Marc Gasol is working daily to get in shape with his trainer before deciding his future. His day-to-day is with Basquet Girona, but he hasn’t worked out with the team, as he did last season, and he hasn’t decided yet.
More on Marc Gasol Free Agency
There is a lot of speculation around Marc Gasol, but no decision has been made, even regarding Barcelona's interest. The possibility of playing for Barça, however remote it may seem, can not be ruled out.
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced the team waived center Marc Gasol. Gasol was acquired by the Grizzlies from the Los Angeles Lakers with a 2024 second round draft pick for the draft rights to center Wang Zhelin (57th overall in 2016) on Sept. 10. Gasol (7-1, 255) holds regular season career averages of 14.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 32.2 minutes in 891 games (866 starts) over 13 seasons with the Grizzlies, Raptors and Lakers.
Due to the financial and roster situation, Barcelona seemed unlikely while Gasol is actually the owner of Girona and has expressed the wish to finish his career there. And, according to L’Esportiu de Catalunya, that is exactly what will happen as Gasol was seen spectating his club’s game and his signing is expected to be announced soon, perhaps as soon as Monday (September 13).
Gasol had played two seasons for Girona back in 2006-08 and is the club from which he made the jump to the NBA. He was the MVP of the Spanish league that year. Unlike then, at the moment, Girona is competing in LEB Oro – the Spanish second division – and Gasol would be a huge boost in the efforts to return to the elite.
The recent report from my Bleacher Report colleague Jake Fischer that the Lakers will have interest in DeAndre Jordan when the former All-Star center secures his expected buyout from the Nets was the latest signal that Los Angeles and Marc Gasol could be headed for a separation even though Gasol still has one season left on his contract with L.A.
One more Lakers roster note: I’m hearing that Marc Gasol is not a lock to return to the Lakers, even after Gasol said following Spain’s quarterfinal loss to the United States in the Olympics that he intends to play out the final year of the two-year deal he signed with Los Angeles. It’s not yet clear if that means Gasol is poised to be set free to play elsewhere in the NBA or if he would ultimately opt to finish his career in his home country like brother Pau.
Just a few hours after the completion of the 2020-21 EuroLeague season which didn’t end in the desired way for FC Barcelona, the team seems to be setting sights on its reinforcements for next season. According to Carrusel Deportivo’s Antoni Daimiel, Barcelona GM Juan Carlos Navarro has Marc Gasol at the top of his agenda for next season’s plans and will “try everything” to bring the Lakers star back home.
“This operation must not be ruled out for the future”, said Daimiel. If so happens, and assuming that Pau Gasol continues his run with Barcelona, fans will have the chance to see the two brothers competing side to side for the Blaugranas.
Josh Lewenberg: Marc Gasol, who is being introduced by the Lakers today, says his decision to go to LA "boiled down to winning another championship." pic.twitter.com/Yuk9vkhRsd
Kyle Goon: Marc Gasol says it was never accurate that he was considering playing in Spain, that he never talked to Barcelona about playing there. He says that outsiders might have been trying to make that decision for him. The Lakers were one of the first teams he talked to in free agency.
Kyle Goon: Marc Gasol to the Lakers is now official. Probably a good time to send your favorite Gasol gif pic.twitter.com/QTCu2OmGQb
Shams Charania: Marc Gasol has signed his two-year, $5.3M deal with the Lakers, source tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. No team or player option in second season.
Kyle Goon: Lakers make the trade of JaVale McGee official, interestingly announcing both Jordan Bell and Alfonzo McKinnie without saying they'll waive either one. That frees up space to officially sign the two-year Marc Gasol deal.
In Gasol, L.A. brings in a former All-Star to fill the void in the middle created by the departures of McGee and Dwight Howard, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent. Even though Davis is more than capable at center and played the position plenty during the Lakers' postseason run, sources told ESPN that it remains a priority for L.A.'s front office to fill the roster with other reliable centers so that Davis doesn't have to bear the brunt of the position during the arduous regular season.
