Gasol has been the center of trade rumors for quite some time now and he was on the verge of being dealt just a couple of weeks ago. However, the Spaniard survived to live another day in Los Angeles and he has the backing of Lakers’ general manager Mitch Kupchak.
Kupchak recently spoke to Lakers.com and he talked about what Gasol brings to the table and how much he values having him on the team. Kupchak still sees Gasol making a positive impact when on the court and would like to not only have him on the roster this season, but also past this upcoming summer.
“He’s playing at a high level right now, and there’s no reason why he can’t play at a high level and finish this season as a Laker,” Kupchak said. “Once July 1st rolls around, we’re going to have an option to extend him, and he’s going to have options to move on to other teams. Years and money will probably be a factor, and I don’t know how that will play out. I do know that he has tremendous loyalty to this city and this franchise, and I think if all things were constant, he’d love to continue to play here, and we’d love to have him here.
“Whether his contract is expiring or not, he’s a huge asset. You could argue he’d be more valuable if he were under contract for two or three years.”
Gasol changed the Lakers instantly when he joined the team in 2008, but in order to prepare for the future the front office may have to deal him. Although Gasol is a beloved figure in Los Angeles, he will have to be traded if the Lakers want to rebuild once the older stars retire.
What is your take Lakers Nation, should Gasol be traded before the deadline?
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