By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Los Angeles Lakers confirmed the addition of Marc Gasol Tuesday. The incoming player had signed his contract to join the Los Angeles Lakers, tweeted earlier Shams Charania of The Athletic. The report confirmed him inking a two-year contract, which does not include out options following the conclusion of the first season. The deal was set at $5.3M.
“I am happy,” he told Spanish internet celebrity Ibai Llanos shortly following his free-agent move becoming official, “I think the Lakers signed me because of the type of player I am, because of the way I play.”
He also clarified that he was never close to a return to Europe: “That was not accurate at all. I think somebody made that assumption… People tried to make that decision for me but I never stated that. I never even spoke to Barcelona. That’s the world we’re living in now, you hear something and everybody runs with it”.
Gasol, 35, is set for his third NBA team after a long run with the Memphis Grizzlies and his two previous seasons with the Toronto Raptors including the NBA championship in 2019. His brother, Pau, helped the Lakers to two titles in 2009 and 2010.
The Lakers actually selected him in the 2007 draft but traded him to the Grizzlies in the deal bringing in Pau. A decade and change later, he will be back, this time as a prominent squad member.
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