Stern also allowed the famous Lakers garbage players for Pau Gasol trade. Criminal.
I know that trade looked bad and pissed a lot of people off but I think Memphis won the trade, in terms of value received. Of course the Lakers won a title with Pau so they would do the trade again 100 times but it's not like Memphis lost a title by trading Pau.
That deal sent Pau Gasol with a 2010 2nd round pick to Memphis for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, a 1st round pick in 2008, another 1st rounder in 2010, and Marc Gasol. That's a good haul, especially for a team that was going nowhere, like Memphis at that time. They were 13-33 when the deal went through. The year prior they were 22-60 and the year of the trade, which happened in February, they finished 22-60.
Pau was good for them, having spent 6 1/2 years there and was Rookie of the Year, made the All-Rookie 1st Team, and was an All-Star once. He also helped them make their first playoff appearance, although they never won a playoff game in any of the years they made the playoffs with Pau. They were swept 3 times for a 0-12 record. That's not all on him, of course, but they weren't going anywhere when the deal was made and Pau was already making max money.
Marc came over and spent 10 1/2 years as a Grizzly. He was a 3 time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13, made the All-NBA 2nd Team in 2012-13, made the All-NBA 1st Team in 2014-15, and All-Defense 2nd Team in 2012-13. They also won their 1st series then as well, beating the Spurs 4-2 before losing to Thunder in 7 games. I know he had longer but he accomplished more as a Grizzly than Pau did.
What really gives the Grizzlies side the edge is they got value for Marc last year at the deadline, trading him for Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles, Delon Wright, and a 2024 2nd round pick. So they're still benefitting from that trade now in 2019. The Grizzlies resigned Valanciunas and traded Miles and Wright. Miles was dealt for Dwight Howard, who was bought out, and they traded Delon Wright in a sign and trade for a 2021 2nd round pick and a 2023 2nd round pick from Dallas. Valanciunas resigned in the offseason for 3 years/$45 million in a front loaded deal, paying him $16 this year, $15 next year, and $14 million in it's final year. Valanciunas is also much younger than Marc, he's 27 and won't be 28 until May, so they have him locked down until he's 30. That contract isn't bad either, they should be able to move it if they choose.
If Memphis decides to move Valanciunas then the Suns should inquire simply because the last 2 bigs they dealt won titles with their new teams. Pau and the Lakers lost in the finals in his first half season in LA but won the title in his first full year. Marc got his in Toronto last year, which was just half a season there.
