NBA Rumors: LA Lakers Trading JaVale McGee To Cavaliers, Signing Marc Gasol In 2020 Free Agency
Despite winning the NBA championship title last season, the Los Angeles Lakers continue to find ways to upgrade their current roster. After the recent acquisitions of Dennis Schroder, Wesley Matthews, and Montrezl Harrell, the Lakers made another move to further improve their frontcourt by signing veteran center Marc Gasol in the 2020 free agency. Before reaching an agreement with Gasol, they first traded JaVale McGee and a future second-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers to create enough salary cap space to accommodate the Spanish big man.
After the trade with the Cavaliers was completed, ESPN reported that Gasol agreed to sign a two-year deal with the Purple and Gold.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a two-year deal with center Marc Gasol, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. L.A. is trading center JaVale McGee and a future second-round pick to the Cavaliers to help make room for Gasol, a source told Wojnarowski. Cleveland is sending Jordan Bell and Alfonzo McKinnie to the Lakers in the deal, sources said. Gasol was drafted by the Lakers in 2007, but had his rights traded to Memphis for his brother, Pau, before he ever played an NBA game.”
Gasol would be a great addition to the Lakers. Aside from having championship experience, he would give them a very reliable scoring option under the basket, rebounder, facilitator, rim-protector, and floor-spacer. Last season, he averaged 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from the three-point range, per ESPN.
He may already be on the downside of his career, but he could still be a huge help for the Lakers in defending their throne in the 2020-21 NBA season. The Lakers may have found success with McGee and Dwight Howard manning the center position last year, but the former Defensive Player of the Year could offer them a skillset which the two big men don’t possess. Unlike McGee and Howard, the Spanish big man is capable of efficiently knocking down shots from beyond the arc.
Sharing the court with a floor-spacer like Gasol would be beneficial for LeBron James and Anthony Davis as it would make it easier for them to penetrate the basket or kick the ball out when they are trapped by the opposing team’s defense.
It’s not a surprise that Gasol chose to leave the Toronto Raptors to join the Lakers in the 2020 free agency. Compared to the Raptors, teaming up with James and Davis in Los Angeles would give him a realistic chance of winning another championship ring before he retires.
