By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Los Angeles Lakers will send Marc Gasol to the Memphis Grizzlies along with a second-round pick of the 2024 NBA draft and cash for the draft rights of Wang Zhelin, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Gasol, 36, will be waived by the Grizzlies to remain in Spain with this family, the report adds. He is expected to decide on whether he will extend his playing career back in his home country, potentially at Girona, recently promoted to Spain’s second division LEB Oro. He has shared his intention to retire as a player at the Spanish team he owns.
Along with his brother Pau, Marc recently retired from the Spain national team. Last April, Pau Gasol returned to action and to FC Barcelona but has yet to make a decision about potentially extending his run through the next season. Marc Gasol has also been reportedly linked to the Catalan powerhouse.
Despite initially planning to return to the Lakers for the second half of his contract, he was not considered a lock to be part of the 2021-22 squad, as recently reported.
Barca is already going through preparations for the 2021-22 editions of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and ACB. The team led by Sarunas Jasikevicius will officially tip-off the new season participating in the Supercopa Endesa planned to be held this weekend at Tenerife. Barcelona is pitted against Valencia and the hosts versus Real Madrid in the semifinals.
The 2019 NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors logged 13 NBA seasons, including the top 11 at Memphis. His 2020-21 campaign at the Lakers featured a decline in playing time, 5.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per NBA contest. He registered 5.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with Spain in the 2020 Olympic Games recently completed in Tokyo.