Pau Gasol is waiting. Like the rest of us.
Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James have largely bottlenecked free agency as they take their time making their decisions — maybe because they want to play together. Doesn’t matter the reason, they have the right to make their own decisions on their own schedule. It just leaves everyone hanging.
Like Gasol. A host of quality suitors are targeting him, with various contract offers, but he’s not moving until those two do. If Anthony goes to Los Angeles Gasol likely follows, if not… who knows. Adrian Wojnarowski has the latest.
About the Thunder, signals are mixed apparently, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
The Thunder and Spurs reportedly have the same mid-level exception offer ($5.3 million a year to start, max four years), so for Gasol that would be a matter of fit. Reportedly he was impressed that both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook pitched him personally. It’s very easy to picture Gasol working well in the Spurs system and making them even more difficult to beat.
The Bulls, if they don’t land Anthony, could be a great fit with him at the four, and they will be contenders if Derrick Rose can stay on the court. Plus the Bulls can potentially offer more money.
He loves Los Angeles and playing next to Kobe Bryant, if Anthony comes it’s expected Gasol returns. The Knicks would like to get in the game but need to clear out enough salary to even offer the mid-level exception money.
Gasol has options because he’s still as skilled a big man as their is in the game — other teams realize his slide the last couple years was more about how Mike D’Antoni used him than his skills deteriorating. Look at the caliber of teams targeting him — they get what has happened and that he could be a good value addition.
However, Gasol is in no rush to choose one of those options. Just like LeBron and ‘Melo.