NBA Rumors: Pau Gasol Denies Wanting Out Of Texas

At 38, Pau Gasol is undoubtedly reaching the final years of his NBA career. Hence, it seemed a bit odd that the Spaniard would be seeking a trade at this point – especially since he is making $16 million this season and again next year.

Compared to his prime years, there is no question that Gasol’s game is no longer as it used to be. For this season, he is averaging a measly 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in just 12.5 minutes of playing time, according to the Bleacher Report.

The San Antonio Spurs are apparently in rebuilding mode with head coach Gregg Popovich opting to give the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Davis Bertans and Jakob Poeltl the lion’s share of the playing time in the middle. Also, the six-time NBA All-Star did miss some games earlier this season due to a foot injury.

Given those scenarios, Gasol has come forward to rebuff NBA trade rumors, insisting that the report made by ESPN Deportes did not come from him. That said report claimed that Gasol had sought a trade from the Spurs ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Gasol remains a Spur as of this writing.

Gasol has cleared the air, airing his piece in an interview with Matthew C. Wright of ESPN. The past days have seen several players being bought out by their mother teams. The list includes Jeremy Lin who negotiated for a buyout with the Atlanta Hawks and is now reportedly headed to the Toronto Raptors.

However, the case of the 7-foot center is different. The Spurs, and any team for that matter, would benefit from having a big man inside the paint. Though his agility may not be similar to before, the fact remains that Gasol remains an offensive option and a certified rim protector, Yahoo Sports reported.

While he may be safe for the rest of the 2018-19 NBA season, the scenario could change in the summer. With younger players coming in through the 2019 NBA Draft and a talent-heavy free agent pool, the Spurs are likely to check out the talent and see if they can land better and younger players.

Gasol could still end up playing with the Spurs or another team. But if his playing time this current NBA season is any indication, he may end up spending more time on the bench next NBA season than on the hardwood.