It had been widely assumed that Pau Gasol’s days in Los Angeles were over, given his expiring contract and the relatively acrimonious relationship he has had with the Lakers over the last three seasons. There have even been rumors tying him to a Phil Jackson reunion with the New York Knicks.
However, we might need to pump the breaks on any “Paul leaving LA” talk. ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne is reporting that Gasol “would give strong consideration to re-signing with the team” should the Lakers make an offer, a surprise twist in the forward’s free agency plans.
Perhaps Gasol’s biggest advocate with the Lakers is Kobe Bryant, who has won two titles with Gasol occupying the post and serving as the second option on offense. It will surely help that Mike D’Antoni is gone as well, considering how Gasol was marginalized in D’Antoni’s offense.
The Lakers are already said to be interested in bringing Gasol back, ideally in tandem with either Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James. Once free agency opens for business on Tuesday, expect the offers for Pau to start rolling in and the picture to get a little clearer.
[via ESPN]
