NBA: Former Laker Agrees 1-Year Deal On Veteran Contract

Pau Gasol will play his 19th season in the NBA during the 2019-20 campaign after the free agent center signed a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. He will play on the veteran minimum deal which will earn him $2.6 million for the season.

“I'm very excited to announce that next season (my 19th in the NBA) I'll play for the Trail Blazers. Ready and happy to join one of the best teams in the league!” Gasol wrote confirming the move on his official Twitter account.

The 39-year-old will be added to a center rotation that includes Hassan Whiteside, Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic – but the latter is unlikely to return anytime soon after suffering a serious leg injury last season. The Spaniard will fill in for Enes Kanter, who played a key role in the Trail Blazers’ run to the Western Conference Finals last season but has since moved on and signed a two-year $10 million deal with Boston Celtics.

Gasol will bring championship-winning experience with him to the Trail Blazers having won two titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also a six-time All-Star and is certain to be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he brings down the curtains on his NBA career.

The veteran center signed with the Milwaukee Bucks last season after completing a buyout of his contract with the San Antonio Spurs but played only three games for the best team in the regular season before suffering a season-ending foot injury. He finished the season playing a combined 30 games averaging 3.9 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Gasol was selected for the All-NBA team on four occasions and apart from the Lakers, Bucks and Spurs, he has also represented Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls during his 18-year career in the NBA. He has also had a distinguished career with the Spanish basketball national team, which includes a World Cup gold in 2006 and three Olympic medals.