Juan Carlos Navarro Is Taking His $20 Million And Going Home

Lost in the futility of the Grizzlies' season, the devastating trade of Pau Gasol for Kwame freaking Brown, and the emergence of Rudy Gay was the fact that the Grizzlies are not without any discernible talent. One such gem was Juan Carlos Navarro, the Spanish speaking combo guard who the Grizzlies' traded a protected pick to the Wizards for. Navarro made some nice strides, shooting the long ball relatively well for a rookie and showing signs that he could be a legit contributor.

Well, so much for that idea. in a continuing case of "nothing can ever go right for the Grizzlies," JCN has jumped ship back to his homeland of Spain. Today the Commercial Appeal reports that Navarro accepted a 4 year deal, reported to be worth between $20 and $24 million with FC Barcelona, effectively ending his tenure in the NBA.

While certainly no one can blame Navarro for heading back to more familiar and profitable pasteurs, it's still a shame. Navarro was an excellent three point shooter in his first year, and was part of a promising set of guards for the struggling franchise. I guess sometimes, home is where the heart is. And the gigantic piles of money.