Memphis, Tennessee – The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed center Marc Gasol to a multi-year contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

We are very happy to re-sign Marc Gasol, who has been one of the pillars of the Grizzlies franchise since his arrival and a true Memphis basketball player ever since his days at Lausanne, Wallace said. We are excited to keep him as part of our core group of players and to build on what this organization has already achieved for many years to come.

Gasol (7-1, 265) posted 15.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.15 blocks in helping lead Memphis through a 13-game run through the 2011 NBA Playoffs, which included a first-round upset of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs and a seven-game series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 26-year-old finished second in the league in rebounds per game and third in blocks per game during the postseason.

During the 2010-11 regular season, Gasol averaged 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, a career-high 2.5 assists and 1.68 blocks in 81 games (all starts). Teaming with Zach Randolph, Gasol helped Memphis pace the NBA in points in the paint (51.5) for the second consecutive season.

The Barcelona, Spain native holds career averages of 12.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.44 blocks in 32.7 minutes in 232 games (225 starts) over three seasons in Memphis after his draft rights (48th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft) were acquired in a package from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for older brother Pau Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008. Memphis originally signed Marc on July 9, 2008.

Memphis all-time leader in field goal percentage (.545), Gasol has led the Grizzlies in field goal accuracy and blocked shots in each of his first three NBA seasons. In addition, he already ranks in the top 10 in franchise history in blocks (335, 5th), free throws made (747, 8th), offensive rebounds (563, 8th), defensive rebounds (1,251, 8th) and total rebounds (1,814, 9th).
- Grizzlies.com –
 

Memphis, Tn – Following the most successful season in franchise history, the Memphis Grizzlies will tip-off their 11th season in Memphis (17th overall) with two rematches against Western Conference Playoff opponents. Fans who believed in the Grizzlies during last season’s NBA Playoffs can relive the team’s first-round upset of the San Antonio Spurs and the thrilling, seven-game semifinals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Memphis will open it’s 66-game regular season in San Antonio on Monday, Dec. 26 at 7:30 p.m. (all times Central) at the AT&T Center, followed the home opener against Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. at FedExForum.

Memphis will be featured on national television a franchise-record 10 times this season (three on ESPN, two on TNT, five on NBA TV), including the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Game against the Chicago Bulls on ESPN on Monday, Jan. 16 at Noon at FedExForum. The Grizzlies also are slated for nationally-televised home tilts with the New York Knicks on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. on TNT and the Utah Jazz on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Starting with the home opener versus Oklahoma City, Memphis will play seven of its first 12 contests at FedExForum, including a four-game home stand (Jan. 10-16) which will feature the return of the Thunder on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the New York Knicks’ only visit to the Bluff City on Thursday, Jan. 12 and the MLK Jr. Day Game on Jan. 16 against Chicago. This marks the second consecutive year and third in the past five that Memphis will host Chicago in the MLK Jr. Day Game.

The Grizzlies will welcome the reigning NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks to Memphis twice this season, on Wednesday, Feb. 29 and then on Saturday, April 7. FedExForum will also host several other marquee matchups throughout the season, including when the Los Angeles Lakers (March 13) and the Los Angeles Clippers (April 9) make their only visits to Memphis. The Grizzlies will close out the regular season with a Fan Appreciation Night home finale versus the Orlando Magic on Thursday, April 26.

The Grizzlies will also play host to two back-to-back home series this season. The first will feature two Western Conference Playoff teams from last year, the Spurs (Jan. 30) and Denver Nuggets (Jan. 31). The second will include the return of the Nuggets (Feb. 17) and the Golden State Warriors (Feb. 18). In their only back-to-back-to-back series this season, the Grizzlies will travel to take on Oklahoma City (April 2), return home to play Golden State (April 3) and hit the road again to face Dallas (April 4).

Overall, the Grizzlies will play 13 of their 33 home games on weekends – including seven games on Saturday, four on Friday and two on Sunday – and have 20 back-to-back sets, one shy of last season’s total. Memphis will enjoy a season-long five-game home stand from Feb. 6-14 (the club’s longest since Dec. 12-22, 2008) and will play a season-high four consecutive road games twice in the upcoming season (Jan. 23-28, March 20-25).

The 2011-12 regular season local broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.
 

The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to open the regular season Dec. 26 on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, according to a draft of the team’s 66-game schedule obtained by The Commercial Appeal.

Memphis’ home opener would be Dec. 28 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The league will officially announce the schedule Tuesday night on NBATV.

But don’t expect to see LeBron James and the Miami Heat or Kevin Garnett’s Boston Celtics in FedExForum this season. According to the draft, the Griz would only play Boston (Feb. 5) and Miami (April 6) on the road. Memphis has three games against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers with only one meeting scheduled for FedExForum, on March 13.

The Griz will play 48 games against Western Conference foes and 18 against Eastern Conference opponents.

Although the Griz will play each East team at least once, they are expected to see Detroit, Toronto and Chicago twice.

Chicago will visit Jan. 16 for a noon tip-off in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game. The Griz will also host Orlando (Jan. 1) and New York (Jan. 12).

The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks’ first visit to FedExForum will be Feb. 29.

Memphis has three separate four-game road trips. The team’s longest home stand is five games from March 6-14. The Grizzlies’ are set to end the regular season April 26 at Toronto.

Per the Commercial Appeal, there appears to be common interest between free agent forward Josh McRoberts and the Memphis Grizzlies: “Josh McRoberts is on the Grizzlies’ radar — again. The 6-10 power forward/center, whom the Griz attempted to acquire in a trade with the Indiana Pacers last season, is an unrestricted free agent. Griz general manager Chris Wallace contacted McRoberts’ agent, Mike Conley Sr., last week when the NBA allowed team executives to talk with player agents. There is mutual interest, according to league sources, although no deals can be agreed upon until the collective bargaining agreement is finalized. The league’s agreement with the union is expected to be completed by Friday when training camps are scheduled to open. McRoberts, 24, is also drawing interest from the Los Angeles Lakers after having spent the past three seasons playing for the Pacers.”