he should just go back to spain and finish his career there. he can probably win a couple championships and get a bigger contract at the same time
He's been to the Finals 3 times and won 2 championships since being rescued from mediocrity in Memphis. When you are wealthy and settled in LA, there are few better places to live. Why wouldn't he want to stay?
The way the Lakers have constantly made Pau their whipping boy over the past 5 or 6 years really erks me. One of the most unappreciated great players of our time whose talents have really been squandered by LA. Putting him in a position where he's going to be offered as little as the minimum expection or the vet minimum is a travesty after all the grief he's taken from from the Lakers org and their fanbase. I think the Lakers and Pau would like to get a trade done but the problem is there are very few trades they can consummate this season to get any kind of value for Gasol so more than likely he has to sit and wait for this year to finish for him to finally move on. The Lakers are dumb enough to think he's actually going to take a Vet Min contract and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up going back overseas and gets a starring role with Real Madrid next year.
Wouldn't really feel great about asking him in free agency to both come over as a backup or sign for just the mid-level. Ray Allen did it with the Heat, but he had a really nice role for them and lots of minutes to give him. Houston really wouldn't have that to offer. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes a night off the bench. I'd love for the Celtics to have a turnaround offseason and pick up Gasol in free agency. Id be the ultimate F-U back to the Lakers to finish his career as a Celtic.
What's weird is Kobe and Pau seem to be pretty friendly with each other, and Pau still gets treated like cr*p. I wonder if that shows Kobe doesn't have as much clout in the organization as a few might think.
stay puft. he should sign with the grizzlies and retire playing for the grizzlies. or he could take mid level and help us win the ultimate prize.
Now that would be an MLE well spent! That said, he's not playing for the MLE. I think Dallas offers him a big contract next summer. Calderon Ellis ? Nowitzki Gasol Really not a bad job by Cuban. They will still have a very weak bench, but the Gasol/Nowitzki frontcourt will be the best in the NBA.
Maybe a one year guaranteed for $15 million but not a multi year deal. Cuban won't sacrifice flexibility. Gasol will go to a desperate team looking for a leader big. Cleveland comes to mind