Pau Gasol Rumors: Kupchak Sees Forward Finishing Season With Lakers

Mitch Kupchak3It is no secret that Pau Gasol would like to finish the season with the Lakers, and according to Mitch Kupchak there’s a good chance that happens.

Gasol has been the center of trade rumors for quite some time now and he was on the verge of being dealt just a couple of weeks ago. However, the Spaniard survived to live another day in Los Angeles and he has the backing of Lakers’ general manager Mitch Kupchak.

Kupchak recently spoke to Lakers.com and he talked about what Gasol brings to the table and how much he values having him on the team. Kupchak still sees Gasol making a positive impact when on the court and would like to not only have him on the roster this season, but also past this upcoming summer.

“He’s playing at a high level right now, and there’s no reason why he can’t play at a high level and finish this season as a Laker,” Kupchak said. “Once July 1st rolls around, we’re going to have an option to extend him, and he’s going to have options to move on to other teams. Years and money will probably be a factor, and I don’t know how that will play out. I do know that he has tremendous loyalty to this city and this franchise, and I think if all things were constant, he’d love to continue to play here, and we’d love to have him here.

“Whether his contract is expiring or not, he’s a huge asset. You could argue he’d be more valuable if he were under contract for two or three years.”

Gasol changed the Lakers instantly when he joined the team in 2008, but in order to prepare for the future the front office may have to deal him. Although Gasol is a beloved figure in Los Angeles, he will have to be traded if the Lakers want to rebuild once the older stars retire.

What is your take Lakers Nation, should Gasol be traded before the deadline?
_______________________________________________________________
Lakers Rumors: Kevin Love Favoring Los Angeles Lakers In Free Agency?

You May Also Like

Shaq Won’t Count Out Lakers As Long As Kobe Is Healthy

[new_royalslider id=”152″] Despite their checkered history with each other, Kobe Bryant and…

Grant Hill: Kobe Bryant Was ‘By Far The Toughest’ Player To Guard

Well before Kobe Bryant was drawing comparisons to Michael Jordan, many believed the next transcendent NBA superstar would be Grant Hill…

Lakers Rumors: L.A. Likely To Fill Final Roster Spot With Training Camp Invite

With their recent signings of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and now Tyler Ennis, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves with 13 roster spots filled…

Lakers News: Kyle Kuzma ‘Learning So Much’ By Watching NBA Playoffs

While this season was a fifth in a row that the Los Angeles Lakers were not part of the NBA Playoffs, there still were…