Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol says he will join a team that can compete for a championship next year and insisted he won't be prioritizing money in contract talks this summer.
"I want to be in a team that is going to be built to win a championship," Gasol told Chris Mannix of SI.com. "That's my top priority. Money won't be the main priority. Length and money are factors, but we'll see. Until I know all the options, I won't be able to measure them. But we're getting close to the end of my career. I want to be in a good situation. It's an important decision to make."
Gasol has been the lone bright spot for a Lakers team which has struggled to a 25-50 record this year with averages of 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds on 48 percent shooting. With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash out most of the season due to injuries, Gasol carried much of the scoring load for the Lakers this year.
While Gasol has not publicly stated whether he'll return to the Lakers after his contract expires, a lot of observers believe his time in Los Angeles is up. According to Mannix, NBA executives believe three teams stand to have the biggest chance of landing the two-time NBA champion: the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats. Even the Memphis Grizzlies have a chance at Gasol should power forward Zach Randolph opts out of his contract.
"Even after a disappointing season -- and with the understanding that Gasol has never been a strap-a-team-on-his-back kind of player -- Gasol will be among the most sought after free agents on the market," wrote Mannix.
An unnamed Eastern conference executive, according to Mannix, believes that Gasol could get around $10 million a year despite his aging legs.
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