Memphis Grizzlies Center Marc Gasol Drawing Trade Interest, Team Has No Intention of Moving Him
The Memphis Grizzlies are currently in a rut, but it seems they are not looking to make any drastic changes to their roster this early in the season.
According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Mannix, several teams have reached out to Memphis to ask about the availability of All-Star center Marc Gasol after he publicly voiced his unhappiness with the team's direction earlier this week, but the Grizzlies have turned them away.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace also noted that they had no plans to move Gasol because they want to keep their core together for another playoff push.
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"We're full speed ahead," Wallace said. "We've been in the playoffs seven years in a row. We've got a team when fully healthy and we get everything together is more athletic, more versatile and more potent offensively than we've had for a number of years," he continued.
"Our expectation always is to be a playoff team and have a chance to do some things when we get in there. We're behind in the standings right now, but it's a long way to go. When we get our guys back, I think we'll surge," he added.
Well, it would appear that the Grizzlies have been trying to keep Gasol happy lately.
After losing their eighth game in a row earlier this week, the Grizzlies fired head coach David Fizdale, and many have speculated that he was let go due to his poor relationship with the franchise star.
Gasol had publicity questioned Fizdale's decision to bench him in the fourth quarter of their 98–88 loss to the Brooklyn Nets last Sunday. A day later, Fizdale was relieved of his duties and J.B. Bickerstaff was named interim head coach.
Of course, Gasol has denied that he asked the front office to fire Fizdale, but the move seems like an attempt to appease the All-Star center.
The Grizzlies are not shopping Gasol right now, but reports have indicated that they haven't ruled out moving him at some point in the future.
