Pau Gasol considered returning to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013 to play with Marc

Pau Gasol is one of the Memphis Grizzlies’ biggest legends, as he was the only player who earned an All-Star nod in the 2000s. He earned the honor in 2006, a big achievement for a young team like the Grizzlies. Unfortunately, Pau got traded midway into the 2007/08 season to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In return, Memphis got the draft rights to Marc Gasol, Pau’s younger brother. They did not get to play alongside each other in the NBA, as they only played together in the Spanish national team. The older Gasol considered returning to Memphis in 2013 when Marc was in his prime.

“It’s appealing. One of the best centers in the NBA, one of the best interior players, is my brother. There’s a lot of attractive factors there,” Pau said in an NBA.com interview. “Right now, I’m just trying to focus on (the Lakers’ opponents) and staying healthy and playing a very successful year so this team and others will have the certainty and the confidence that I am a difference maker, that I am an elite player and I have a lot of years in me.”

The Gasol frontcourt would have been superb together

The Gasol brothers complemented each other well when playing for Spain. The older Pau was the better offensive player, as he could dominate in the low post while having a strong feel for the game. That made him a strong offensive engine because he could dish out passes to his perimeter players to shoot the ball.

Marc was the better defender out of the two, as evidenced by his Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013. Having him man the paint with Pau would have been a treat to watch because the younger Gasol could handle the paint while Pau would have done a great job supporting him.

While they did have strong chemistry as brothers and Spanish teammates, he would have likely played a backup role most of the time. Zach Randolph was locked in as a starter and one of the best scorers on the team. However, the depth would have been better if Pau joined.

Pau opted to stay with the Lakers

Back in 2011, Pau was involved in trade rumors that would have sent him to New Orleans in a package in exchange for Chris Paul. That made Gasol’s spot on the team vulnerable because the front office was willing to ship him away to the Hornets.

Despite that, Gasol stayed with the team until the end of his contract in 2014. He then signed with the Chicago Bulls in 2014 and bounced around the league until his retirement in 2019. It was a successful career, but the fact that he considered returning to Memphis is a fun idea to think about, considering how good Marc became in the 2010s.

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