Veteran center Marc Gasol is on to the next — and possibly final — chapter of his NBA career after signing a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
But on the eve of Thanksgiving Gasol took time out to say thanks to the Toronto Raptors organization:
Thankful for the relationships and memories that will last a lifetime #Toronto pic.twitter.com/48jpTgHltL
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) November 25, 2020
Gasol said although he is sad to leave Toronto, he is extremely appreciative of the experiences he had with Raptors coaches and teammates:
“I'm going to miss Toronto,” Marc Gasol said, via Josh Lewenberg of TSN. “It's been a great place. My family was very settled there, very comfortable… That's just the way, sadly, this business goes, but I thought my run in Toronto could not get better.
“I told my teammates that remain there how much they meant to me,” Gasol continued, via Lewenberg. “I'm gonna miss them a lot, I can't lie to you, because we went though something together that's very unique, very special and creates a bond forever. And no one can take that away from us.”
Toronto acquired Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies prior to the 2019 trade deadline in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas and other considerations.
The Spaniard became a vital part of the Raptors' run to their first championship in franchise history. Gasol made things tremendously difficult for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid in the conference semifinals and clogged the paint against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference finals.
Gasol also played a key role as a floor-spacing big and capable distributor this past season as the Raptors finished with the second-best record in the East. While Toronto lost in the second round, it was still an excellent season after losing Kawhi Leonard.
The 35-year-old is headed to L.A., but not before thanking the Raptors organization for all the cherished memories. The Lakers are getting a good one in Marc Gasol.
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