Gasol to opt out of deal but re-sign with Spurs: report

Spanish center Pau Gasol will decline a $16.2 million NBA contract option for next season but plans to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs, the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday. The 36-year-old 7-footer (2.13m), who won two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, would become a free agent but hopes the move would help him obtain a longer-term contract. Gasol taking a lower salary would enable the Spurs to spend more money to offer other free agents deals for next season, adding talent to a lineup that produced the second-best record in the NBA last season but was swept out of the Western Conference finals by eventual champion Golden State.