Marc Gasol might follow David Fizdale out the Memphis Grizzlies’ exit door.
The Grizzlies might consider trading their All-Star center and starting a rebuilding process, Forbes’ Mitch Lawrence wrote in an article published Monday. The rumor emerged just hours after Memphis fired Fizdale as its head coach amid an eight-game losing streak and continued uncertainty over Mike Conley Jr.’s return from an Achilles injury.
Lawrence suggests the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics are among the teams that could consider trading for Gasol, whose friendly contract has just two years and $49.7 million remaining, with a player option for 2019-2020.
Industry sources told Lawrence that Toronto is open to trading center Jonas Valanciunas for Gasol, and Memphis could consider asking for centers Jakob Poeltl and Lucas Nogueira in return. Toronto’s motivation seemingly would be to partner Gasol with All-Star guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and contend with Boston and Cleveland for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Here’s what Lawrence wrote regarding the Celtics’ possible interest in Gasol:
“The Celtics, off to a league-best 18-3 start, have been linked to Gasol in the past. He’d be what they need on the back line for rim protection and would fit in perfectly with Brad Stevens’ offense. But they might not want to mess with a good thing and are said to still have their eyes primarily focused on Anthony Davis, of the New Orleans Pelicans, if he ever becomes available.”
Gasol is thought to have endured a tense relationship with Fizdale over the last two seasons, and the situation reached a breaking point Sunday when the now-departed coach benched the 32-year-old center for the last 15 minutes of the Grizzlies’ loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Many NBA observers have assumed that Memphis sided with Gasol in firing Fizdale, but the decision might have been the first in a series of steps aimed at taking the franchise in a new direction.
“I don’t think they’re done making changes,” one league executive told Sporting News on Monday. “They could still move Gasol, they could still go into a rebuilding situation, but it would be harder if Gasol was saying he wants out. They have had plenty of offers for Gasol, and they have a couple of months to sort out whether they pull the trigger. But don’t be surprised if they do, even after this.”
Two other league sources agreed that Gasol still could be trade bait, per Sporting News.
