The Memphis Grizzlies are currently seated at an uncomfortable 8-19 on the young season which is good for fourth in the Southwest division and 14th in the Western Conference, a half-game up on the lowly Dallas Mavericks in both cases. They’re one loss away from being the worst team in the Western Conference and they’re already in consideration for the worst team in the NBA.
There is some noise surrounding their record and injured star guard Mike Conley is the loudest sound emanating from Beale Street. But they still have another star, Marc Gasol, who has not quite delivered on his All-Star standing for the Grizzlies. The Spanish big man has instead spent time batting away ‘coach killer’ criticisms from outside sources following the ousting of David Fizdale. Many believe that their tumultuous relationship played a major part in Fizdale’s firing.
It would seem that Gasol is a prime target for a trade. A star big man on a bad team that just needs young players or first round picks as incentives to make a trade. But the Grizzlies openly said they will not be trading him or Conley and Gasol is not quite ready to give up on the city he’s called home for over a decade.
Following comes from Zach Lowe of ESPN.
It is not bad enough for Gasol to ask out. It may never be. “I have a responsibility to this city,” Gasol says. “I’m not gonna quit, no matter what.” What if Memphis fell 30 games under .500? Gasol shakes his head. “I would want to see how we got there — what the process is,” Gasol says. “But as long as [owner] Robert [Pera] wants me here, my teammates want me here, they think I’m part of the solution — and not part of the problem — that’s all I need.” (Gasol still denies he asked for Fizdale to be fired, though the tension between them was real, sources say.)
If the team came to him with a trade, Gasol would accept it. “If they think it is best, I would do anything for this franchise,” Gasol says.
