Is Marc Gasol Pursuit the Right Strategy for the Spurs' Offseason?

Having built their core through the draft, the San Antonio Spurs haven't been the biggest free-agent buyers in recent years. But that could all change if the organization plays its cards right when July rolls around. 

That kind of financial flexibility understandably stirs the imaginations of Spurs faithful, especially those seeking some external help after a disappointing first-round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Early rumors have revolved around Portland Trail Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge, as noted by ESPN.com's Marc Stein, but there's another accomplished post presence likely to draw attention from San Antonio and other organizations seeking an upgrade in the painted area.

Like Aldridge, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. And as with Aldridge, teams like the Spurs are expected to come calling. 

Whether they can lure Gasol away from the Grizzlies is a more complicated question. Even if the eternally celebrated Tim Duncan sticks around for another season, San Antonio needs a franchise-changing star who would complement the impending Kawhi Leonard era.

But is that interest mutual? And even if it were, would Gasol's move to San Antonio be plausible in the grand scheme of things?

Yes, Gasol fits the job description in theory. 

He's a 30-year-old jack of all trades—a fundamentally sound defender and relentlessly unselfish passer. Coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 17.4 points per contest, Gasol's versatile scoring ability is only part of the story. He also posted marks of 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per contest. There's a lot to like about the numbers.

But there's even more to like from San Antonio's perspective, perhaps enough for the organization to become a principal suitor at the outset of free agency. 

The Fit

What's not to like about Gasol or the Spurs, or the possibility of them joining forces? He's the kind of skill player head coach Gregg Popovich cherishes, a guy who can work all sorts of wizardry from the low- and high-post areas. 

Aside from the always-impressive numbers and team-first sensibilities, some of Gasol's value is found in floor spacing alone. These aren't the kind of shots Tiago Splitter makes—or even attempts:

Gasol can operate all around the floor, using his gigantic frame to set paralyzing screens in the process. He's both physical and elegant, a bizarre hybrid of old-school post tricks and modern notions of a passing, shooting big man.

Perhaps most importantly, Gasol isn't the hero-ball type. He'll rise to the occasion but won't dominate the basketball or kill ball movement. That's not his style, and it's certainly not San Antonio's.

There's everything to like about this pairing: a seasoned star and the league's model franchise, a torch-passing from Duncan to a most capable replacement, a new chapter in San Antonio's prolific legacy. This makes sense—on paper, in the locker room and in the headlines. 

But it could be a pipe dream.

The Facts

Now for some hard reality.

As NBA.com's David Aldridge recently put it, "Whether or not San Antonio gets in the game, as many have speculated, someone is likely to make a tempting offer. But Gasol is perfect for the Grizz, on the court and temperamentally, and it will take a lot for him to leave."

Gasol has himself all but confirmed that sentiment, leaving only the slightest room for him to change his mind.

"The city of Memphis and the franchise means a lot to me," he told USA Today's Sam Amick in February. "It's not going to be easy for me to leave a place like that."

It's a place with real sentimental attachments for the Gasol family. The Grizzlies gave brother Pau his big start while Marc was playing high school ball in the area.

Memphis also offers practical benefits. The organization can pay Gasol more than any other and add a fifth year to the four-year maximum offer other suitors may pitch.

It's also familiar and successful territory for the big man, which can't be discounted. The Grizzlies are coming off their third conference semifinals appearance since 2011 and have sustained a defensively dominant "grit-and-grind" approach during Gasol's tenure.

Few clubs can boast that kind of situation, but San Antonio might be one of them.

An NBA mecca of international talent, the Spurs organization seems like it should be Gasol's home away from home. Instead, it's a division rival, and one can only guess how Gasol would feel about trading in Mike Conley and Zach Randolph for Tony Parker and Leonard. For all the sense it might make on paper, Gasol has built attachments and chemistry with his current cohorts. That matters.

The Spurs probably have a better shot at Gasol than the rebuilding New York Knicks, but that doesn't count for much if the two-time All-Star is in fact committed to remaining in Memphis. 

Here's the one glimmer of hope for San Antonio: Gasol hasn't been making a whole lot of promises lately.

Stein reported this month that "Gasol has given his own coaches and bosses no hints. Unlike Aldridge, who, according to league sources, hasn't been afraid to share the occasional whisper with a few well-placed folks about the prospect of leaving Portland, Gasol is saying pretty much nothing."

Perhaps there's no need. Maybe the return is all but a done deal.

But if Gasol is quietly preparing to entertain offers, San Antonio has an outside shot.

The Forecast

OK, maybe the Spurs have an outside shot at best. The other lurking variable is a rumored pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge. That pursuit may be general manager R.C. Buford's first priority after officially locking up Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player Player of the Year.

Aldridge is from Texas, and he's probably the best pure scorer on the market—a pick-and-pop maestro with exceptional range at the 4- or 5-spot. If San Antonio is looking to pad an offense that must compete with the high-scoring likes of the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers, Aldridge could be the man for the job.

As best we can tell, that seems to be the organization's thinking. Here's how CBS Sports' Ken Berger put it:

The free-agent plan for the Spurs is to quickly agree on a five-year max deal with Leonard—'It will be a short conversation,' one person with knowledge of the dynamics said—and empower Leonard to join Duncan in an all-out recruitment of All-Star free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, league sources told CBSSports.com.

The Spurs will feel out Memphis center Marc Gasol, too, but the prevailing belief now is that Aldridge is more likely to change teams.

The Spurs would be wise to devote their resources to the more likely defector, which is probably Aldridge. The Trail Blazers' inability to sustain a deep postseason run could give him pause about spending the next five seasons in Portland. If Aldridge is ever going to leave, now may be the time—and San Antonio may be the destination.

Should this scenario materialize, forget about Gasol. It was probably never meant to be, anyway.

Probably.