Milwaukee Bucks: Why the Pau Gasol signing helps them contend

Veteran center Pau Gasol agreed to a buyout Friday and will join the Milwaukee Bucks. Here is why that signing helps them contend for a championship

The Milwaukee Bucks have one goal above all others this season, and that is to contend for a championship. There are other subsidiary goals, as there are for every team, but the prize for this team is not playoffs or a series win. It’s the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

They are certainly well on their way to reaching that goal. The Bucks currently have the league’s best record at 48-14, at the end of an eventful Friday becoming the first team in the league to clinch a playoff berth.

Their point differential is not only the best in the league but suggests dominance. This is a true contender.

One thing contenders do is buoy their rosters with buyout candidates for the stretch run. Teams not expected to contend may offload veterans on expiring contracts to allow them to play in the postseason on another team.

With Friday’s midnight deadline for a player to be waived and remain eligible to play for another team in the playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs became the last team to waive a player for that purpose.

This was not a move that was largely expected, as many other buyouts are, but it is one that made sense for both sides. Gasol, hampered in part by a foot injury, was averaging career lows of 4.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game.

The Spurs found success playing LaMarcus Aldridge more at center and with young lottery pick Jakob Poetl in the fold, Gasol’s role was marginalized.

It’s unclear how much of Gasol’s 2019-20 salary he may have given back, if any, but that will remain on the Spurs’ books. Once Gasol clears waivers he will be eligible to sign anywhere with a roster slot and he has reportedly already lined up a destination.

Gasol will get to join a team contending to win the Eastern Conference, mirroring his brother Marc joining the Toronto Raptors (albeit via trade) a few weeks prior. His addition just fits under the luxury tax line, becoming what is likely the final addition to the team for the stretch run.

The immediate response to this move likely comes from how closely one has been watching the league the last couple of years. On one hand, hearing the name Pau Gasol sounds like the Bucks just added a (probable) Hall of Fame center who can provide a major boost.

On the other, those watching more closely are likely questioning why the Bucks would add an old, washed-up center?

If anyone is expecting Gasol to be an on-the-court boost for this team, they will likely be disappointed. At this point in his career the 38-year old center is very limited in what he can do on a basketball court. But there are two primary ways he can help this roster.

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The smaller but more obvious way he helps is as insurance for Brook Lopez. If Splash Mountain goes down the Bucks have limited options in replacing him as the remainder of their center options are smaller “4.5” types.

Their two-way scheme this year has come from a center in Lopez who can stroke it from deep and provide rim protection. Players such as Ersan Ilyasova and D.J. Wilson can help offensively, but they aren’t towering rim protectors.

Gasol fits the mold of a Lopez-lite, however. His defensive metrics have stayed strong even during his descent and no matter how old he gets he will always be 7 feet tall.

Offensively Gasol has added the 3-point shot to his arsenal over the years, shooting 44.4 percent in three seasons with the Spurs.

In the event that Lopez gets into foul trouble, or worse if he is injured for any length of time, Gasol can approximate his contributions even if not at the same level.

There is something to be said for the rhythm of a scheme this team has played all season and even if Gasol is a worse player at this point in his career than Ilyasova or possibly Wilson, he may be a better fit for what the Bucks want to do.

The other less obviou,s but arguably more important, way that Gasol can help the Bucks is in the locker room. By joining the team Gasol becomes the only player on the team who has won a title, winning two alongside Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

He joins George Hill as the only players on the roster to advance past the second round of the playoffs.

This is where Gasol can really provide a boost to the team. The roster already has its leaders and Giannis Antetokounmpo is excellent at leading by example on and off the court.

But a player coming in who can say “I’ve been here before” and “this is what this feels like” is incredibly valuable, even if it’s not quantifiable by analytics or necessarily seen by cameras.

Gasol will play some minutes on this team, especially if it decides to lessen Lopez’s workload or rest him down the stretch. He may very rarely see minutes in the postseason. Yet his contribution to this team will not show up in the box score.

If all goes well, it will show up on the trophy.