Los Angeles Lakers center-back Marc Gasol admitted Friday night that he has been questioning his place on the team since Andre Drummond joined the buy-in market until last weekend.
Drummond was named starter almost immediately after arriving, and Gasol was relegated to the bench of a team that already has Montrezl Harrell, one of the top contenders for the sixth man of the year, who played at the safety center.
Gasol, who spoke after the Lakers’ 115-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday, said he wasn’t sure how often his number would be called up with Drummond.
“I think there’s a ‘yes’ – ‘yes’ they need you. And it’s a big ‘yes,'” Gasol said when asked about Lakers coach Frank Vogel, repeatedly stating Gasol’s continued importance. ” You are not Plan A right now. You are Plan C, D. … You have to accept it because this is your job. And that’s what you sign up for. It’s never easy to accept that. “
With Drummond out of the lineup against the Kings, recovering from a torn nail in the big toe of his right foot, Gasol, 36, returned to the starting lineup and contributed five points, nine rebounds, six assists and a steal. His total assists were the team’s second-highest, behind only goalie Dennis Schroder, and LA outscored Sacramento by 20 points in the 28 minutes Gasol had on the ground.
“I think people need to understand how good a player Marc Gasol is and the value he has for what we’re doing,” Vogel said afterwards. “And we’re going to play our top players, so it’s going to help us win a championship this year. That’s the plan. That’s the vision. Viouslybviament, coming to Andre gives us the depth. But we’re going to need all three of these guys. We stated that from day one, and Marc is one of our most important players. He has dominated the game tonight with five points, okay? And that’s what Marc puts on the table. “
Gasol had previously refused to speak to reporters three times since LA signed Drummond and was evidently maintaining some frustration Friday over the franchise’s decision when it broke its moving silence.
“Things can change quickly in the NBA, just as they have changed for me,” Gasol said when asked if he wanted to stay with the Lakers or look for a purchase of his own. “But I’m committed to this team. It’s a hard pill to swallow because I know I’ll be out of training at some point. It’s never easy for a player. As a basketball player, you want to play You want to contribute, especially when you took on that commitment for that reason. But we’ll see. “
Gasol signed a two-year contract with defending champion Lakers during the low season to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Pau Gasol, and help LA lift another Larry O’Brien Trophy. His intention was not only to be part of a championship team, but to play and get his skill set to elevate the whole group in search of the final prize.
He arrived on Friday averaging career lows in points (4.8), rebounds (3.9), field goal percentage (40.3%) and minutes (19.5) and recently dealt with contract COVID-19, which caused him to lose nine games in a row.
As alluded to Vogel, Gasol’s value to the Lakers was more the team’s overall performance than their individual numbers, with the team ranked No. 1 in the league in defensive efficiency for most of the game. the season with the former defensive player of the year in the middle.
“Ask if you did something wrong when you try to do everything for the team,” he said. “It’s pretty obvious that I don’t care much about my stats and the shots I have or the rebounds I get. I try to box my boy and make the next play, help everyone. It’s not easy, but it’s life. You have to adapt. “Like I said, either take it as a challenge or keep going.”
Vogel stated that Gasol will continue to play a role in Los Angeles and detailed how he and the organization will gather around him as Gasol adjusts to the training mix.
“The approach is total support,” Vogel said. “It’s hard to see that your role will change: how can we support you? And make sure they understand that they are a vital piece, as if Marc were a vital piece to win the championship this year. And there is no other other way of looking at it other than that. “