Los Angeles Lakers big man Marc Gasol recently spoke regarding his decision to go to the side of the reigning NBA champions instead of staying with the Toronto Raptors or sign with another team elsewhere. He revealed that he chose to pack his bags to Los Angeles for another shot at winning the second ring of his career, as per TSN Sports‘ Josh Lewenberg.

Marc Gasol spent the bulk of his career as a mainstay on the Memphis Grizzlies where he played alongside fellow veterans in Mike Conley and Tony Allen. They consistently appeared in the Western Conference playoffs only to be staved off by their stronger opponents in the earlier rounds.

He eventually headed to the Toronto Raptors midway through the 2018-2019 season where he was traded in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles, Delon Wright, and a future second-round pick. The Canada-based squad unexpectedly found themselves in the NBA Finals which coincided with the devastating injuries sustained by both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors.

The Raptors eventually hoisted their first championship title in franchise history with the leadership of Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard along with the valiant contributions of Marc Gasol. However, the team ultimately failed to defend their crown as they succumbed to the Boston Celtics in seven games during the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals last season.

With the Raptors not looking to vie for a championship soon, the Spanish center eventually decided to take his talents to the Lakers which was his best chance at snagging his second championship ring as he enters the twilight zone of his career.

The three-time All-Star recently agreed to a two-year, $5.25 million contract to suit up for the Purple and Gold. The upcoming season will see whether or not Marc Gasol will be able to make his imprint on the team and help the Lakers secure their second-straight championship.