Eric Smith: Short stay. Long-lasting impact. ?? Always classy. Approachable. Professional. A calming, veteran presence both on and off the floor. Good luck in LA, @Marc Gasol. pic.twitter.com/zr4821OVdJ
Bobby Marks: The rationale behind the McGee trade is the second year in the Gasol contract. Signing a one-year contract would have been a $1.6M cap hit. Signing a two-year deal and LAL takes on the full $2.6M hit. $1M difference can go along way when dealing with the hard cap.
Shams Charania: Toronto picks up one of the top big men on the market in Aron Baynes. Second season is a team option, sources said. Marc Gasol heads to Los Angeles on an agreement with the Lakers, where his preference has been and where his brother Pau is an icon.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Gasol will sign a two-year deal, sources tell @Zach Lowe and me.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Marc Gasol is finalizing a deal to sign with the Lakers, sources tell me and @Zach Lowe.
Marc Stein: Toronto is still trying to keep Marc Gasol but has strong interest in Markieff Morris as well, league sources say. The Lakers, reported Friday by @NYTSports as a prime suitor for Gasol in response to Dwight Howard's exit, continue to push to lure the Spaniard away from Toronto.
Shams Charania: Marc Gasol is narrowing his focus to the Lakers and Raptors, and L.A. is working market place to find way to improve offer, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium. Mavericks are not expected to be destination.
Shams Charania: The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as a serious suitor for Marc Gasol, sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium. Championship chase and L.A. are appealing for Gasol.
Adrian Wojnarowski: At this hour, Toronto is still working to convince free agent Marc Gasol to return on a new deal, sources tell ESPN.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Another Western Conference team showing interest in signing Marc Gasol, sources tell ESPN: Golden State.
Marc Stein: The Clippers have joined the race for free-agent big men Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, league sources say Gasol is considered the more realistic target given the fierce competition for Ibaka headed by Toronto and Brooklyn
Marc Stein: The Lakers also seek one more big man, league sources say, but they face much tougher financial constraints in the chase for Gasol after signing Montrezl Harrell away from the Clippers and re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Marc Stein: Marc Gasol has emerged as a free-agent target for the Lakers to fill the void created by Dwight Howard's departure to Philadelphia, league sources say
NBA Central: Marc Gasol has been a name floating around on the Lakers’ radar, per @ramonashelburne (h/t @hoopsview )
Ernest Macia: Marc Gasol: "I know there's interest from several NBA teams to get in touch after Friday". "I want to help my future team to win on a consistent basis and contend for the championship. I don't see myself playing for a rebuilding team"
Nurse acknowledges that Gasol, who made $19.69 million this season, might move on. Toronto also has two key free agents in Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka, both of whom will draw interest in the open market.
Gasol also commented on recent rumors linking his brother Marc Gasol to Barcelona. “Marc and me at Barca? I am surprised by the impact and journey of unverified information,” Gasol said, characterizing them as “fake news.”
Lori Ewing: An FC Barcelona spokesperson told me this morning that the club hasn't called Marc Gasol, and he hasn't contacted the club. "There's nothing, nothing," to (the rumour) Gasol is headed there, he said.
Josh Lewenberg: For what it's worth, multiple Raptors and league sources say they cannot confirm the Marc Gasol-to-Spain report. I think that's where this is headed, eventually, but we probably jumped the gun on it. Technically, he's still under contract with Toronto until the off-season begins
Eric Koreen: FYI, there is nothing imminent on this front. Seems very likely someone got very, very ahead of himself and tweeted it. Could never happen to me. Anyway, Gasol’s status remains unchanged, and he will be a free agent after season’s end.
In an interview with Gigantes del Basket, Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius has talked about the possible signing of Marc Gasol, who will be free agent at the end of the NBA season. “We have not talked with him. But we don’t have to rush: if there will be a real chance, we will go for it”, Jasikevicius said also in reference to the idea that Barcelona is looking to sign a center.
According to Xavier Saiso Garcia of Radio Ser Catalunya, Spanish center Marc Gasol is considering a return to Europe, for family reasons, to continue there his illustrious career. Reigning World Champion with Spain NT, Gasol is now a free agent after completing the season with the Toronto Raptors, the team with which he won the NBA title last year.
