San Antonio Spurs v Chicago Bulls (Photo : Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs announced yesterday that they have signed Pau Gasol, a forward/center from the Chicago Bulls to replace the team's retired power forward/center Tim Duncan. However, the terms of the contract were not announced as per club policy.
For the first time in 19 years, the Spurs will be playing without Duncan. To fire up their front line, they had signed 7-foot Gasol who is a six-time All-Star and won two NBA titles. While the Spurs did not release the terms, a credible person said that Gasol got a two-year deal with the team that is worth more than $30 million, New York Times reported.
Gasol, 36, spent his last two season with the Chicago Bulls and had averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 assists and 11.0 rebounds last season. He is also one of the league's most versatile and talented big men since he was drafted in 2001 with the Atlanta Hawks and was traded to Memphis Grizzles where he spent his first six plus seasons.
It is reported that the Portland Trailblazers suited Gasol along with Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves who offered him a $36 million deal for two years. However, Gasol chose to play for the Spurs since the team was ready to contend for a championship.
Gasol started 1,042 out of his 1,055 career game in the NBA. He was the 2002 rookie of the year and played with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2008-2014 where the team won a back to back championship in 2009 and 2010. The Bulls signed him in 2014.
Meanwhile, Duncan celebrated his retirement fishing with his closest friends at the San Antonio-area Lake on Wednesday, My San Antonio reported. "I can still do this. I could probably still play," Duncan said in an interview with ViVid Streaming. "But when it's time, it's time. It's time. I started not enjoying myself," he added. Ducan also said that playing was not fun at times, and for him, when it is not fun anymore, then he is done.
A photo posted by @sundaddy12 on Jul 13, 2016 at 5:49pm PDT
Duncan's best friend, Rashidi Clenance shared an Instagram photo of them later that day on a boat fishing where Cleanance caught a tiny bait fish.
