It was the question that has plagued Grayson Allen for years.



“What’s your deal, Grayson?”



And of course it was coming. How many players, when you search for them online, have a 5-minute “highlight reel” of all their lowest moments prominently featured at the top of the results?



At Duke, his penchant for reckless, often dirty, play made him a target for sharp criticism, deservedly so. At Utah, his rookie year started with an unexpected G League assignment and never really got going. Now in Memphis, his arrival via trade began with a thud, as he was ejected from a summer league game for two — you guessed it — flagrant fouls.



“Why are you tripping players? What happens out there?”



I’ll be honest, I’m not sure that even he truly knows the answer, but our ensuing discussion surprised me.



There’s an old saying that goes: Take care of the little things, and the big...