Marc Gasol?

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Gasol was supposed to meet with Grizzles officials in Spain today, but I haven't heard anything about him signing yet.

I know that the Grizzles front office believes in money-ball analytics. They just signed Wright to a 3 year, 6 million a year deal. They also have Stokes. Koufos could also resign.

I wonder if the Grizzles offered less than max, and if that made them reach an impasse. I wonder if Gasol is under-the-radar still available right now.

If he is, he is not going to the Lakers because of how things went with his brother (reports). He might go to the Knicks, but there are legit concerns about the disfunction there. The Blazers might have enough money available to sign him, but other than that, I can't think of anyone other than the Celtics that could.

At the risk of sounding like an overly-optimistic homer, I wanted to speculate that we might still have a chance at a big name.

[MJohnnyboy]

I'm pretty sure the Grizzlies wouldn't have signed Wright unless they knew Gasol was coming back. Plus I believe there was a report saying that Gasol will not hear from any other teams other than Memphis.

As much as I'd love him here, I think Gasol is a Grizzlie for the next half decade.

[Hemingway]

Until they sign (or say they will sign on the 8th or whatever) we still have a shot at everyone. We just need one of these long shots to come through and things will start rolling in our favor.

[Smokeeye123]

Gasol is one of the few players who is absolutely fine staying in a small market. He's a grizzlie 4 lyfe

[zubi.anaba]

The dude just like Klove is not even taking meetings with other teams. He is staying with the Grizz. No need to torture yourselves

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Maybe I like being disappointed, but my brain is telling me that it is strange that Gasol hasn't signed yet.

If he is such a sure thing, why hasn't he signed? Why is he waiting a day? I mean, they were suppose to meet today, so why the wait on the announcement?

Why are the Grizzles announcing a signing of Brandon Wright, a backup center, before announcing the resigning of their starting center? And why hasn't Koufos gotten an offer elsewhere yet?

This kind of smells like the Heat and James last year, only with a lot more class. The Heat were like, "Look, we signed Josh McRoberts and drafted your guy in the draft. Those are difference-makers." In the same way, the Grizzles are saying, "Look, we signed Brandon Wright to a reasonable contract, and we are trying to trade for Gallinari. Those are difference-makers. We should finally be able to get to the Finals!"

All the while, Gasol is looking at the Western conference with the Thunder, Spurs, Suns, Pelicans, Rockets, and the championship-winning Warriors, and thinking "We aren't beating them with Brandon Wright and Gallinari."

Granted, it's going to be a tough road in the East with the Cavs, Bulls, reinvented-Raptors, and Hawks, but he would be the best center in the East.

I know what "reports" say, but tell me you wouldn't have a wandering eye if you were Gasol.

[ahonui06]

Marc Gasol is re-signing with Memphis. They are just hammering out contract details. Should be final tomorrow according to David Aldridge.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'm telling you ... The longer it takes Memphis to sign Gasol, the more likely I think he is to be available. I hope Danny is on the phone.

I know Gasol is loyal and he likes Memphis, but they have not even been able to make it to the championship yet in his career. Randolph is aging, Green is inconsistent, Allen can't shoot, and Lee is not a starting shooting guard in the NBA. This team is flawed and will continue to be exposed.

Other teams in the West have gotten younger and better, but not the Grizzles, even though they may be the most flawed team in the Western Conference playoff race.

The fact that Koufos hasn't been signed makes me think that he is waiting to see if Gasol does leave, so that he can re-up as the starting center.

[Hemingway]

Maybe I like being disappointed, but my brain is telling me that it is strange that Gasol hasn't signed yet.

If he is such a sure thing, why hasn't he signed? Why is he waiting a day? I mean, they were suppose to meet today, so why the wait on the announcement?

Why are the Grizzles announcing a signing of Brandon Wright, a backup center, before announcing the resigning of their starting center? And why hasn't Koufos gotten an offer elsewhere yet?

This kind of smells like the Heat and James last year, only with a lot more class. The Heat were like, "Look, we signed Josh McRoberts and drafted your guy in the draft. Those are difference-makers." In the same way, the Grizzles are saying, "Look, we signed Brandon Wright to a reasonable contract, and we are trying to trade for Gallinari. Those are difference-makers. We should finally be able to get to the Finals!"

All the while, Gasol is looking at the Western conference with the Thunder, Spurs, Suns, Pelicans, Rockets, and the championship-winning Warriors, and thinking "We aren't beating them with Brandon Wright and Gallinari."

Granted, it's going to be a tough road in the East with the Cavs, Bulls, reinvented-Raptors, and Hawks, but he would be the best center in the East.

I know what "reports" say, but tell me you wouldn't have a wandering eye if you were Gasol.

No contracts can be signed right now.

[Robb]

Also a possibility that he's not signing because there's no rush.  What good, really, comes of agreeing to a contract that you know will still be there a week from now?

[saltlover]

Marc Gasol moved to Memphis in 2001 when Pau got drafted there. He went to high school there.  His parents live there.  He's spent his entire NBA career there.  He's not leaving.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Also a possibility that he's not signing because there's no rush.  What good, really, comes of agreeing to a contract that you know will still be there a week from now?

At the same time, what good, really, comes of waiting to agree to a contract. The Grizzles met him in Spain the day free agency opened with a contract, but it hasn't been signed yet.

Why wait to agree if the offer is in front of you, unless you are not sure you want to agree to a contract?

I am well-aware that this is all conjecture. Other than the fact that I saw that they met shortly after free agency started, I have no basis for these thoughts.

But I do think it is weird for a guy to wait to announce an agreement, especially a down-to-earth, loyal guy who likes the team he has been playing for.

[PhoSita]

He's going back to Memphis.  Don't worry about it.

[Jiri Welsch]

Let's consider that Gasol is clearly going to have the largest contract Memphis signs this offseason.

Maybe, just MAYBE... they want to explore  every other possibility before inking him to the deal that will lock their cap number in place. They can go over when signing him, so it gives the team more options waiting around to sign, rather than handcuffing them by signing at 12:01 on July 1st.

Gasol waiting doesn't detract from his loyalty, it adds to it.

We aren't getting him.

[saltlover]

Let's consider that Gasol is clearly going to have the largest contract Memphis signs this offseason.

Maybe, just MAYBE... they want to explore  every other possibility before inking him to the deal that will lock their cap number in place. They can go over when signing him, so it gives the team more options waiting around to sign, rather than handcuffing them by signing at 12:01 on July 1st.

Gasol waiting doesn't detract from his loyalty, it adds to it.

We aren't getting him.

This is not correct.  Gasol has a cap hold equal to the first year of a max contract.  While Memphis can go over the cap to sign Gasol, they cannot gain any extra cap space by waiting to sign him (they are, in fact, over the cap).  If there's a disagreement between the two sides, it's probably over the fifth year (will it be guaranteed, player option, team option, etc.).  They might also be negotiating over Gasol's ability to play for the Spanish national team in the Olympics next year.  But these are details that can be worked out.