The Grizzlies and Marc Gasol have finalized on a five-year, $110 million deal. The deal was brought to the table last week, but today Gasol made it official. The contract offers an early termination option after the fourth year.
Although Gasol was an unrestricted free-agent, he made it clear from the beginning that the Grizzlies were the only team he would talk contract terms with. He had the best year of his career last season averaging 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game and was also named All-NBA First Team.
The two-time All-Star has made himself into one of the top centers in the league. Gasol has helped Memphis make five straight playoff appearances, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2013.
This past season, the Grizzlies finished the regular season with a record of 55-27, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference. They were able to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 in the opening round to advance to their third second-round appearance in five years. Unfortunately, they had to play the eventual champion Golden State Warriors without Mike Conley for the first couple of game. They lost the series 2-4.
Locking up Gasol for the next five years gives Memphis a dominant big man to continue to build around. Gasol and Zach Randolph are one of the most feared frontcourt in the league because of the toughness they bring to both ends of the floor. With the addition of Matt Barnes, the Grizzlies will continue to be one of the elite defensive teams. If they can find a young scorer at the shooting guard position, they could find themselves back in the Western Conference Finals contending for a championship.
If the Grizzlies had Conley this past postseason, they may have been able to knock off Golden State, but you can expect them to be back in the same position next season led by their big man, Marc Gasol.