Despite opting for free agency this offseason, there was little doubt in veteran big man Pau Gasol's mind that he would re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs.
According to Melissa Rohlin of the San Antonio Express-News, the 37-year-old stated that it was how the organization utilizes the veteran players on the team.
Pau said he wanted to re-sign w the Spurs, likes the way they manage vets. Said he trusted they’d take care of him when he opted out.
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) September 26, 2017
In his first season with the Spurs, Gasol played in a career-low 25.4 minutes per game while but remained an efficient source of production on the court averaging a respectable 12.4 points on 50.2 percent shooting from the field with 7.8 rebounds in 64 games with 39 starts.
He missed a chunk of the season due to a thumb injury but progressively found more comfort playing in the Spurs' offensive system as the season wore on. Gasol was one of the team's most dependable players this past season and his skill set fits quite well from what head coach Gregg Popovich expects out his big men.
The game plan that Popovich has implemented with the veteran players has in many ways helped extend their careers and get the most out of them in the latter years. This has helped keep a few of their core players such as Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan around a few more seasons than what may have been expected.
That said, Gasol's ability to accept a lesser role while performing well in that capacity likely led to the team committing to a three-year, $48 million deal with Gasol that doesn't include any player or team options in any of the years of the contract.
Follow Us
Subscribe