Report: Pau Gasol To Join Spurs On 2-Year Deal
(CBS) As expected, big man Pau Gasol's time in Chicago is over.
Gasol has agreed to join the San Antonio Spurs on a two-year deal worth $30 million, The Vertical reported on Monday afternoon. That brings Gasol's two-year stint to a close with the Bulls, for whom he was an All-Star each season. About a week ago, Gasol had opted out of the final year of his deal at $7.8 million with Chicago, a move that paved the way for him to double his salary for 2016-'17.
The Spurs had pursued Gasol, who turns 36 on Wednesday, in summer 2014 before he signed with the Bulls. This time around, he had interest from the Trail Blazers and Raptors before choosing the Spurs. The Bulls didn't pursue Gasol in free agency, having acquired starting center Robin Lopez in the trade of Derrick Rose a couple weeks ago and also desiring to get younger.
There was interest in Gasol ahead of the trade deadline last February as the Bulls trended downward, but Chicago decided to keep him in an effort to make a playoff push that ultimately didn't come to fruition. At the time, general manager Gar Forman curiously called Gasol "part of the core" of the team moving forward.
Gasol averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds last season while shooting 47 percent. He averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in 2014-'15.