San Antonio Spurs: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Re-signing Gasol

Pau Gasol opting out of the remaining $16.2 million on his contract allowed the Spurs to create some salary cap flexibility at the time, and the six-time All-Star was rewarded for it with a three-year deal worth the exact same amount (with the third being partially guaranteed).

After being unable to put that extra space to good use and losing Jonathon Simmons, this deal doesn’t create much reason for excitement. Gasol taking a discount was great, but the Spurs weren’t able to do much with that extra space aside from sign Rudy Gay, Joffrey Lauvergne and Brandon Paul — hardly difference-makers in the wars to come with the Warriors.

At age 37, Gasol will be paid through at least his age-39 season, and his game has already diminished to a sixth man role, averaging 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last year. That’s less than ideal for a Gasol-Aldridge frontcourt that will need remodeling sooner rather than later.

The Spurs were thin up front, and signing Gasol keeps a perennial 55- or 60-win team intact, but as has become the theme so far, San Antonio’s summer didn’t really help them bridge the gap on the Dubs.

Grade: B-