All along, we've just assumed Pau Gasol would be the Los Angeles Lakers safety net this summer. We were wrong. He could leave the Lakers on his own.
General manager Mitch Kupchak and friends will presumably know more than we do heading into the offseason. Before free agency officially begins, the Lakers should know if they actually have a shot at Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James, or someone else. If they don't, then there would be no reason to renounce Gasol's rights, paving the way for him to avoid being discarded like last week's breakfast quiche.
Only, according to NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper, Gasol isn't making any promises. If he sees a situation he likes elsewhere, abandoning the Lakers is a possibility.
"But I would like to first be in a position to win a championship again and enjoy the last few years of my career and be in a good position to do so," Gasol said.
That position may be Los Angeles. Or it may not.
One thing's for sure: Gasol will have options this summer, meaning he's no lock to remain in Hollywood even if the Lakers want him back.
*All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and salary information obtained from Shamsports.com.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
