After the signing of Gordon Hayward, could the Boston Celtics’ next target be Marc Gasol?
The Boston Celtics have already had a pretty amazing year. They were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, turned the No. 1 overall draft pick into two first round picks and just signed one of the best free agents on the market this summer. Apparently, they aren’t quite done yet. They appear to be targeting Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, and it isn’t hard to see why. Gasol is getting older, and the Grizzlies are no longer a real playoff threat. They lost Zach Randolph to the Sacramento Kings in free agency, and so it’s unfair to call them a ground-and-pound team anymore.
CBS Sports is reporting that two league executives see Gasol as an option for Boston in the future. It makes sense on both sides. The Grizzlies could snag a couple young players and draft picks to rebuild around, and the Celtics would get a proven star at the center position.
You can imagine how much head coach Brad Stevens would like a lineup featuring Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford and Gasol. That is a lot of size, skill and shooting on the floor at all times, and it would certainly give the Cleveland Cavaliers a run for their money.
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Gasol averaged 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game last year. He also might not be too happy with the Grizzlies letting his friend Randolph go. Gasol called his relationship with Zach “well beyond basketball” to Sports Illustrated this season. The center expanded his game to beyond the 3-point line last year, and that will serve him well in today’s NBA. He has never been on a team with other elite shooters during his NBA career, and that would change if the Celtics were able to grab him. One thing is clear: Boston is on its way up after a summer full of deal-making and star-chasing.