Should the Memphis Grizzlies consider re-acquiring Marc Gasol?
When you think about the Memphis Grizzlies franchise, a few names will come to mind. Mike Conley is likely the first, as he is still a really strong active player. Some will think of Marc Gasol, who was one of the most dominant big men in the league during his time on Beale Street.
He was an elite center who earned multiple NBA All-Star selections and was honored with the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2012-13 season.
But just a couple of years removed from his time in Memphis and Gasol has become completely irrelevant in the NBA. He was a solid contributor in Toronto during his first year with the Raptors but regressed badly in his second.
He wouldn’t be resigned and instead, he would go to Los Angles, teaming up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Only, in this situation, there was no big three. It would just be two, as Gasol would slowly exit the team’s rotation.
Should the Memphis Grizzlies try to trade for their former All-Star center in Marc Gasol?
A year ago, this question would have seemed like lunacy. Even with a tough season in 2019-20 for Gasol, his asking price would be pretty high and the Grizzlies are in the middle of a rebuild. But fast forward to 2021 and maybe there are some legs to this.
For starters, the Grizzlies are no longer a team that is rebuilding. All of the team’s key parts are in play, so it’s only a matter of who they’ll sign from here on out. Make no mistake, Memphis will be shooting for a championship every year after their successful 2020-21 season.
To get there, they’ll need to bolster their roster.
Right now, there are no clear holes in the roster, so there’s no point in signing young players. That said, what would be the harm in bringing in an older, experienced player who was a legend for your franchise to ride out his career.
Gasol would serve as a great role model for Jaren Jackson Jr., a big man who is looking to become a similar player in the future. Even Jonas Valanciunas, a center who struggled against Rudy Gobert, could take some notes from the Grizzly legend.
If Zach Kleiman could find a way to trade for Gasol without giving away any valuable assets, he should absolutely do so.
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Marc Gasol still has some gas left in his tank, so why shouldn’t he use what’s left in the city that shaped his career in the NBA?