The Charlotte Hornets have been trying to acquire Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Hornets are in the lead for Gasol's services:
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, continue to press in their efforts to move Marc Gasol (Charlotte in the lead) and Mike Conley (Detroit and Utah are deeply interested but are yet to meet Memphis' asking price)
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2019
Gasol himself thinks he's going to wind up in Charlotte:
A source close to Marc Gasol says he anticipates ending up with the Hornets. The player obviously doesn't make that final call, but it's indicative, at least, that this is still running in the direction of a deal before Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) February 6, 2019
It was reported Tuesday that the Hornets and Grizzlies were closing in on a trade, but the negotiations hit a bump in the road and no deal has been consummated yet. Still, it looks like the expectation is something will get done.
The Hornets are currently holding the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and adding Gasol to the lineup would only improve their chances of having a better record at the end of the regular season. If they acquire the 7-foot Spaniard, they could even steal the sixth spot from the Brooklyn Nets, who have now lost three straight games.
In 53 games with the Grizzlies, Gasol has averaged 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3.
The Grizzlies had a hot start in the early goings of the season. They once held the fourth-best record in the West and seemed to be headed to the playoffs. But for some reason they have struggled mightily since and haven't been able to recover.
The Grizzlies are set to hit the reset button by moving Gasol and Mike Conley.
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