Spain - Gasol to Bulls? Or Celtics? Blazers?...

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The rumors, the talk, the speculation continue to swirl around the NBA regarding the future of Grizzlies forward/center Pau Gasol.

Where will the former All-Star land after asking owner Michael Heisley for a trade? The truth is, despite the names being tossed about in possible deals, most either don't make sense from the Grizzlies' standpoint, or that of the trading partner.

And for that reason alone, don't be surprised if Gasol is still a Grizzly beyond the Feb. 22 trade deadline. There's a good chance he could still be around when the team reports for training camp next season.

Here are some scenarios:

Gasol to Chicago?

The team with the best chance of making a deal with the Grizzlies is the Chicago Bulls. Grizzlies president Jerry West wants forward Luol Deng (6-9, 21 years old), forward Andres Nocioni (6-7, 27), and veteran P.J. Brown (6-11, 37) and his expiring contract.

It would a real coup if West could pull off that deal, perhaps the best move since he took over running the franchise. But Bulls general manager John Paxson has been slow to pull the trigger on the deal. And with good reason.

The Bulls could use Gasol's inside scoring, which would make life a lot easier on center Ben Wallace. But giving up Deng would be costly. Deng is a rapidly improving playmaker who is averaging a career-best 18 points and seven rebounds this season. He would give the Grizzlies something they sorely need, a slashing scorer who can also score from the perimeter.

Deng is an emerging talent, capable of being a future All-Star. He has played a vital role in the Bulls' rise as an Eastern Conference contender. For the Bulls, is the cost of adding a post player worth giving him up, not to mention the rebounding and defensive capabilities of Brown, which will be valuable come playoff time? Those are the questions Paxson is wrestling with. After a slow start, his team went into Monday night's game at Utah just a game behind Detroit in the Central Division standings. With no clear cut favorite in the East, Paxson could simply opt to ride out the season with what he has, and hope his team goes on a roll down the stretch.

Gasol to Boston?

Reports out of Boston say the Celtics would be willing to part with Al Jefferson (6-10, 22), and Gerald Green (6-8, 21) for Gasol. Jefferson is a nice player who's shown improvement during his three years in the league, averaging 14 points and 10 boards this season.

But he's nowhere near the caliber of player Gasol is. And neither is Green.

There would have to be more parts to this trade, since the combined salaries of Jefferson and Green (about $2.9 million this year) don't come close to Gasol's $12.3 million. According to league rules, a trading team can only receive up to 125 percent (plus $100,000) in return for the salary it trades.

Gasol to Portland?

The latest report came last week, saying the Grizzlies wanted Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge (6-11, 21), Sergio Rodriguez (6-3, 20) and Jamaal Magloire (6-11, 28) for Gasol. It was a report that was quickly shot down by the Trail Blazers .

First off, the Blazers are in cost-cutting mode, so they likely wouldn't be interested in Gasol's hefty contract. Second, coach Nate McMillan is doing a nice job of blending their young talent, including Aldridge and Rodriguez, around forward Zach Randolph. And third, Gasol isn't known for thinking defense first. Randolph already isn't providing much defensive help on the front line.

West has had, and will continue to have, teams present their offers. Most will be of the "something for nothing" realm and not worthy of mentioning.

Until that no-brainer offer comes along, or until someone is willing to give West what he's seeking, there's really no rush to move Gasol. The Grizzlies have the upper hand so there's no point in just giving Gasol away. Gasol still has four years and just over $63 million left on his contract, so he's not about to just walk away.

The best thing for West to do is sit back and see if Paxson's trigger finger gets itchy. If not, then keeping an All-Star player like Gasol around isn't so bad after all.