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Marc Gasol Drops Retirement Plan After Lakers Release For Exciting New Venture

Published 09/12/2021, 1:00 PM EDT

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The Los Angeles Lakers continued to make the necessary changes as they traded Marc Gasol, along with a future second-round pick and some cash, to the Memphis Grizzlies. Marc Gasol’s last season with the Lakers does not do justice to his potential. If it weren’t for injury issues, he would have made an impact, just as he did when he was with his other teams.

However, a buy-out with the Memphis Grizzlies has helped Gasol start a new chapter in his life. And now, he is rumored to be signing with Girona, which is likely to be his final destination. This means he is clearly saying goodbye to his NBA career for good.

After almost 13 years, he is going to be back in Spain and is getting an opportunity to play there. Initially, his name was tied to signing with Barcelona, the other team that he played for before entering the NBA. However, a financial and roster complication is making it unlikely to play for them.

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So, since Gasol is the owner of Girona, the official announcement of him joining them once again is going to be made soon. Girona is the team he played for two seasons with from 2006 to 08. It was after his success here that helped him get to the NBA.

USA Today via Reuters

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Marc Gasol had a career worth remembering

Coming back to the Memphis Grizzlies would have been such a deja vu for the big man. Why, you ask? Well, Marc was drafted by the Lakers itself back in 2007. But he was shipped to the Grizzlies the following year in exchange for his brother, Pau Gasol.

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Marc played for the Grizzlies for 11 consecutive seasons, bringing a winning culture into the franchise. Memphis turned into a playoff team from a team that barely got 20 victories in a season. In fact, his contribution was such that he even led them as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2013.

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Like most things, his time with the Grizzlies eventually came to a conclusion as they traded him to the Toronto Raptors in the midst of the 2018-19 season. With his luck on his side, he became a significant player in helping the Raptors win their first NBA championship as well.

USA Today via Reuters

And finally, his last stop in the league was with the Lakers. Of course, this wasn’t as memorable as the rest of his prolific career but it’s important to remember him as one who established himself as a great player. And one can only hope he gets even more success in Girona than he ever did before.

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‘All Comes Full Circle’: NBA Twitter Bids a Tearful Goodbye to Marc Gasol After Lakers Trade

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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