NBA Free-Agency: 3 Center Options if Jonas Valanciunas Fails to Return to Memphis Grizzlies
Marcin Gortat
A second veteran rental option for the Memphis Grizzlies to consider is Marcin Gortat, who most recently has played as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, he started in 43 of the 47 regular season games he appeared in for the Clippers in 2018-19. In the two seasons prior, Gortat started and played in all 82 games — yes, in back-to-back seasons. That is incredible longevity and health in the brutal 82-game season, which says a lot for Gortat in many aspects.
Gortat is similar to JaVale McGee in that he is up there in age and would be a stop-gap option at the starting center position. If anything, his mentorship of Jaren Jackson Jr. and other young members of the Grizzlies’ roster will be most beneficial. However, he can still battle with the best in the post. On top of it all, his skill set would not clash with that of Jackson Jr.
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Marcin Gortat is a solid mid-range jump-shooter. In fact, Gortat nailed 40% of his field goal attempts in two of three mid-range zones this season. Plus, he scored on 59% of his attempts at the rim or near the basket.
With Gortat, you get a guy that is fundamentally sound. His known for his strength an toughness, and that is why he became a fan favorite as a member of the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season. Marcin is a player that will box out and do the dirty work in order for the team’s offensive weapons to focus on putting points on the board.
In his 12th NBA season, Marcin Gortat averaged 5.6 rebounds, but while that is not all that many, this was in a 16.0-minute allocation. He also produced 1.4 assists per game, which shows his eye for making the best play on offense. With a starting-quality center that is not looking to play a full allocation of starter’s minutes, this could be the perfect move to make if you are the Memphis Grizzlies, so that someone such as Ivan Rabb can enjoy an enhanced role in the 2019-20 season.
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Rabb may still be raw, but he did show plenty of flashes of promise in 2018-19. While it was not enough to hand him the keys as the team’s starting center next season, signing Marcin Gortat would enable Rabb to develop further and gain the confidence it takes to be the full-time starter. It would be an excellent learning opportunity for Ivan Rabb, plus it hands a role of importance to Gortat, who may not find a better offer/role in NBA Free-Agency.