Do Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics have another trick up their sleeves?
The Celtics made the biggest move of the NBA offseason Tuesday after Gordon Hayward announced he’s signing with Boston in free agency. But apparently Ainge and Co. might not be done yet: Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol is “worth keeping an eye on” as a potential trade target for the C’s, Chris Mannix of Yahoo! Sports’ “The Vertical” reported Wednesday, citing two league executives.
Here’s more from Mannix on a potential Gasol deal:
“The Grizzlies lost Zach Randolph, Tony Allen could be next out the door, and if you were filling out your Western Conference playoff bracket today, Memphis probably wouldn’t be in it. Would the Grizz move the 32-year-old Gasol for a ready-made rebuilding package of players and picks? Would Boston — which has to be wary of putting together a team that would beat (the) Cleveland (Cavaliers) but still get pulverized by (the) Golden State (Warriors) — be interested? Again, worth watching.”
A three-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, Gasol certainly would fill Boston’s need for a strong frontcourt presence. But he would come at a steep cost — the 32-year-old veteran has three years left on a massive five-year, $113 million deal and would force the Celtics to gut their roster even further to absorb his contract. The Grizzlies, Mannix notes, also would have a high asking price that could include recent draft picks Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum.
Still, the report of Boston even being in the mix for a player like Gasol is a good sign that the team could be making more significant moves in the near future.
Thumbnail photo via Nelson Chenault/USA TODAY Sports Images
