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Summary

Going into this past season, it was unclear how many of the Raptors' veterans would finish the season in Toronto. Many believed that the Raptors would trade Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Kyle Lowry in order to start their rebuild. However, due to the emergence of Pascal Siakam as an All-Star and solid play across the roster, the Raptors were much better than expected and did not move any of their veterans.

 

Gasol may not be the scorer he was in his prime in Memphis, but he is still one of the best passing bigs in the league, and has value as a stretch big that can also score in the post when things bog down. On defense, Gasol has never been the quickest, but his intelligence and positional awareness make him a solid defensive presence, at worst. Gasol is 35, so it's unlikely any team will give him a three or four-year contract offer. However, Gasol has proven he can still bring value to a contending team.

Cap Considerations

Gasol will be an unrestricted free agent with full Bird rights. As his cap hold ($39.4 million) exceeds the salary he will get in free agency, his cap hold is not really relevant. If the Raptors re-sign Gasol, his cap hold will be replaced by his starting salary, and the Raptors may still have some cap space available depending on his salary and what happens with their other free agents. If Gasol is brought back by the Raptors on a multi-year contract, they could benefit from frontloading his contract, as it could give them additional flexibility in the future.

 

Gasol will demand a starting salary of more than the full $9.3 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which means only teams with cap space will be able to sign him. If Gasol and an over-the-cap team have mutual interest, sign-and-trade options can be explored.

Potential Teams: Raptors, Hornets, Pelicans, Pistons, Trailblazers

Predicted Contract: 1-year, $14 million with the Raptors

Actual Contract: 2-year, $5.3 million (player option) with the Lakers

After initial reports that Gasol would return to Spain, Gasol ended up signing a two-year minimum contract with the Lakers. This is below market value for Gasol, but he took less to be on a contender, and could end up retiring after year one but being paid for both years.

Last updated: 12/31/2020

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