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(Orlando, Florida Sunday, June 14, 2009) Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant share a warm embrace at center court as they realize victory is certain over the Magic in game five of the NBA Finals at Amway Arena. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Getty
(Orlando, Florida Sunday, June 14, 2009) Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant share a warm embrace at center court as they realize victory is certain over the Magic in game five of the NBA Finals at Amway Arena. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Reunions, rivalries, brothers against one another, and historic drafts; all of these make for very sellable stories in sports. When the Lakers signed Marc Gasol to their team, the chance of one such story taking birth became more believable. Fans began demanding a Pau Gasol comeback to the franchise.
Many fans of the Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol team that won consecutive titles want the Lakers to retire Pau’s jersey. They also want Pau to return to the Lakers, play for them, and end things on a high note. This looked like a far-fetched dream a couple of weeks ago, but not today.
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Pau Gasol has given a green flag to the touted comeback
In a recent interview, the 40-YO Pau openly showed his willingness to make a comeback. He surprisingly exclaimed, “I’m not going to lie. It would be very special, and now that my brother (Marc) is there, even more special. But I’m not in a position now to be very demanding. I don’t have 10 offers on the table.”
It is obvious that the franchise won’t spare multi-million dollars from their salary cap just for the sake of a historic moment. There surely are going to be many intangible benefits to such a move, but it has to be a calculated approach for the front office. Also, if they negotiate, Pau just might agree to play for a very basic amount. That’s a possibility one can’t neglect.
Why the hype and how will the Lakers benefit?
If it happens, this will be a very special moment for the league, and for the Jeanie Buss led organization. The reunion will surely spell better viewership numbers for the league. Also, it will bring back that nostalgia from the 2007-14 era when Kobe Bryant played with Pau. To see this 7’1” giant again in the Gold and Purple would be historic.
Pau Gasol would love to join his brother Marc in Hollywood. https://t.co/RIw8h11WBI pic.twitter.com/vxbRskVo1P
— theScore (@theScore) December 9, 2020
It could also be an iconic moment for the two brothers. A 2008 mid-season trade that brought Pau in, put Marc out of the Lakers and kept them apart for 13 years, might see a reversal.
Pau closed his statement by acknowledging, “To play for the Lakers – it’s such a unique franchise. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and it’s very special for us to be the first brothers to play for the Lakers. It would be incredible if it ends up happening where I can join the team at some point.”
Do you wish to see this comeback happen?
