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The reasons to shop Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol are mounting up but the team is not openly shopping their four-time All-Star power forward, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Lakers want to wait and see how Gasol adjusts to having Steve Nash run Mike D'Antoni's system before jumping to any conclusions that Gasol won't be effective in it. Gasol is struggling to adjust to becoming primarily a jump shooter in D'Antoni's offense and his numbers this season are shaping up to be career lows. At 32, Gasol is averaging just 13.4 points and shooting 43.4% from the field.
The other numbers that matter are Gasol's final two years of his contract where he is owed $19 million this season and $19.3 million next year when the luxury tax penalties dramatically increase.
"We're all trying to get adjusted to the faster pace and running harder to our spots so the spacing's better, the flow is better," Gasol said.
With his contract number and his declining stats, Gasol could be difficult to deal even if he was available, putting the Lakers in an interesting position moving forward.