NBA Rumors: Crumbling Grizzlies May End Up Trading Marc Gasol

There was a time when the Memphis Grizzlies had one of the lethal mutt-and-jeff combination in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Jr. Although they are still considered one of the reliable duos any NBA team would want, things have not exactly gone well for the Grizzlies.

Right now, Memphis finds itself in a bit of a hole. Despite Gasol and Conley playing, they are 19-24 over the Western Conference. They are still in striking distance to catch the last bus to the playoffs, but they have to start moving now. Looking ahead, there is a possibility of moving forward without Gasol.

The 33-year-old Gasol has had an uncharacteristically inconsistent season. Compared to the impact he had before injuries came into the picture, there has been a glaring difference in his game. While he has shown glimpses of his old self, consistency is needed for Memphis to make the playoffs. If nothing improves in the coming days, team owner Robert J. Pera may just consider changing it up and rebuild the roster.

A key pawn in all that would be Gasol. There is a growing belief that the Spaniard may end up moving to another team, a contender. Known to be the foundation of the team, that could force the Grizzlies to ponder on the (likely) possibility and possibly dangle Gasol before the February trade deadline.

One team that could be in play is the Boston Celtics. They do have a couple of draft picks for the coming NBA Draft, something that may interest the Grizzlies since they did trade away some of their picks to the Chicago Bulls in the Justin Holiday trade, Clutchpoints.com reported.

But this scenario may only make sense if the Celtics would add some players or get a third team in play. Gasol will earn $24 million for this season, meaning additional assets will be needed to move him to Boston or whichever team that bites.

There is no official word yet if the Grizzlies will trade Gasol. If they do, Memphis is likely to rebuild around Jaren Jackson Jr., Celtics Blog suggested. And what about Conley?

With Gasol out, Conley is likely to follow. The 31-year-old guard has also been slowed down by injuries. Regardless, he has shown that he can still play. But if Gasol exits, he is likely to explore joining other teams that have better chances at winning an NBA title, Grizzly Bear Blues suggested.

The Grizzlies will need to make a decision soon. But obviously, it all starts on how they approach the Marc Gasol situation.