With Phil Jackson officially becoming the president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks, Pau Gasol was asked a few questions about his former head coach during practice on Tuesday.
Gasol thinks it’s a bit weird to see Jackson with a Knicks logo behind him according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
Pau on Phil Jackson: "It's weird to see him with a Knick logo behind him"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 18, 2014
The two-time NBA champion also went on to say that Jackson is worth every penny the Knicks are paying him to take over via McMenamin:
Pau also said he thinks that Phil Jackson is worth every cent of his $60 million contract
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 18, 2014
Along with Jackson taking control of the Knicks franchise moving forward, the future remains uncertain for Gasol with the off-season rapidly approaching. Gasol will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and all indications seem to be pointing to the veteran leaving Los Angeles in an attempt to win a title elsewhere.
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Although longtime teammate Kobe Bryant continues to hold out hope that Gasol will return, most believe the Lakers won’t be able to top offers made by other teams. Not only will the Lakers likely offer a deal that he won’t be interested in, but Gasol just doesn’t seem all that interested in returning in the midst of a rebuilding process while he’s in the twilight of his NBA career.
Despite all the uncertainty surrounding Gasol’s future, there’s still a chance he’ll return on a short-term deal. Gasol hasn’t ruled out re-signing with the Lakers, but the circumstances will have to right in terms of money and contending status.
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