Pau Gasol is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract with the San Antonio Spurs this summer, but the veteran center does not intend to sign elsewhere.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Gasol is planning to sign a long-term deal with a lower average annual salary than the $16.2 million he would have made by opting in.
Sources: Pau Gasol will decline his $16.2M option for 2017-18, but intends to work with Spurs on a longer term deal to remain with team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 20, 2017
For the Spurs, this is a way to get salary cap relief on the 2017-18 roster. Gasol will return on a smaller annual salary. https://t.co/BNtilHNMAx
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 20, 2017
Gasol, who will turn 37 next month, averaged 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season. He played just 25.4 minutes per game — by far the lowest mark of his career — but became even more valuable to San Antonio when he came off the bench down the stretch. He is likely willing to accept that role full time next season if the Spurs work to improve their roster so they can contend with the Golden State Warriors.
We have already heard reports about one superstar player potentially being interested in joining the Spurs, and the team would need to free up some salary cap space to make that happen. Gasol opting out to sign a new deal would help with that.
