Marc Gasol's contract will expire at the end of the 2019-20 season. And given that the Toronto Raptors are leaning towards building around Pascal Siakam — who's expected to haul in a max contract soon — Gasol's status with the team remains uncertain.
Gasol is aware of his future with the team. However, he's not losing sleep over it, noting that he will only control what he can control. The champion big man then pointed out he will be a teammate no matter what the situation is.
“I’m always going to be a teammate and I’m always going to be an asset. You control what you can control,” Gasol said, per Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
Though Raptors head coach Nick Nurse noted that Gasol's role will be more prominent this year, his long term status with the team remains in question. Analysts believe that Siakam, who had a breakout year last season, has built enough clout to command a max contract. He's in line to earn a five-year, $170 million extension.
For the Raptors to be able to comfortably offer that amount, they will need to clear up cap space. First on the list are veteran big men Gasol and Serge Ibaka — both of which have expiring contracts at the end of the 2019-20 season. Once their contracts expire, the Raptors will have nearly $50 million in cap space.
The forecast is that the Raptors can only keep their veterans short term. Eventually, they will need to build a new core with Siakam at the center.
Gasol, 34, is now at the tail end of his career. He is still very effective at his age, so the Raptors could be thinking of trading him as well. Then again, only time will tell.
Follow Us
Subscribe