Michael Jordan.
02-28-2014, 08:25 PM
With Pau Gasol (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/996/pau-gasol) on his way to missing the playoffs for just the fourth time in his 13-year NBA career, and the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers), the veteran big man announced that his free-agency decision will come down to wins, not money, this offseason.
"Honestly, I'm not ruling out renewing my contract, I'm just open to every option," Gasol wrote Friday on his personal website. "My decision will be based purely on sporting considerations. It couldn't be any other way. I want to be in a team with a real chance of winning a ring and where I can help to compete for it. I would like to win another championship. The financial side comes second at this stage of my career."
Gasol is in the final year of his deal with the Lakers, paying him $19.3 million. Considering the scarcity of quality big men in the league -- Gasol is averaging 17.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game this season -- the four-time All-Star could conceivably command an eight-figure salary on the open market.
However, according to Gasol, his priority is to find a situation that will allow him to add to his collection of two championship rings. That is more important to him than padding his career earnings, which are already north of $156 million, according to BasketballReference.com.
Gasol will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. While he has stated in the past that his preference is to remain in Los Angeles, his repeated head-butting with Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, combined with his championship-or-bust declaration, would seemingly reduce the chances of him remaining with the rebuilding Lakers beyond this season.
"I'm a free agent with no restrictions," Gasol wrote. "That means I can go wherever I want. The Lakers don't have any bargaining rights. My franchise has the chance of offering me more money and a longer contract, but that's not all that's going to matter as far as my decision."
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10534317/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-wants-win-not-focused-free-agency-payday
PauGonePERIOD.
"Honestly, I'm not ruling out renewing my contract, I'm just open to every option," Gasol wrote Friday on his personal website. "My decision will be based purely on sporting considerations. It couldn't be any other way. I want to be in a team with a real chance of winning a ring and where I can help to compete for it. I would like to win another championship. The financial side comes second at this stage of my career."
Gasol is in the final year of his deal with the Lakers, paying him $19.3 million. Considering the scarcity of quality big men in the league -- Gasol is averaging 17.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game this season -- the four-time All-Star could conceivably command an eight-figure salary on the open market.
However, according to Gasol, his priority is to find a situation that will allow him to add to his collection of two championship rings. That is more important to him than padding his career earnings, which are already north of $156 million, according to BasketballReference.com.
Gasol will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. While he has stated in the past that his preference is to remain in Los Angeles, his repeated head-butting with Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, combined with his championship-or-bust declaration, would seemingly reduce the chances of him remaining with the rebuilding Lakers beyond this season.
"I'm a free agent with no restrictions," Gasol wrote. "That means I can go wherever I want. The Lakers don't have any bargaining rights. My franchise has the chance of offering me more money and a longer contract, but that's not all that's going to matter as far as my decision."
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10534317/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-wants-win-not-focused-free-agency-payday
PauGonePERIOD.