With the Memphis Grizzlies plummeting in the Western Conference and falling out of the playoff race completely, there has been rampant speculation about the Grizzlies potentially trading franchise linchpin Marc Gasol. Since starting the season 12-5, the Grizz are just 7-23 over their last 30 games.

However, Gasol says that even if Memphis does end up making moves, he will not ask to be traded:

“I’ve said it before, that’s just not the way I operate,” Gasol told Peter Edmiston of The Athletic when asked if he wants to be dealt. “The way I’m wired, that’s not what I would expect of somebody who’s trying to win games with me. If I had another teammate next to me telling me ‘I want out!’, I don’t know. I think in moments like this, MLK Day, where your true character shows what you stand for, and I stand for the guys next to me.”

While Gasol was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2007, he has played every game of his NBA career with the Grizzlies. Marc was traded from the Lakers to Memphis for his brother, Pau Gasol, during the 2007-08 campaign. He made his NBA debut the following year and never looked back.

“So I don’t know. Maybe (the organization is) waiting for that to happen,” he added. “Maybe they don’t want to do it, maybe they say, ‘We’re not going to do it, maybe you should ask for it.’ I honestly don’t know. I have no clue what it is. But I’m not wired that way, I’m not a quitter. I can’t, in the heat of the battle, just say, ‘All right, take care.’”

Gasol has a $25.6 million player option for next season.