The Golden State Warriors are fresh off of their disappointing collapse in the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. There are a lot of players the Warriors could target this offseason in free agency in order to make the necessary improvements to take the next step and get another title.
Kevin Durant is the obvious big name this offseason, and the Warriors are in contention to sign him. If they do not end up signing him, they will look to the next tier of free agents. Re-signing Harrison Barnes would be the top priority if Durant isn’t signed, but the Warriors would like to add a veteran big man as well.
According to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN , the Warriors could target Pau Gasol in free agency .
If the Warriors are serious about bringing in a veteran big man, they can’t get better than Gasol. David West is another name who could be considered, although Gasol is a far superior player than West. Golden State would take a big step forward from last season with a threat like Gasol, and he would fit into the up-tempo offense perfectly.
Last season with the Chicago Bulls, Gasol ended up averaging 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. He shot 46.9 percent from the field overall and knocked down 79.2 percent of his foul shots.
At 35-years-old, Gasol would add solid leadership for the Warriors in addition to top-notch skills on the court. His offensive game would give Golden State a much-needed weapon in the post. There are not many other big men around the NBA who have better touch and a more polished all-around offensive game.
Andrew Bogut has gotten the job done fairly well for the Warriors over the past couple of years, but Gasol would be a massive upgrade over him. It would also help improve the Warriors’ depth.
Golden State is not happy about the way that they choked a 3-1 series lead away against the Cavaliers. Steve Kerr knows how talented his team is and the chance for multiple titles that they have. They will be willing to spend big money in order to contend for multiple championships in the coming years.
Gasol is going to receive a lot of interest from many different teams when free agency opens up on July 1. The San Antonio Spurs are one team who have major interest in him, and there are plenty of others that will make aggressive pitches to him.
While there will be a lot of interest from other teams, the Warriors can offer Gasol the best chance to win a ring in the next year or two.
It will be interesting to see which teams end up showing interest in Gasol this offseason. He is likely signing the last big deal of his career, and he will look for a combination of money and wins. Golden State will need to be aggressive early on with their interest if they want to have a chance of locking him up.
Expect to hear plenty of rumors come out in the next few days about Gasol and the Warriors. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the two sides talk about a deal when free agency opens, but with all of the interest that he will have, there is a good chance that he will sign elsewhere.
Do you think the Golden State Warriors should pursue a contract with Pau Gasol in free agency? Would he be the piece that powers them back to another championship win after the big disappointment this past season? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Photo by Jim Mone/AP Images]