Pau Gasol Considering Four Championship Caliber Franchises in Free Agency

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According to Jesús Sánchez of Marca.com, unrestricted free agent Paul Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers is considering his options when it comes to where he’ll play next season.

“On 1st July, the process begins and until then there will be no contact with any team,” Gasol said. “There appear to be several interested parties. I will listen to them all and I will select the best option for my interests.

“I am excited to be in a strong position, although once I sign for the team I pick, I will be in the hands of that team,” Gasol added. “That is what this business is like.”

Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy tweeted out on Friday that the four teams that are on Gasol’s laundry list are the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies and the Lakers.

In an interview with http://t.co/K3B8ybZMdR, Pau Gasol mentioned the Lakers, Grizzlies, Bulls, Spurs as options he'll consider this summer. — Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) May 9, 2014

There’s no surprise that the 7-foot-0, 250-pound big man wants to play for a team that can compete for a championship as early as next season. Of the three mentioned by Kennedy, only the Lakers didn’t clinch a playoff berth this year.

After 13-years in the NBA, Gasol showed that he can still dominate the glass by averaging 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, despite missing 22 games because of various affairs. He also finished the month of January by recording 20.8 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

At only 33-years old, franchises would be thrilled to receive more than a few years of Gasol’s production It’s a matter of whether or not Gasol wants to earn the maximum amount of money possible or clinch his first title since 2010.

The Spurs would be the most ideal option for Gasol if he wants to pursue another ring. Adding the Barcelona native will give San Antonio another experienced veteran to play alongside Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard to form an even more dangerous Western conference franchise.

Given the fact that the Eastern conference has shown it’s weakness in terms of competition, the Bulls would be another team that Gasol could have an realistic opportunity to win a championship. Chicago would however, have to amnesty or trade Carlos Boozer in order to free up cap space to sign Gasol.

Pau did tell Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times back in February that his preference would be to stay and play at the Staples Center next season, even though the certain “circumstances are difficult right now for our team and nobody’s too happy.” Gasol’s also told Marca.com that former head coach Mike D’Antoni’s resignation will affect his decision this offseason.

“Mike leaving was not the be-all and end-all, but it is another factor,” Gasol said. “What is certain is that we are without a coach and I say ‘we’ because I’m still thinking of myself as a Lakers player.”

Zach Libby is an NBA columnist for Tru School Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Zach__Libby.