Chicago Bulls: Will Pau Gasol Stick Around?

With the Chicago Bulls likely not making the postseason, will big man Pau Gasol stick around next year?

With the Chicago Bulls having lost 106-98 to the Miami Heat on Thursday night, after giving away 66 points in the second half, it is all but certain that the team will not be making the playoffs this year. And while both fans and members of the media alike are still scratching their heads, trying to figure out what went wrong, they are also already looking ahead to next season.

Right now, in order for the Bulls to head to the postseason, they would have to win their last three games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers.

Additionally, the Indiana Pacers would have to lose their last four games against the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks.

To call this year a disaster for Chicago would be putting it lightly. And the worst part is, it is impossible to pinpoint just one thing that cost them the season. Between the front office continuously making horrible decisions, the new coaching system not exactly working out and the players seemingly giving up, this Bulls team did not stand a chance.

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Sure, injuries did not help. And of course it takes time to adjust to a new coach and new teammates. But Chicago’s problems can no longer be brushed off. Time will not change anything. Moving forward, a major revamp has to take place if this organization wants any hope of succeeding.

So what could that entail?

Well, while the majority of Bulls fans seem to agree that certain members of the front office need to go, realistically, this has a slim chance of happening. The same can be said of head coach Fred Hoiberg, who was brought on at the beginning of the season to replace Tom Thibodeau. This of course, leaves the roster itself.

Jimmy Butler has recently been involved in some trade rumors, based on the fact that he does not seem to be thriving in Hoiberg’s world. There has been a question of Derrick Rose jumping ship once his contract is over too. But now, it sounds like Pau Gasol may be making other plans.

Gasol, who was once said to be on the trade deadline chopping block, gave no indication that he was ready to leave Chicago. In fact, he seemed like he was more than eager to keep fighting with this group of guys:

"“This is where I wanted to be and where I want to be right now,” Gasol said of the possibility of being traded. “I don’t want to give up on this team just because we’re going through some difficulties and challenges right now. Things really haven’t turned out the way I wanted them to, but at the same time, there are things that I couldn’t anticipate.“All I can do is continue to give my best. And I do still believe we can still turn this thing around a little bit or a lot and put ourselves in a good position.”"

And whether or not it was in the Bulls’ best interest, the front office indeed kept him around.

But now, Gasol is singing a different tune. Gone are the days of optimism and perseverance. The big man has had enough.

"“Nothing is set right now,” Gasol said after Chicago’s Thursday night loss. “Definitely, I will evaluate what I need to when the time comes. But the way the team has responded to adversity and the way we finished up the season has not been so far great, and it’s been disappointing.“So at the end of the day, when the time comes, I will evaluate things. It’s hard to finish the season like this. It’s not finished, but we’re in a very, as we know, extremely difficult position, so everything will be thought of and considered.”"

At this point, fans should expected the 35-year-old to opt out in his contract after the season concludes. While Pau obviously understands that every team has its ups and downs as a veteran, he also recognizes the fact that for whatever reason, Chicago has stopped trying.

"“No matter how talented you are, you don’t win based on talent. You win based on desire, togetherness, effort, determination, things that are important…We’ve been too casual many times, and that’s why we are where we are.”"

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Gasol’s departure will definitely leave a void in the team’s roster, but perhaps that is exactly what the front office needs to see in order to shake things up. Because right now, this combination of guys is not doing the organization any favors.

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