Well, it's official: The Toronto Raptors are losing three important team members in exchange for a guy who'd better damn well be worth it, Masai.
Contrary to rumours circulating earlier this week, Kyle Lowry is safe, but Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles and Delon Wright are all going to Memphis.
Kyle Lowry right now #NBATradeDeadline #raptors #wethenorth #rtz pic.twitter.com/BU8RhAZxUv
— King of the Castle (@rapsfan25) February 7, 2019
In exchange for the Lithuanian centre and American guards (plus a 2024 second-round draft pick), Toronto gets 34-year-old NBA All-Star Marc Gasol.
Marc Gasol on his way to Toronto like ... 😂 pic.twitter.com/TUbuZqm5BX
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 7, 2019
Gasol has been playing for the Memphis Grizzlies for more than a decade, joining the team in 2008 after playing for the national basketball team in his home country of Spain.
His record is nothing to sneeze at: He's a two-time Olympic medalist, a three-time All-Star, and was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. But is he worth everything the team is losing in Valanciunas, Miles and Wright?
Some Raptors fans say yes.
Raptors made a serious move today. Hopefully when it’s all said and done that was for the better. JV, Milles and Wright, you will be missed. But MARC GASOL WECOME HOME BABY 😃😄😄😄😄#NBATradeDeadline pic.twitter.com/3fwln50kIh
— Owiee (@ovolk12345667) February 7, 2019
The 7-foot-1 centre leaves Memphis as one of the most accomplished Grizzlies in history, according to EPSN.
Marc Gasol is close to being dealt to Toronto, per @wojespn. He would leave Memphis as possibly the most accomplished player in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/84jCCpghaf
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 7, 2019
He also seems like a pretty cool guy in general.
btw marc gasol is an incredible human being https://t.co/6SNlMfZNnN
— William Lou (@william_lou) February 7, 2019
That said, many were crushed (and/or floored) when the trade deadline passed at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
In what could be an #NBATradeDeadline record, the trade of Marc Gasol to the Raptors in exchange for CJ Miles, Jonas Valanciunas and Delon Wright effectively killed no fewer than three local advertising campaigns.
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) February 7, 2019
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/5FrPDSHqmQ
Valanciunas, 26, will be sorely missed after almost a decade playing for Toronto.
As for JV, it's a heartbreaker. He deserved to play his whole career in Toronto, a place that he loved. But after DeMar was moved, everyone was on notice. It sucks
— William Lou (@william_lou) February 7, 2019
Ironically, the Raptors publicly celebrated his comeback from a thumb injury on Twitter just hours before the trade was official.
We check in live with Jonas Valanciunas' return to the Raptors: pic.twitter.com/sXwDSPQPwR
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) February 7, 2019
As will Wright, also 26, who joined the Raps in 2015.
I liked Delon Wright though😒
— Musa Souled (@Musa_Souled) February 7, 2019
C.J. Miles, 31, only joined Toronto in 2017, but he made quite an impression during his time in The 6ix. Just look at this Halloween costume.
Almost-a-Timberwolf C.J. Miles on the move. https://t.co/6rl9n6UANV
— Derek James (@DerekJamesNBA) February 7, 2019
No public word yet from any of the freshly-traded former Raptors on how they feel about the move, but Gasol is having fun with it.
Meanwhile at the house like... pic.twitter.com/S1tgyCa0yd
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) February 7, 2019
Love or hate it, we can all agree that this was a bigger shakeup than most people in Toronto were expecting.
The NBA East is lit Marc Gasol to Raptors, Mirotic to the Bucks. Your move Boston. #NBATradeDeadline pic.twitter.com/n3VnXaZEye
— SwiftERICRBV (@ericrbv) February 7, 2019
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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