NBA Rumors: Gasol Aware That Retirement Is Imminent

Pau Gasol knows that he will eventually decide on retirement and that could be happening soon. He will be turning 40 in July and the two-time NBA champion is fully aware that his chances of convincing teams that he can still play are not looking good.

Gasol last suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks where he played only three games. He hoped to prove to everyone that he could still play, signing with the Portland Trail Blazers before the 2019-20 NBA season. But with an injury (navicular stress fracture) still not fully healed, the 7-foot-1 cager was waived by the Blazers to give that slot to someone who they could use for the season.

For the record, the Spaniard has not officially retired from NBA ball. Had he played for Portland, it would have been his farewell tour. The road ahead does not look promising for the six-time NBA All-Star and it appears he knows that retirement is looming. He told a daily newspaper, El Pais, that this is a possibility heading into the next NBA offseason.

“With this recovery process and the injury that I have been dealing with for more than a year, it’s undoubtedly inevitable to think about retirement. Also, taking into account that I will be 40 years old in a few months. So, it’s definitely on my mind,” the Spaniard said.

In a previous post, it was mentioned Gasol was hoping to get another shot at playing NBA ball. He was pretty upbeat about continuing to play but his age and his full bill of health is something most clubs will be scrutinizing. Add to the fact that there are a lot of younger players that NBA teams may consider plus the incoming freshmen of the 2020 NBA Draft, the future is looking bleak for the third overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft.

Regardless if he plays or not, Gasol has practically done it all in his NBA career. He has won the NBA title twice and was also the 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year. His basketball resume is something other NBA players would be envious about. So if it is the end of the road for Gasol, there is no denying he deserves a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame someday.