The Memphis Grizzlies and Marc Gasol have reached an agreement on a max contract in free agency this summer and reports have the deal at five-years and $110 million for the All-Star center and this comes as the team reportedly had interest in a Danilo Gallinari trade along with Joe Johnson this offseason.
The Grizzlies main priority in free agency was to sign back Gasol and they reportedly have agreed to a max deal to keep him. Gasol was expected to remain in Memphis and according to Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo Sports, the two sides "progressed toward a final agreement last week. Grizzlies owner Robert Pera met with Gasol in Spain and they negotiated the deal over "several days" before striking an agreement.
Gasol has developed into an All-NBA player over the past few years and he now has a max contract to go with it after having a career season. Gasol did not seriously consider leaving Memphis and it comes after he played his high school basketball in Memphis and he has spent his entire career with the Grizzlies. Marc Stein reports that the deal has an opt out after the fourth year. Gasol reportedly had interest from the Lakers, Celtics and Knicks, but no one got the chance to woo him.
The Grizzlies have the chance to be a strong team in the west once again and after signing back Gasol the team could look into trades this summer. According to SB Nation, the Grizzlies have shown interest in Danilo Gallinari with the Nuggets along with Joe Johnson of the Nets. Stein reported the news about Johnson earlier in the offseason, but the deal did not come close to happening. The Grizzlies reportedly considered moving Matt Barnes after acquiring him in a trade, but stein reports that the team now plans to keep him.
Gallinari comes in as a trade option for the Nuggets, as Denver has made most of their roster available in trades this summer. The team could look at a Ty Lawson trade and Gallinari also could be in the mix, as Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that he is available. Gallinari averaged 12 points and three rebounds per game while playing in 59 games last season for Denver and he shot over 40 percent from the field.
Jeff Green picked up his player option for this season and is taking a $9.2 million salary into this year. Green played well after coming over in a trade last season and the Grizzlies could consider making a move with him this year at some point since he will be on an expiring contract. Green averaged 15 points during the regular season, but he slumped in the playoffs and put up less than nine points per game with 4.7 rebounds for Memphis and shot just 33 percent overall in the postseason.
Gasol is one of the best defensive players in the league and he won the DPOY award in 2013 and now he is back in Memphis. Gasol averaged 17 points and nearly eight rebounds per game and now the Grizzlies will continue building around him in the middle of their roster. Wojnarowski reports that the contract has an early termination option after the fourth year of the deal. Gasol is 30 and he "never seriously considered" leaving the Grizzlies, per Wojnarowski.
