This week, the Los Angeles Lakers continued shuffling their roster by trading NBA veteran Marc Gasol to the Memphis Grizzlies to clear room to sign DeAndre Jordan.
During his time in the Olympics with Spain, Gasol said he would be back with the Lakers to finish his contract. But, something occurred between now and then, and he’s no longer a member of the team.
Could Gasol, who will be 37 in January, be considering retirement? He could be looking to end his playing career overseas much like his brother and former Lakers great, Pau Gasol, did as well.
If he wants to remain in the NBA, there is a building expectation that it will not be in Los Angeles with the Lakers. Alas, plenty of teams would be interested in him as he showed he can still produce and be a productive player even in limited minutes.
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His defense, while not at the elite level when he was Defensive Player of the Year, is still solid. Gasol averaged 5.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks in only 19.1 minutes per game. He showed that he is still a capable floor-spacer, knocking down 40.1 percent of his 3-point attempts.
Gasol was part of some of the best five and three-man lineups the Lakers were using last season, so he is certainly capable of still having a positive impact. Here are three teams that should monitor Marc Gasol for a potential signing after he clears waivers.