Now that LeBron James has made his very recognized decision, the rest of the NBA can finally fall into place. Carmelo Anthony and Luol Deng are still most certainly the biggest fish out there, but it looks like the Chicago Bulls nabbed another piece to their puzzle today.
Reports are indicating that the Bulls and free-agent Pau Gasol are close to striking a deal, according to Marca.com. Coming from the Spanish newspaper Marca and other media outlets, it appears Gasol and the Bulls are closing in despite a “sign and trade” possibility involving Gasol’s latest team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Right off the bat, this news signals that the Bulls are moving on from the possibility of signing Anthony, as they must think he’s staying in New York with the Knicks. There is not enough cap-room in Chicago for both stars.
Yesterday, the Lakers acquired point-guard Jeremy Lin from the Houston Rockets and appeared likely to resign Gasol. Los Angeles offered the big-man two different deals: two years and $23 million; and three years and $29 million, according to ESPN.com.
The San Antonio Spurs is the other franchise who seems to be in the running for Gasol. Now though, it looks like Chicago will be the destination for the talented big-man. For his career, the 34-year-old Gasol has averaged 18.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG, according to BasketballReference.com. More than a double-double guy, he is also one of the more talented passing big-men in NBA history, averaging 3.3 assists per game in his career.