Robert Church, who opened Solvent Savings Bank on Beale Street in the late 1800s and who became Memphis’ first African-American millionaire.
This is downright scary: Facebook is launching its own cryptocurrency in 2020. Check out this sentence, quoted from the article:
Facebook is already working on creating its own private supreme court, after all; why wouldn’t it want its own private, independent central bank as well?
WTF???? I’m not comfortable at all with a company, particularly one by Mark Zuckerberg, and particularly one that has been so manipulated by foreign entities, having this kind of power. This kind of thing makes me want to leave Facebook, except that it’s so valuable as a source of news items for this blog that I can’t.
All right, that’s it for now. Fun day ahead! I’m counting down the minutes to 11 when I can walk over to Court Square to buy from the New Wing Order food truck. At 1:30 I’m meeting my neighbor at the Brass Door to watch the USWNT vs. Sweden Women’s World Cup match. Then tonight I’ll be at the Blind Bear (probably) to watch the NBA draft. Back tomorrow with more news.