Report: Heat, Spurs Pursuing Pau Gasol

And the rich just might be getting richer. According to a report, former All-Star big man Pau Gasol is being pursued by the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs in free agency.

The news is courtesy of Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

Free-agent center Pau Gasol had a telephone conversation with Miami Heat president Pat Riley on Tuesday and could talk again with the franchise in the near future, league sources told Yahoo Sports…

The NBA champion San Antonio Spurs have inquired with Gasol’s agent Arn Tellem, expressing an interest, sources said, but the Spurs can’t become a legitimate suitor unless Gasol significantly drops his asking price.

Wojnarowski also notes that Gasol is seeking a salary between $10-$12 million annually, making the NBA finalists’ chances to sign him relatively low.

Some reports say Miami is telling players it will have as much as $12 million to spend in free agency this summer due to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh taking sizable pay-cuts. Their agent has refuted claims that Wade and Bosh are prepared to do so, though, calling the veracity of the initial reports into question. And even if the Heat do have that much to offer free agents, it’s unlikely they’d choose to use all of their flexibility on Gasol.

As for the Spurs, it’s telling that their representatives have yet to speak with Gasol himself. They have approximately $10 million in cap space to work with at the moment, but that’s a misleading number – Boris Diaw and Patty Mills are free agents.

Unless Gasol significantly drops his asking price, it seems he’s unlikely to land in Miami or San Antonio. Still, Riley and RC Buford are two of the best front office men in the league. If either has his heart set on acquiring Gasol, it’d be foolish to discount their efforts.

Would Gasol Be a good fit in Miami or San Antonio?

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