NBA trade rumors update: Memphis Grizzlies may need to move Marc Gasol out

A photo of Marc Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies versus the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2013Wikimedia Commons/Erik Drost

The Memphis Grizzlies started this season in a stunning fashion with 11 games down at a 7-4 standing. However, since then, the team has been on a losing streak. As the team desperately needs to do something to keep their hopes up for a playoff title, they could instead be looking for a rebuild by trading their star center Marc Gasol.

They are recently now on their eighth loss, with current tally at 7-12, after losing to the Brooklyn Nets last Sunday. Gasol himself was not able to do much, especially at the critical moments, as he was benched for the last 15 minutes of the game. In addition, the team fired their coach Dave Fizdale, making the assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff their new interim coach.

Even then, the team will be facing a lot of struggles as the biggest problem for the team is the loss of Mike Conley, who is out from an Achilles injury. No one knows when he will be returning, and the team right now is in limbo. If Conley will not make it back anytime soon, they may need to start rebuilding by first trading Gasol, as per Forbes. After all, they could not utilize the big center without Conley himself.

With this in mind, the Grizzlies staff may need to make a decision soon. If ever it comes to that point, there are a few teams that may accept Gasol and give away younger players that the Grizzlies can develop. The likeliest among these teams would be the Toronto Raptors.

Raptors might be open to moving their center, Jonas Valanciunas, along with other young players like Jakob Poeltl or Lucas Nogueira, in exchange for Gasol, since the veteran is quite expensive. Raptors are trying to win this season, so these young players may need to be moved to a rebuilding team.