For freeiagent center Pau Gasol, it is now down to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and the Chicago Bulls.
According to ESPN.com sources, the Spurs and Bulls are the two leading contenders to land the two-time NBA champion. Gasol, a free agent big man who spent his previous six seasons with the LA Lakers, is said to be leaning towards signing with San Antonio despite the limited money that the Spurs can offer him in the event that the Bulls cannot complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers.
The Bulls are offering power forward Carlos Boozer for Gasol, but the Lakers are reportedly not inclined to take on the massive contract of Boozer unless it comes with a young prospect.
Aside from the Spurs and Bulls, other teams that are pursuing Gasol are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks. The Thunder can use a $6.5 million trade exception for a sign-and-trade arrangement with the Lakers.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are trying their best to move the contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani with the hope of clearing cap space to sign Gasol. Still, the sources of ESPN say that the Knicks are out of contention for Gasol's services.
Speaking of the Lakers, it appears that the team will have to bid goodbye to the Spaniard after six successful seasons. Sources told ESPN that the Lakers are reluctant to give Gasol a long-term offer with a plan of preserving its salary cap space for 2016.
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