Toronto gets Gasol

It’s a bit of a shock we’ll no longer see Marc Gasol in a Grizzlies uniform. He’d spent his 11-year career with Memphis.

If the move works out, Toronto gets a brilliant passer and player with an immense defensive IQ. Will Gasol, who was a focal point of Memphis’ game plan, be comfortable coming off the bench? Will Serge Ibaka concede his starting spot to Gasol?

Jonas Valanciunas, the 26-year-old center sent to Memphis, was popular in Toronto’s locker room. DeMar DeRozan, another well-liked player, was dealt last summer for Kawhi Leonard. Can Gasol, who was loved in Memphis, bond with new players?

It’s a move Toronto had to make. With Leonard a free agent at the end of the season, the time to act was now.