Marc Gasol's tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies ended in February when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors. From a bonafide star, he's now a member of Kawhi Leonard's supporting cast, and he's fit in well in that role.
That's because of everything that he's learned during his time in Memphis. Throughout his 11-year career, Gasol has been dubbed as a ‘coach killer.' He knows that he has something to do with the firing of former Grizzlies coaches David Fizdale and Dave Joerger. In an interview with ESPN's Jackie MacMullan, Gasol admitted that he also has flaws as a player and as a leader. There were times when he refused to cooperate with his former coaches, and that if he could go back in time and make things right, he would.
“You look back and you think about how you could have handled it differently.”
However, Gasol has already moved on from all the drama with the Grizzlies. He knows he can no longer take back time, so he's mended fences with his former coaches.
When the New York Knicks signed Fizdale last summer, one of the people who congratulated him was Marc,, who did it via text. The veteran big man also apologized to him for all the bad things that happened between them when they were with the Grizzlies.
“He said, ‘I'm happy for you. I'm sorry for my part [in your firing]. I understand now what you were trying to get me to do.'”
Gasol was once a stubborn player who didn't want to work things out with coaches that he doesn't trust. He didn't want to adjust his game for the benefit of the team, and maybe that's one of the reasons why the Grizzlies never won a championship despite being one of the best teams in the league from 2010-2014.
Now, he's trying to redeem himself as a member of the Raptors. By embracing a reduced role in a championship team, he's already proving that he's learned his lessons.
Now there's only one thing that's left to do; use all those learnings to help the Raptors win their first-ever championship.
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