The Memphis Grizzlies resigned Marc Gasol to a four-year, $57.7 million deal late Monday, finalizing the team’s most important offseason priority.
Gasol tweeted on Monday night that “I’m proud to say that we have reached a tentative agreement with my team @memgrizz , can’t wait to get on the court with all my teammates!”
Although Gasol was never thought to be interested in signing with another team, the Grizzlies didn’t take his value lightly.
Owner Michael Heisley made it clear prior to the NBA lockout that Memphis would match any offer Gasol received.
The Houston Rockets were reportedly considering making Gasol an offer, but that never materialized.
The Grizzlies will pay Gasol a starting salary of $12.9 million with a 7.5 percent raise in each year of the deal. The contract is conventional, meaning there are no player or team options.
With Gasol back in the fold, Memphis has its entire core group of players returning for the shortened 2011-12 NBA season.
Memphis has also signed Josh Selby, the team’s only draft selection, to a three-year deal.
While terms of the contract were not disclosed, Selby’s deal is believed to be similar to the one Sam Young received as a second-round pick in 2009.
Heisley also dispelled speculation that guard O.J. Mayo is again on the trading block and that the Grizzlies are considering a trade with Indiana.
“Right now, we do not have any active effort going to trade O.J. Mayo,” Heisley said.
The Pacers want to send Josh McRoberts and Brandon Rush to Memphis for Mayo, but Indiana would first have to resign McRoberts. The Grizzlies entertained a trade last season that would have sent McRoberts to Memphis in exchange for Mayo.
However, the Grizzlies aren’t interested in Rush. With the resigning of Gasol, Memphis is already close to the salary cap and doesn’t want to take on Rush’s $3 million salary.
