Pau Gasol will turn down his player option for the 2017/18 season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). However, Gasol intends to work out a new deal with the Spurs that will allow him to continue his career in San Antonio, Wojnarowski adds.
Gasol’s decision could have significant implications for the Spurs’ offseason and the club’s pursuit of free agents. The veteran big man would have earned about $16.2MM if he had exercised his option, but it sounds as if he’s willing to accept at a lesser rate to remain with the Spurs. The team will likely tack on a second or third guaranteed year to repay Gasol for taking a pay cut in 2017/18.
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Depending on how much Gasol’s salary is reduced, the Spurs could open up an extra chunk of cap room that will allow the team to be players in free agency. Without taking Gasol into consideration, San Antonio already has nearly $73.5MM in guaranteed salaries on its books for 2017/18. That doesn’t include possible deals for Manu Ginobili, Patty Mills, and Jonathon Simmons, and still wouldn’t leave enough room to sign a veteran to a maximum salary contract, but removing Gasol’s option from the equation is the first step toward creating some flexibility.
Gasol saw his numbers drop off substantially during his first season with the Spurs, as he played a lesser role for the team than he had for other clubs. However, he remained efficient when he did play. Averaging a career-low 25.4 minutes per game, the Spaniard chipped in 12.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.1 BPG. He also developed into a three-point shot, shooting an eye-popping 53.8% from outside, with 0.9 threes per game.
As our player option decision tracker shows, the Spurs are also waiting to hear from David Lee about his minimum salary player option for 2017/18.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
WOW…Unbelievable. Spurs getting another crazy discount. And that’s how they got Chris Paul. Pretty amazing when you don’t have to maneuver anything around to open up money. Their guys just do it for them by taking crazy low salaries.
Was trying to figure out how they could move Gasol to open up the money, and they get lucky like this. Can’t really complain though. That’s a testament to the organization…but I do have an issue with the fact that guys have to take less money to play on a competitive team. There has to be a way in the future to still get some of these veteran guys paid without it effecting the cap as hard….like the wade situation should never happen
Pau should just retire, dude looks horrendous playing against GS lmao.
Pau is a perfect bench big. For the reduced salary he is perfect fit. Bigger news the Spurs have the room for cp3 and may be able to retain a couple guys
Most players look horrendous playing against GS lol.
Idk if the Spurs will have enough cap space to get Paul but someone like Lowry wouldn’t be that much of a stretch
They have enough for a full max guy
Are you sure, cause the article clearly says they don’t? And at this point I don’t think adding CP3 or Lowry while losing 3 guys like Gasol Simmons or Ginobili doesn’t make the Spurs any likelier to beat the Warriors
That LA contract looks worse and worse by the day. So glad he called the Lakers “boring”
They don’t at this point. Pau turning down his option is a start, but they’d still have to make at least one trade or stretch at least one contract.
How much would they have to clear. What are their cap holds, again?
Couldn’t they renounce Manu, Patty Mills, and stretch kyle Andersons contract?
Here are the details on the Spurs: link to hoopsrumors.com — my max cap room projection near the bottom includes their first-round pick (which could be traded or stashed), but not Pau, Lee, Simmons, Ginobili, or Mills. A max salary for Paul or Lowry would start at $35MM+, so they would still have some work to do to get anywhere close to that.
It should all work out where they’d be able to sign CP3. Parker restructuring his deal would solidify it.
You can’t restructure contracts in the nba.