Rumors and speculations are swirling around the Memphis Grizzlies who are reportedly considering trading center Marc Gasol before the February 8 trade deadline. Should the Cleveland Cavaliers surrender the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick for the All-Star center?
After firing David Fizdale as head coach, Sean Deveney of Sporting News opined that the Memphis Grizzlies could move Marc Gasol next and start rebuilding the team. The Grizzlies have reportedly received “plenty of offers” for the 32-year-old Spanish center, and the interest is expected to increase as the trade deadline approaches. According to Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype , the Grizzlies avoided public trade demand from Gasol since it will weaken his trade value.
With the ongoing situation in Memphis, there is a strong possibility that they are secretly making negotiations with various NBA teams. However, in order to ease up the process, the Grizzlies should convince Marc Gasol to waive his 15 percent trade kicker . As most people think, Gasol will only agree if Memphis will move him to a team who has a higher chance of contending for the title this season.
According to Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, it’s hard for the Grizzlies to find a team in a win-now mode that also has plenty of trade assets. Luckily for them, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are planning to add another superstar on their team, fit on both categories.
“The one exception is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are trying to win a title and own the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ attractive first-round pick this summer. Given the uncertainty over Lebron James’ future in Cleveland, it seems unlikely they’d cash in a chip that valuable in a Gasol deal. If they would, the Grizzlies should consider that.”
According to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report , the Cavaliers could trade Tristan Thompson, Cedi Osman, and the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Marc Gasol . The deal works on the ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine . Gasol will undeniably be a solid addition to the Cavaliers, strengthening their chance of reclaiming the NBA championship title this season.
He will not only boost the Cavaliers’ defense but his inclusion in the starting lineup will also make them unstoppable on the offensive end of the floor. The Nets’ pick may be valuable for the Cavaliers, especially if LeBron James will really leave next summer. However, with Brooklyn’s current performance, there is only a minimal chance that it will be a top-three pick.
If the Cavs-Grizzlies trade becomes a reality, it will definitely help both teams in filling up the needs to improve on their roster. Expect more trade rumors to circulate as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
