Marc Gasol Reportedly Agrees to 5-Year Contract with Memphis Grizzlies

Marc Gasol may have hit the free-agent market, but the star center decided to return to Memphis. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, he signed a five-year contract worth over $100 million on Monday.

On July 2, ESPN's Marc Stein reported the Grizzlies and Gasol were progressing on a deal that would keep him in Memphis.

On June 28, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times noted that the Lakers shouldn't consider Gasol for an offseason upgrade since he "has no interest in the Lakers because of the uneasy last few years his brother spent with them."

Pau Gasol dealt with an uncertain future during his final few years with the Lakers. He regularly found himself in the rumor mill as a trade candidate before ultimately leaving through free agency and joining the Chicago Bulls.

Even without considering the Purple and Gold, the younger Gasol brother would have had no problem finding interest on the open market. The 30-year-old averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last season with the Grizzlies and was named to the All-NBA First Team.

Having played in Memphis since the 2008-09 campaign, Gasol previously talked about his family's connection with the city, via Michael Wallace of ESPN.com:

"

I think it's going to be a well-thought decision, something you feel good about and you move forward with. I don't see the future. I cannot imagine what it's going to be like. But the ties to this city—to the people of this city—go beyond basketball with me. My whole family has been here since 2001.

"

Now Gasol will be able to keep his family in town and be paid in relation to his All-Star talent.