Memphis Grizzlies: Is it time to trade Marc Gasol?
The Memphis Grizzlies have limped to start the 2017-18 NBA season, and are now without Mike Conley. Is it time to trade Marc Gasol?
The Memphis Grizzlies are 7-7, good enough for 8th in the Western Conference, with a pretty brutal next 10-12 games.
During that stretch, they’ll have to play the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder.
If that wasn’t enough, the Grizzlies will likely have to get by without Mike Conley for the foreseeable future, too.
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Per ESPN, Conley is out indefinitely with a sore left heel and Achilles. The team is expected to update his prognosis in two weeks.
Conley is averaging 17 points and four assists per game this season; numbers that won’t easily be replaced.
With the state of the Western Conference – with the likes of the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs clearly better – it begs the question, is it time for the Grizzlies to blow it up? Or, at least shake it up?
If so, the easiest tradable piece on the team is Marc Gasol, who could hit free agency after the 2018-19 season. And if the Grizzlies elect to travel down this road, there will be a market. A pretty big one. And the return could be significant.
One team to keep an eye on is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even though the whispers haven’t even started, the Cavs are a team that could benefit from a player like Gasol.
Cleveland has the assets and necessity for this type of trade to take place. What could this potential deal look like?
Well, Cleveland could offer Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert and the coveted Brooklyn first-round pick for Marc Gasol. Memphis would likely green light this deal, if they begin to shop Gasol. I’m not entirely sure Cleveland would make such an offer, but their porous start to the season coupled with Boston’s dominant start could set the table for the perfect storm.
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Memphis’ next month will likely dictate the course of action moving forward. However, if Conely is out for an extended period, this season could get out of hand quickly. Thus, making the possibility for a Marc Gasol trade even more likely.