As the dust settles on the blockbuster deal that sent Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies owner Robert Pera made clear the organization intends to honour the Spaniard’s significance to the city when his career ends.
“The impact he has had on this team and the city will live on, and we look forward to one day welcoming him back home to Memphis where his No. 33 jersey will hang in the rafters of FedEx Forum next to Zach (Randolph) and Tony (Allen),” Pera said in a statement.
Originally acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal that sent his brother, Pau Gasol, to Hollywood in 2008, Marc played his entire 11-year professional career in Memphis — becoming a cornerstone of the franchise’s “Grit and Grind” era.
During his time in Tennessee, Gasol was named to two All-NBA teams, won Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13, and earned a nomination to the 2012-13 All-Defensive team. He ended his Grizzlies tenure as the team’s all-time leader in points scored (11,684), minutes played (25,917), and blocks (1,135).
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