NBA Trade Rumors: Analyzing Latest Buzz on Marc Gasol and Jahlil Okafor

NBA trade season isn't in full swing just yet, but buzz is starting to mount about the possibility that a few notable bigs could soon have new homes.  

Specifically, the rumor mill received a jolt earlier in the week when new rumblings surfaced that the Memphis Grizzlies could entertain the thought of dealing Marc Gasol, while the Philadelphia 76ers' asking price for Jahlil Okafor was finally unveiled. 

Below, we'll break down the latest news and take a look at how viable the potential moves could be. 

                  

Marc Gasol On the Block? 

The Memphis Grizzlies made waves Monday when they fired head coach David Fizdale 101 games into his tenure with the club, and speculation is starting to swirl that the team could entertain trades involving franchise centerpiece Marc Gasol. 

"I don't think they're done making changes," a league executive told Sporting News' Sean Deveney. "They could still move Gasol, they could still go into a rebuilding situation, but it would be harder if Gasol was saying he wants out. They have had plenty of offers for Gasol, and they have a couple of months to sort out whether they pull the trigger. But don't be surprised if they do, even after this."

Now, this is hardly confirmation that the Grizzlies are looking to move Gasol—who's owed $24.1 million next season and can exercise a $25.6 million player option the following year. 

General manager Chris Wallace went on the record Wednesday and stated the team doesn't plan to move Gasol in the near future. 

"We have no intention to trade Marc," Wallace told ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. "We never seriously considered that at all. We never placed any calls to any teams in that regard. So that's not happening."

But considering the franchise is in something of a precarious position following Fizdale's firing, it's not hard to envision a scenario in which the Grizzlies would entertain a teardown in order to acquire more cost-effective assets who could help in the long run since their short-term prospects are looking rather bleak. 

As things stand, the Grizzlies already have $101 million guaranteed on the books for next season and are without their 2019 first-round pick (it's owed to the Boston Celtics) unless it lands inside the top eight. 

Factor in Mike Conley's recent injury woes and Chandler Parsons' inability to stay on the floor, and a Gasol trade could be the move the Grizzlies need to help restock their asset pool before things take another dramatic turn for the worse.

Finding a taker for Gasol's mammoth deal likely won't be easy, but considering Deveney reported the Grizzlies "had interest and a good spate of offers" for the Spaniard, a workable solution could seemingly present itself by the time the February trade deadline rolls around if a title contender decides to roll the dice. 

                    

Sixers' Asking Price for Okafor Revealed

Jahlil Okafor has been publicly campaigning for a trade or buyout since the start of the month, but the Philadelphia 76ers have yet to comply with his request and are working to find an expedient solution.  

Rather, Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo has continued to scour the trade market in hopes of acquiring even a small return for the 2015 No. 3 overall pick. 

Specifically, ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Sixers are seeking a second-round pick after formerly seeking out "two first-round picks" or "a first and a solid player."

That's hardly a steep price to pay for a 21-year-old packed with low-post potential. 

But as Wojnarowski wrote, there's an issue: "More than half of the NBA's teams suggested to ESPN that they would have an interest in acquiring Okafor as a long-term project. But none seem inclined to give up a draft asset to do so."

"We are simply requesting the organization be willing to proceed reasonably and allow Jah to get on with his career," Okafor's agent Billy Duffy told Wojnarowski. "The Sixers are positioned well for the present and the future, and we only want the same for Jahlil."

At this point, a buyout would behoove both parties. 

The Sixers could alleviate themselves of a public relations nightmare, and Okafor would be free to pursue a fresh opportunity with a team that could provide him regular playing time. 

But as The Athletic's Derek Bodner explained, the Sixers could be playing the long game in anticipation of making a move at the trade deadline using Okafor's expiring contract: 

Drawing the saga out another two months won't ingratiate the Sixers with those sympathetic to Okafor's plight, but at this point Colangelo appears determined to extract value in lieu of letting the big man walk for nothing. 

from Bleacher Report - Front Page http://ift.tt/2zPDCnL