The Memphis Grizzlies entered the 2018-19 NBA season with the goal of returning to the Western Conference Playoffs. Having a healthy Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies thought that they could remain competitive in the deep Western Conference. Unfortunately, as of now, the Grizzlies are nothing but huge disappointments.
The Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 10 games and currently sitting in the No. 14 spot in the Western Conference with a 19-28 record. After realizing that they don’t have the capability to contend for the NBA championship title or even enter the NBA Playoffs 2019, the Grizzlies may finally think it’s time to undergo a full-scale rebuild. Last week, rumors and speculations started to swirl that the Grizzlies are shopping veteran center, Marc Gasol.
Gasol is expected to exercise his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. Trading him before the February NBA trade deadline will be the Grizzlies’ best option than losing him in the summer of 2019 without getting anything in return. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN recently confirmed the rumors surrounding Gasol, but it’s not just him that the Grizzlies have made available on the trading block.
Wojnarowski revealed that the Grizzlies have also started listening to trade offers for star point guard Mike Conley.
“For the first time, the Memphis Grizzlies will begin listening to trade offers for their franchise stars, center Marc Gasol and guard Mike Conley, league sources tell ESPN. Memphis ownership and management have decided that they’ve reached an organizational crossroads and are preparing to weigh deal scenarios on one or both of their cornerstone veterans between now and the Feb. 7 trade deadline — and perhaps into the offseason, league sources said.”
NBA trade rumors: Grizzlies will listen to offers for Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, per report https://t.co/fKtAX1uhlN
— CBS Sports NBA (@CBSSportsNBA) January 23, 2019
As Woj noted, the Grizzlies are motivated to begin reshaping their roster around Jaren Jackson, the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Jackson has shown lots of superstar potentials since entering the NBA and is currently averaging 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 51.6 percent shooting from the field and 33.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. In any deal involving Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the Grizzlies are reportedly looking for a combination of young talent, draft picks, and salary cap relief.
Acquiring those types of assets for Marc Gasol and Mike Conley will not only help the Grizzlies speed up the rebuilding process but it could also give them the salary cap flexibility to chase big names in the free agency market. With Gasol’s age and Conley’s current contract, it remains a big question mark if the Grizzlies could get their expected return for their superstars before the February NBA trade deadline. Aside from Gasol and Conley, Wojnarowski reported that the Grizzlies are also trying to trade Chandler Parsons.
