The LA Times reports that Marc Gasol has "no interest" in signing with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent on account of how the final few years of his brother's career went. From the Times:
Marc Gasol has no interest in the Lakers because of the uneasy last few years his brother spent with them, according to numerous people familiar with the situation.
Source: Lakers look to acquire a big man as they set the table for next year - LA Times.
There have always been doubts about Gasol leaving Memphis, and he's not known to be as interested in the big-market experience as his brother Pau was after toiling in Memphis in several lottery years. Memphis, meanwhile, has been a contender while Marc has played there, and can offer him the most money.
It's odd that his brother's experience would affect Gasol so much, though. After all, that was under Mike D'Antoni, who simply could never get Pau Gasol to buy into what he was trying to run, or could never come up with a good plan to use Pau effectively, depending on your perspective. Under Byron Scott, Marc would get ample touches and would be relied on more. If anything, that's what makes it an awkward fit, as Marc is much more in tune with making the right pass and playing the right way than simply looking for his own scoring opportunities.
It's looking more and more like the race for Gasol will come down to San Antonio and Memphis. Gasol is unlikely to be interested in joining a team that's looking to rebuild/reload/re-whatever like Los Angeles or New York. San Antonio can offer him the four-year max and a legitimate chance at a title, which is likely better than what Memphis can provide. The Lakers would offer a swarming media and nice weather, along with youngsters Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell -- and veterans like Gasol usually aren't keen on trying to contend with young players, let alone players who are essentially rookies.
The Lakers will have to find another route to a big man, most likely, though things change quickly in free agency. The Times reports they'll heavily pursue LaMarcus Aldridge, who will also receive offers from San Antonio and Dallas among other teams. If they're unable to find a true star to provide help for Kobe Bryant, the Lakers might honestly have to just deal with another rebuilding year, something team president Jeanie Buss has shown no interest in. There are competing interests in LA, between rebuilding and returning to contention through shortcut now, and whichever one wins out will shape the future of the franchise.
