Southwest Notes: Gasol, Joerger, Pachulia

Pau Gasol once more finds the idea of joining the Spurs intriguing, as he said to the Marca newspaper in his native Spain (translation via HoopsHype). Marc Gasol, who’s under contract with the Grizzlies for at least another three years, this week curiously advised his brother to sign with San Antonio. The Spurs were among the teams Pau Gasol reportedly considered when he was a free agent two years ago. The new Creative Artists Agency client has a player option with the Bulls for next season, but it’s worth less than $7.77MM and he’s long said he’ll likely turn it down, and chances of a new deal in Chicago appear to be waning.

See more from the Southwest Division:

• The idea that the Timberwolves considered Dave Joerger for the coaching job that’s since gone to Tom Thibodeau simply wasn’t true, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Any would-be path to Minnesota for Joerger vanished when former coach/executive Flip Saunders died, Tillery writes. The Commercial Appeal scribe expects Joerger to seek an extension with the Grizzlies as he heads into next season, the last one that’s guaranteed on his existing deal.
• Joerger pushed hard for the team to draft Rodney Hood two years ago, when the Grizzlies selected Jordan Adams instead, as Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com details amid a larger piece on the team. Despite the way Hood, a 36% 3-point shooter, has blossomed for the Jazz, Grizzlies executive Ed Stefanski rejects the notion that the front office hasn’t looked for shooting. “Of course we want shooters,” Stefanski said. “An ‘oh, [expletive]’ shooter would be a helluva weapon for us, but they’re not easily had. It makes me laugh when people act like we’re ignoring shooters. You think we’re not looking?”
• Soon-to-be free agent Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia wishes he had a lifetime contract and doesn’t understand why more players don’t choose to play in Dallas, observes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. “It’s my first year for me being here so I don’t exactly know what happened previously,” Pachulia said. “But the one thing, whoever will come here and play for this team and this organization would love it. Very few percentage of the players — very few — wouldn’t like it. The city, the fans, the organization, the personality and the heart. This team is all about winning. So if you are a winner definitely this is the place to be.”