The Lakers have officially signed Marc Gasol in free agency

Thirteen years ago, the Lakers selected Marc Gasol, a plump 22-year-old who was nicknamed the “Big Burrito” and best known for being Pau’s younger brother. Seven months later, the Lakers traded for the older brother, and in doing so had to send the rights to Marc. He was already loved in Memphis, having won Division 2 Mr. Basketball while playing there in high school during the first half. of Pau’s career.

The Lakers won the trade by advancing to three consecutive finals and winning two, but the treatment was not as uneven as people in the league lamented at the time. Marc Gasol flourished like his brother in Grind City, becoming a three-time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA first-team pick as he helped the franchise win its first playoff game (and series). in 2011, and winning the team’s only berth in the Western Conference Finals in 2013. Even as the Lakers became a powerhouse with older Gasol, it was impossible not to feel a soft spot for the younger brother, who was also building a Hall. of Fame. – worthy own resume.

It is logical that after all these years, Marc Gasol ended up in Los Angeles. The Lakers have officially signed the center, reportedly for a two-year, $ 5.3 million deal no player or team options – the team announced Tuesday, and Gasol’s career arc has come full circle. This is the home of the greatest men in NBA history, and the Lakers were the first to identify his talent in 2007, even if they later (correctly) determined he was not the right player to put them on top in that. moment. Now it could be.

Gasol is a suffocating defender, absolutely the type of player that Frank Vogel would have liked to build a defense in his prime. It doesn’t have to be that player with Anthony Davis already in the Lakers, but Gasol continues to command a defense as well as anyone in the league. He can read opposing offenses, can identify which actions are decoys, and can turn off good things before the other team creates an advantage. Gasol is confident in his positioning because he doesn’t have the vertical mobility to be a shot blocker, but he can contest shots in the paint and, more importantly, completely deter them.

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Over the last nine years of his career, opposing teams have taken fewer shots at the basket when Gasol is on the court, which adheres to rule number one in Vogel’s defense: protect the basket. Combine that with above-average steal and block rates, as well as the ability to avoid fouls, and it’s clear why Gasol has anchored so many great defenses in his career. He’s also outstanding at defending big centers, which has given Joel Embiid hell the last two seasons. That could make Gasol particularly useful in matchups against Denver, especially now that Dwight Howard is no longer around.

Offensively is where Gasol has slipped most notably since his peak days in Memphis. The most obvious difference in Gasol’s game is his growing unwillingness to score. He often doesn’t even look at the basket when he receives the ball on the perimeter, and his post game, once a center for the Grizzlies offense, is essentially gone.

Fortunately, those are not really concerns for the Lakers. They’ll have to remove the lob plays they made for JaVale McGee from their playbook, but otherwise, what Gasol still does fits in pretty well with what this team needs. He remains a fabulous playmaker who enjoys running the offense rather than looking to score. He likes to stand on the high post, often without horn actions, and is excellent at hitting cutters in the paint. His height allows him to make that pass without fear of straying. Gasol is also very good at passing the pick-and-roll, again a set that often leads to great scores, but which Gasol likes to turn into an assist opportunity.

The Lakers need players other than LeBron James who can move the ball and create advantages as secondary playmakers, and that’s exactly what Gasol does. He doesn’t pick up the ball, run pick-and-roll, or direct counterattacks; Rather, he finds openings in the midfield by capitalizing on mistakes and thinking a faster pace than this opponent. You won’t have to score on a team that has a lot of people who want to score points. Gasol can put them in a better position to do it.

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There’s reason to be concerned about Gasol’s age: He will turn 36 in January and only played 44 regular-season games last year due to separate ankle and hamstring injuries. He also played off the court at times in Toronto’s semi-final series against Boston, but context is important here. Gasol is essentially filling in for McGee on the roster, and McGee wasn’t exactly lighting him up during the postseason. The Lakers need Gasol for regular season service and for specific playoff matchups, like against Nikola Jokic, and they can get back to their Davis in all five lineups when Gasol is a little slow. Also, prior to last season, Gasol’s injury history was fairly clean, as he regularly played at least 70 games a year. The Lakers can manage their minutes like they did McGee and increase the load when they need their particular skill set.

Gasol is a veteran who knows what it takes to win in the playoffs and comes to Los Angeles explicitly to win, and perhaps to reunite with assistant coach Lionel Hollins after their time together in Memphis. This contract is not a financial windfall for Gasol; made this decision to add another championship to his trophy case.

The Lakers have redesigned a surprising amount of their roster in the past week, but having Gasol almost feels like a familiar face. He was a team pick all those years ago, and his brother is Lakers royalty. It’s a new team for Gasol, but it should be a comfortable position considering his style of play and the goals he and the Lakers have in mind. This franchise has been good for the Gasol family thus far, bringing one brother to the league and the other to eternal glory. If Marc Gasol can win here, it could be the end of a storybook for a story that began in 2007.

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