Pau Gasol would reportedly love to play on the Chicago Bulls, because it’s nice to aspire to great things

Just don’t expect it to actually happen. What would the Bulls give us, Boozer? Ha!

By Dave McMenamin

Bryant is still that No. 1 option of course, and is as an unmovable object as there exists in all of professional sports. It’s not just because of his tremendous value to the Lakers because of his skill set even as a 33-year-old, 16-year veteran, but because what his star power and gravitas mean to the image that Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss wants his franchise to be all about. Bryant stated several times this season that he intends to retire a Laker and won’t jump ship to chase ring No. 6 elsewhere.

Plus, he’s owed $58.3 million over the next two seasons. He’s not going anywhere.

That makes Pau the first to go. Call up Houston. Call up Chicago. Call up Minnesota. Call up Orlando. See if interest is still out there. Better yet, call up all 29 other teams and maybe even go the draft pick route. This year’s draft is widely considered the deepest in nearly a decade.

Gasol turns 32 in July. He’s played 11 years in the league plus put in a ton of time overseas playing for the Spanish national team. He averaged 12.5 points during the playoffs. History will show he was a vital piece of the Lakers’ championship lore, but now is not the time for nostalgia.

He’s the first domino. But then what?

(read the rest here)

Pau’s last hug as a Laker?

Pau receives the J. Walter Kennedy citizenship award before the game.

Awarded by members of the Professional Basketball Writers Association, Pau received it for his extensive charity work as a UNICEF ambassador. He’s the second straight Los Angeles player to win the award. Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) won it last year for his work in mental health awareness.

“It’s a great honor for any player to receive,” Gasol remarked. “It should be an honor for any player to have the opportunity to give back and to make the community better, be a role model to all the other kids and people. I think it’s very important when you have that opportunity, you take advantage of it. You maximize it.

“Hi.”

12 points and 11 rebounds for Pau. Not the best night, but definitely not the worst. Oh, and 6 assists. The quintessential big man.

foreverla:

Life is good after a Laker win.

Whoa. Throwback. Doesn’t even look like a caveman here.

Pau Gasol was the ‘01-‘02 Rookie of the Year, averaging 17.6 ppg and 8.9 rpg.

(Source: nba)

I know that feel, bro.

P. Gasol: 23 Pts, 17 Reb, 6 Ast, 1 Stl, 4 Blk

A. Bynum: 16 Pts, 18 Reb, 6 Blk