Memphis Grizzlies: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season

3. Marc Gasol gets traded

This would be a sad, sad day in Memphis. Not only because Gasol’s departure would mean losing one of the game’s more talented and endearing players, but also because a trade of such magnitude would mean the Grizzlies seriously disappointed this year. The only conceivable scenario in which the team is ready to move on from Gasol is one in which they are clearly no longer competitive, even for a playoff spot.

That might mean Conley goes next, and if the result of this season is losing both stars, then Memphis should prepare for a whole lot of heartache, and not just over the disappearance of its two delightfully likeable stars. If Conley and Gasol get shipped out, the Grizzlies are likely lined up for multiple years of losing. It’s hard to imagine that a team that is already struggling to make money (allegedly) would be able to stomach that well.

Memphis is a tiny market compared to most other NBA cities. The value of having a competent team is monumentally more important given their context. Too many bad years might lead to financial non-viability and relocation to another city.

This is the darkest of possible timelines, and there is no real reason to believe it’s going to happen right now, so let’s move on.