Raptors get Gasol in blockbuster trade
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have pulled off one of the league’s biggest deals at the NBA trade deadline, acquiring Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies for Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles and Delon Wright and a 2024 secondround draft pick.
The blockbuster deal, which was completed late Thursday evening, brings a player long coveted by Raptors president Masai Ujiri to Toronto. It’s also a power move for a Toronto team looking to at least keep pace with Milwaukee and Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet spoke highly of Gasol shortly before Toronto defeated the Hawks in Atlanta.
“[Gasol] is one of the best fives in the league for a long time now, perennial all-star, defensive player of the year,” VanVleet said. “Just really excited to see how we can acclimate him to what we do and see how much he can give us a boost.”
In a separate deal, the Raptors also sent veteran forward Greg Monroe and a 2021 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for cash considerations.
The 76ers and Bucks had made major moves ahead of Thursday’s non PST deadline, the Sixers landing Tobias Harris and Milwaukee acquiring Nikola Mirotic.
As Thursday wore on, Raptors fans took to social media to implore Ujiri to make a major move. And he did. It’s Ujiri’s biggest trade-deadline deal since returning to the team in 2013.
Gasol is a three-time all-star and the 2013 defensive player of the year. He’s averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals a game, and his 4.7 assists a night is second best in the league behind Jokic. The seven-foot-one Spaniard is slated to make $24.1 million US this season.