5 replacements for Marc Gasol

5. Alexis Ajinca

If the Grizzlies want to acquire a center on a cheap contract and one that could remain around a while for depth, New Orleans Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca should be one of the players they look at to acquire.

While Ajinca has four years left on his deal, he’s on a very cheap contract, and with the incoming salary cap spike, his contract is going to look like peanuts. The Grizzlies could send the Pelicans back an expiring deal and perhaps some sort of an asset.

The Pelicans’ season hasn’t gone as they planned this year, but it would be hard to see them giving up such a good deal considering the fact that Ajinca is on such a good contract.

However, with the salary cap increase incoming and plenty of players that will probably want to play with Anthony Davis and their high draft pick they will have, the Pelicans might want to add the extra space needed. They clearly didn’t put the right pieces around Davis to begin with and overestimated the team’s ability.

This year has been sort of a necessary reset for the Pelicans. Now they can add potentially a top young player alongside Davis to grow the core and make themselves even more appealing going forward.

If that’s the direction they’re going in, the Grizzlies should check to see if they can get in on Ajinca.

Next: 4. J.J. Hickson