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Pau Gasol Leaves Lakers To Sign With Chicago Bulls

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) Pau Gasol will move on from the Lakers and will head to Chicago after agreeing to sign a deal with the Bulls Saturday, according to his Twitter.

"Although I see a promising future for me in Chicago, leaving Los Angeles has been one of the hardest decisions I've had ever made," Gasol said on his website in Spanish. "In my seven seasons with the Lakers, three times we have reached the NBA Finals, having managed to become champions twice.

I am very grateful to have coincided with one of the great players in the history of the NBA, Kobe Bryant, and other great companions; and to have had the opportunity to be under the command of one of the best coaches, Phil Jackson, and his technical team. I am also happy to have played in a franchise with one of the best owners in all of sports, the Buss family. Still, I realize that the Lakers are under reconstruction. Unfortunately, the immediate needs of the Lakers do not match mine. All the best to the team and their fans."

Although his contract details have yet to be revealed, we do know he did deny two offers before agreeing to play for Chicago.

The first was two-years, $23 million and the other was three-year, $29 million. Both from the Lakers.

According to reports, Lakers had a chance to do sign and trade, using Pau, but instead they let him go for nothing.

Gasol spent seven seasons with the Lakers, averaging 17.7 points and 9.9 rebounds.

On Friday, the Lakers signed two free agents: Nick Nick Young and Jordan Hill.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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