Josh Lewenberg: Asked about his upcoming free agency, Gasol says that he's put "every once of energy and mind" into this game and this series, now he's thinking about getting home to his family, will deal with free agency over the coming weeks/months.
Eric Koreen: Raptors announce Marc Gasol has exercised his $25.6-million option.
Fletcher Mackel: One day to pay attention to this week. Thursday, June 27th. That’s when Marc Gasol has to opt into or out of the final year of his contract. Most expect him to opt in, but if he becomes free agent, NBA source tells me: “Pelicans have had conversations about landing him.”
Ryan Wolstat: Marc Gasol on player option: Hasn't thought about it yet. Says Raptors have higher priorities right now. Time to celebrate now and figure that out later.
If not traded, do you think Marc opts in after this season, and if he opts out, does he leave or sign elsewhere? Chris Herrington: I hinted around this in my Gasol piece, but I’ll say it plainly here: My bet is that Gasol is not traded before the deadline but does end up leaving in the summer. I think he opts out and either leaves in free agency or via a sign-and-trade. I am not hugely confident in that assessment. I’d put it at about 60 percent right now. If Gasol’s game is going to transition into a lesser role, I think he’d prefer to do so on a team with a clearer path to contention than the Grizzlies will have in the near-term. And I’m not convinced the Grizzlies really want to offer a multi-year extension, even at a far-reduced salary, for what I think they must now see needs to be a rebuild. But I know at least a couple of people whose guesses are as educated as mine who tilt the other way, who think Gasol is more likely to be back. That maybe he cares about his connection to the franchise and city too much. That maybe he doesn’t want to disrupt his life -- off the floor as much as on it -- that much.
Marc Stein: One whisper making the rounds: Marc Gasol can become a free agent at season's and, amid a growing belief around the league that he will indeed exercise that option, Memphis could be moved to explore trading Gasol now rather than face the threat of losing him without compensation
Marc Gasol can be a free agent at the end of this year. Do you want him to retire a Grizzly? Are you confident he’ll stay? Robert Pera: I can’t read his mind but if it were up to me I certainly want him to retire as a Grizzly.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent Marc Gasol has agreed to a five-year, $100M-plus deal to return to the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
The Memphis Grizzlies and star center Marc Gasol continue to progress toward agreement on a five-year max contract that will cross the $100 million threshold, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the exact timetable for a verbal agreement between Gasol and the Grizzlies remains unknown, but team officials -- including owner Robert Pera -- were in Spain this week to greet Gasol in his hometown of Barcelona shortly after free agency commenced at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
Marc Gasol is about to sign a five-year, $108 million contract with the Grizzlies, Miguel Angel Paniagua said in Cope's El Partido de las 12 radio show.
David Aldridge: Marc Gasol, Grizzlies owner Robert Pera working out details on new contract today in Barcelona, per source.
In the latest signal Marc Gasol is going nowhere in free agency, the Memphis Grizzlies center is scheduling no meetings with rival teams interested in him, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that Gasol will instead host a contingent of Grizzlies officials in his native Spain on Wednesday morning, raising the possibility that a verbal agreement on a new contract will quickly follow.
The Grizzlies had a countdown on their website for a long time, counting down to 11:30AM today. The time is here, and we now know what the countdown was for: a film by Craig Brewer titled "Marc Gasol of Memphis", in which Memphians (along with Zach Randolph and Mike Conley) make their case that Marc Gasol is, just like we've always known, One Of Us.
Marc Gasol has no interest in the Lakers because of the uneasy last few years his brother spent with them, according to numerous people familiar with the situation. Versatile big man Greg Monroe, oft-injured Brook Lopez and his workman-like brother, Robin, are other alternatives at center.
The Grizzlies will have a full training camp to incorporate Green into their system, with the franchise’s full attention turning to the re-signing of first-team All-NBA center Marc Gasol in July free agency. Gasol is expected to stay with the Grizzlies, but no final decision has been made, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Gasol is expected to stay with the Grizzlies, but no final decision has been made, league sources told Yahoo.
