Pau Gasol does not think that his Hall of Fame career is finished just yet.
Speaking this week with Spanish news outlet EFE, the six-time NBA All-Star big man said that he continues to rehab from foot surgery and is still hoping to play for one more season.
“I did a treatment at the end of December to improve my chances of recovery,” said Gasol, as translated by Eurohoops. “And now the rehabilitation is going slowly, without the rush and pressure of being on a team. I give it more time and take care of it. I hope everything goes well and I can recover soon.
“It’s a possibility that [retirement] is there too,” Gasol continued. “I’ll [be] 40 this summer, which is not a small number. I understand that sooner or later, whether this summer, next season or another, my retirement is inevitable. I hope not already. I hope that the foot recovers so that it can allow me to play a little more. We will see how much more. Enjoy one last season.”
Gasol, who has 18 NBA seasons under his belt, underwent surgery in May for a navicular bone stress fracture in his left foot. He signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in the summer but was waived a few months later without making a single appearance for them.
While such an injury is obviously concerning for an aged seven-footer (on top of other opportunities potentially awaiting him), you can’t fault Gasol for wanting to go out on his own terms if at all possible.
