Gasol Could Play For FC Barcelona If There's A Lockout
By: Matt Moore
CBSSports.com
There's a flood of confirmations coming from players that in the event of a lockout (which is a near-certainty at this point) that they'll be playing overseas, but none have singled out a team. Pau Gasol's the first in that event and it's no shocker. Gasol told Spanish radio that were he to head overseas, he'd be looking to go somewhere familiar.
[ "It's an option, no doubt... If it happens, you're going to play to another place, and if I have to in Europe my first option would be Barcelona, of course," Gasol said. ]
Gasol's referring to FC Barcelona, which he played for when he was a youngster from 1999-2001. His brother Marc played there, as well as his close friend Juan Carlos Navarro, who still plays there, and his Spanish national teammate Ricky Rubio.
He's familiar with all the players, is a god among men in Spain, a national hero, and would get to play with close friends. So it's pretty much like LeBron going to Miami in a lot of ways.
This is pretty much a no-brainer, and something he might even genuinely enjoy. Marc Gasol's also expressed interest in going overseas, and you'd have to think he'd also look to join Barcelona.
The result would be a seismic shift in Europe as Barcelona would be as strong as it's ever been, essentially having the national team in place. They'd also be one of the most fun teams to watch online when you're desperate for basketball next year.
