2017 NBA free agency grades: Spurs will re-sign Pau Gasol

It was reported on Friday that Pau Gasol and the San Antonio Spurs came to an agreement on a three-year deal.

The San Antonio Spurs keep on truckin’ this offseason by re-signing Spanish big man Pau Gasol. ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal Friday evening in between the major (and independent) news stories involving Kyrie Irving‘s trade request and John Wall‘s mega extension.

Back in June, Gasol declined his player option for the 2017-18 season, which would have earned him $16.2 million, in order to give the Spurs some cap flexibility. With it, the team was able to sign the likes of Rudy Gay, Joffrey Lauvergne and Brandon Paul.

Gasol’s presence will be appreciated as other familiar faces found new homes this summer. Jonathon Simmons and Dewayne Dedmon signed deals in the Eastern Conference with the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks, respectively.

Last year, his first with the Spurs, Gasol averaged 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 64 regular season games (39 starts). He settled into a sixth man role in the second half of the year after fracturing the fourth metacarpal on his left hand before the All-Star break.

Despite the lowest scoring numbers of his career, Gasol stepped up in a big way in the playoffs, particularly against the Houston Rockets. When fellow big LaMarcus Aldridge struggled, it was Gasol who surprised the most with his defense and toughness (of all things). His presence in the middle will be key for this team in the short-term.

According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal is worth $48 million over three years. I do find the length of the deal interesting. Three years is a long time when talking about a 37-year-old, even when the third year is a partial guarantee. But if the price is right, two guaranteed years should be okay.

Gasol’s return brings stability to a team still going through some changes. After the retirement of Tim Duncan and last summer’s major roster overhaul, some consistency was necessary. Plus, a six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion isn’t bad to have in free agency meetings.

Gasol helps the depth chart as well as being potentially the only returning center from last season. With Dedmon in Atlanta and David Lee still in unrestricted free agency, San Antonio was almost out of options. Gasol adds depth to a fairly thin and inexperienced group of bigs.

Finally, what could be his greatest asset to the team in these coming years is his mentorship. With young big men such as Lauvergne and Davis Bertans, the team needs Gasol around. Lauvergne has played for three teams in as many years and Bertans is just entering his second NBA season. Both players are still trying to find their footing and could use the guidance of a potential Hall of Fame international big man to help them.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

The Spurs took care of business and it was a solid move to bring back a productive and experienced veteran. With a partial guarantee in year three, two more years of Pau Gasol should be a good thing.

Grade: B+