Charlotte Hornets in “strong” talks to acquire Marc Gasol from Grizzlies
The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly discussing a trade that would bring in star big man Mac Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.
All has been quiet on the Charlotte Hornets front regarding the trade deadline… until now.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the team is in “strong” talks to land Marc Gasol in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis has been shopping their two franchise players, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, for weeks now.
Nothing is official yet, but considering the source that this is coming from, I’d say the chances of landing the former All-Star are looking good. He is also sitting out of tonight’s against Minnesota.
Gasol may be 34 years old, but there’s no doubt about it, he’s a star in this league. He can hurt you on the perimeter as well as in the paint. He’s an excellent passer with a high basketball IQ and is also a former Defensive Player of the Year.
On the season, Gasol is averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Grizzlies. He has been extremely loyal to the city of Memphis, but it’s clear now that at this point, the Grizzlies are rebuilding and Gasol is better off on a playoff contending team.
Our contributor here at Swarm and Sting, De White, wrote about the possibility of trading for Gasol just one week ago:
This would be an absolutely huge pickup for the Charlotte Hornets. Pairing Kemba Walker with a star before he hits free agency is going to be big, and Gasol could close to guarantee this team a spot in the playoffs.
It’s unclear as to what the Hornets would be including in this trade, but it’s certainly going to be a haul. Don’t be surprised if it includes multiple impact players, along with the teams 2019 draft pick.
The Hornets are determined to make the playoffs, so seeing Mitch Kupchak potentially pull the trigger on a move like this is not surprising at all. Gasol would be a perfect fit next to Kemba Walker, and that duo would have a very good chance at taking this franchise back to the playoffs in the weaker Eastern Conference.
dark. Next. Should the Charlotte Hornets target Bobby Portis?
The NBA’s trade deadline is on Thursday, and it appears we are in for a treat with all the excitement going on around the league. Be sure to stay tuned as we will continue to update Charlotte Hornets news until then.