Toronto Raptors: Marc Gasol exercises player option for next season

With the basketball world’s collective eyes on Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors got back another major contributor for next season.

There are just three days remaining until the free agent negotiation period on the NBA opens, and all the talk has been centred around players opting out of deals to become free agents.

For the Toronto Raptors, the centre of attention has obviously been Kawhi Leonard, who is expected to opt out of the final year on his deal – which comes as a surprise to no one.

Toronto did get some good news regarding a returning player, however, as centre Marc Gasol opted into his deal for next season, which will see the 34-year-old make $25.59 million.

The Raptors acquired the big man ahead of the trade deadline from Memphis in a deal that saw Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, and C.J. Miles head to the Grizzlies.

In 26 games with the Raptors down the stretch, Gasol averaged 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while playing 24.9 minutes a game.

The Spaniard came in and helped stretch the floor with his 3-point ability. He’s also one of the best passing bigs in the entire league, so he was able to find open teammates with ease when chances weren’t open in the post.

He brought his veteran presence to the postseason, posting 9.4 points, 6.4 boards, and three helpers while shooting 46.2 percent from the field.

He saved one of his best games for the Finals. In Game 3 of the series against Golden State, Gasol finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a 123-109 victory on the road.

Gasol is a three-time All-Star, was named All-NBA on two occasions and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year back in 2013. He also added the first Larry O’Brien trophy to his collection, as he helped the Raps to their first championship in franchise history.

At the championship parade, there wasn’t a happier individual than Gasol. The veteran was like a little kid atop the double-decker bus, making quick work of an entire bottle of wine.

He celebrated as one should when they win their first title after 11 seasons, and it was a welcomed sight, as Toronto was partying just as hard as Gasol was – or attempting to, at least.

The Raptors now have their frontcourt set for next year. Gasol will split floor time with Serge Ibaka at the five while Pascal Siakam continues to dominate at power forward.

During his end-of-year media availability, Gasol mentioned that Leonard’s status could affect his decision to return to Toronto. So could this move be forecasting a Kawhi return? We’ll have to wait and see.