Marc Gasol escaped from his brother’s shadow to become one of the best centers in the NBA, a two-way playmaker who received multiple All-League honors in his 13-year career, as well as a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.
However, the former second-round pick will likely see his NBA career end soon, as the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly traded Gasol, a 2024 second-round pick and cash considerations to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Wang Zhelin, a second-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Gasol played for the Grizzlies from the 2008-09 to the 2018-19 season.
Following the trade, Gasol and the Grizzlies “will work together on waiver and release to allow him to remain in Spain,” per Wojnarowski.
The 36-year-old Gasol, whose family also lives in Spain, was born in Barcelona.
The writing may have been on the wall for Gasol after the Lakers opted to minimize his playing time prior to the 2021 NBA Playoffs with the signing of Andre Drummond. Though Drummond has since signed with the Sixers, the Lakers signed DeAndre Jordan this week while Dwight Howard returned this offseason as well.
With the Lakers planning to play Anthony Davis more at center more this center, the squeeze of minutes made it a near-certainty that Gasol’s days in the City of Angels were numbered.
