If we’ve learned anything from this NBA offseason it’s that almost everyone can be traded. But the Memphis Grizzlies are here to insist that’s not the case. At least not for Marc Gasol.
It’s hard to imagine a world where Kyrie Irving gets traded off the best team in the Eastern Conference. In a summer where Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Irving all get moved one could assume that almost anyone could be on the trade block. But while the Grizzlies forward has been the subject of a number of trade rumors over the summer, a source says Gasol won’t be leaving Memphis anytime soon.
CBS’s Matt Moore reported on Wednesday that, though there’s certainly interest in Gasol in other NBA teams, the Grizzlies remain uninterested in moving Gasol.
The Memphis Grizzlies consider All-Star center Marc Gasol “untouchable” and have refused to enter his name in any trade conversations, two sources close to the situation told CBS Sports this week.
There’s been plenty of speculation about the future of Gasol, but he’s under contract with Memphis until 2019. Though it was reported that Boston Celtics were interested in Gasol, and still are despite trading for Kyrie Iriving this summer. Moore noted that Mike Conley was also considered “untouchable” per a source, which means the team intends to keep its stars together to build on their playoff appearance last season.
You could consider the Grizzlies a team in transition, though it’s unclear just how much of a transition the team is currently willing to make. It saw Zach Randolph leave via free agency, marking the end of a significant era in team history. But Gasol is considered a franchise forward for the team, and letting him go, even in a trade that yielded a decent return, would be a sign that the team is truly starting over.
