The love affair of Marc Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies
Marc Gasol’s sanity may be nearing its breaking point as the Memphis Grizzlies continue to fall apart. His love for Memphis, on the other hand, seems to be as strong as it ever has been.
The concerns about Marc Gasol began back in the offseason. After bringing up the possibility of “revisiting things” if the Grizzlies’ season didn’t go as planned, trade rumors quickly began to surface.
There is now talk that the Grizzlies will trade Gasol after this season is over. And when a team has the worst record in the league while said player hasn’t lived up to his max contract, that isn’t much of a surprise. The only surprise was that the Grizzlies did not even listen to any offers for Gasol at the trade deadline, much to the criticism of Memphis media.
However, has anyone considered the possibility that the team’s reluctance to trade him has more to do with Gasol than it does the Grizzlies?
Why does Marc Gasol still insist on playing 30-35 minutes every night when it only hurts his trade value? If he plans on going somewhere else, why does he insist on leading young, sometimes hopeless players every night? When the team started to hit rock bottom before the trade deadline, why did he not request a trade?
The answer is simple: Marc Gasol probably wants to stay in Memphis.
An anomaly
In most situations like the Grizzlies’, a star player asks out to join a contender. After all, Pau Gasol did it back in 2008. Players like Pau Gasol don’t want to squander the rest of their prime in a hopeless situation. Why would they want to stay in a place where they feel like they can no longer win?
However, Marc Gasol very well may be an anomaly.
When trying to understand Marc Gasol, you have to realize just how deep his ties to Memphis are. Though he grew up in Barcelona, Memphis has practically raised him. He played high school ball in Memphis, became an incredible NBA player in Memphis, met his best friend Mike Conley in Memphis, and became a father in Memphis.
Memphis is home for Marc Gasol, something that could never truly be said for Pau Gasol. And it is very hard to leave your home.
Gasol has also shown no signs of a player that has checked out. He remains very active in games, staying vocal on defense and guiding the younger players. His work in the community also remains superb, as he and Mike Conley are still the Grizzlies ambassadors to St. Jude. Simply put, it looks like Gasol still has too much invested in Memphis to simply walk away.
The Memphis Grizzlies are also not a hopeless franchise unlike most of the NBA’s bottom tier. As I wrote a few days ago, the Grizzlies have a legitimate chance of getting back in the playoffs next season. Marc may not want to leave since he knows that the team that he loves can compete at a high level again next year.
Now here is the question I want to pose. If Marc Gasol truly loves the city of Memphis, and there is a real chance that the Grizzlies can be competitive again next year, do you really think that he is going to ask for a trade. In my opinion, he will not.
Marc is Memphis
Maybe I am wrong. Perhaps Marc will quietly request a trade in the offseason and leave Memphis behind. There are still many teams out there where he could possibly win a championship. NBA players only have a small window where they can compete at their physical peak, and no once can blame Marc Gasol for chasing a better situation, especially after all that he has given to Memphis.
It is still unlikely.
At the end of the day, the NBA is still a business. So-called hometown heroes spurn their teams all the time–teams do it to players as well. However, the relationship between Gasol and Memphis runs much deeper than mere business.
Marc Gasol is Memphis.
Call this awful season for what it is. It’s a fluke, an outlier where everything that could have gone wrong, did. The Memphis Grizzlies will be a solid team again next year, and expect Marc Gasol to be leading them.
Home is where the heart is, and I do not expect Marc Gasol to be leaving home anytime soon.