In the wake of Serge Ibaka‘s contract agreement with the Clippers, the Raptors are working to convince their other center – Marc Gasol – to sign a new deal with Toronto, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). However, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Gasol is receiving interest from other teams, including the Warriors.
The Raptors hold Gasol’s Bird rights and are well positioned to offer him a lucrative one-year deal for 2020-21, especially now that Ibaka is no longer in play. Toronto’s reluctance to offer multiple years and eat into its 2021 cap room may have hindered its ability to re-sign Ibaka, but it seems unlikely to be a major handicap in the Gasol sweepstakes, since the 35-year-old probably won’t receive many multiyear offers.
Whether or not they re-sign Gasol, the Raptors will have the full $9.3 million mid-level exception available to seek additional frontcourt help.
Golden State’s resources to offer Gasol a contract are somewhat limited, especially if the team is dedicating part of its $5.7 million mid-level exception to Brad Wanamaker, as has been rumored. Following Klay Thompson‘s Achilles tear, the Warriors have sought a $9.3 million disabled player exception that would allow Golden State to sign a free agent to a one-year contract, but it’s not clear how long it might take for the NBA to approve that request.
Even if the Warriors get that DPE soon, making a $9 million offer to a free agent would increase Golden State's already-massive projected tax bill exponentially, and it’s not clear just how much team ownership is willing to pay for this season’s roster — especially with Thompson’s injury compromising Golden State’s championship chances.
While the Warriors are in the market for a center such as Gasol, they’re not limiting their free-agent search to traditional bigs, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, who says (via Twitter) that wing-type players are also being considered.
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