Marc Gasol, center of Los Angeles Lakers, admitted Friday night that he has been questioning his place on the team since Andre Drummond was added to the buyout market last weekend.
Drummond was named the starter almost immediately upon his arrival, and Gasol was relegated to the bench in a team that already has Montrezl Harrell, one of the leading Sixth Man of the Year candidates, as a backup center.
Gasol said after the Lakers’ victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday 115-94 that he wasn’t sure how often his number will be called with Drummond in the fold.
“I think there is an ‘if’ – ‘if’ they need you. And it’s a big ‘if,'” Gasol said when asked about Lakers coach Frank Vogel, repeatedly citing Gasol’s continued importance. “You’re not plan A right now. You’re plan C, D. … You have to accept it because that’s your job. And that’s what you sign up for. It’s never easy to accept that.”
With Drummond out of line up against the Kings, recovering from a ripped nail on his right big toe, Gasol, 36, was pushed back into the starting lineup contributing five points, nine rebounds, six assists and a bargain. His total assist count was the team’s second highest, behind only point guard Dennis Schroder’s eight, and LA beat Sacramento by 20 points in the 28 minutes that Gasol was on the floor.
“I think people need to understand how good a player Marc Gasol is and how valuable he is to what we do,” said Vogel afterwards. “And we’re going to play against our key players, so he’s going to help us win a championship this year. That’s the plan. That’s the vision. Obviously, Andre’s arrival gives us the depth. But we’ll do everything. “Three of those guys. We stated that from day 1, and Marc is one of our main players. He dominated the game tonight with five points, okay? And this is what Marc brings to the table.”
Gasol had previously declined to speak to reporters three times since LA Drummond signed and clearly still harbored some frustration over the franchise’s decision on Friday as he broke his silence along the way.
“Things can change quickly in the NBA, just as they have changed for me,” Gasol said when asked if he wanted to stay with the Lakers or seek a buyout of his own. “But I’m committed to this team. It’s a tough pill to swallow because I know I’ll drop out of lineup at some point. It’s never easy for a player. As a basketball player, you want to play. You want one. make a contribution, especially if you made that commitment for that reason. But we’ll see. “
Gasol signed a two-year deal with defending champion Lakers in the off-season to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Pau Gasol, and help LA hoist another Larry O’Brien trophy. His intention was not only to be part of a champion team, but to play and let his skills elevate the entire group in pursuit of the ultimate prize.
He hit career lows in points (4.8), rebounds (3.9), field goal percentage (40.3%) and minutes (19.5) on Friday and recently had to deal with signing COVID-19, which made him miss nine games in a row.
As Vogel pointed out, Gasol’s value to the Lakers was more about the team’s overall performance than his individual numbers, with the team ranked No. 1 in the league for most of the season in defensive efficiency with the former Defensive Player of the Year crew. the middle.
“You ask if you’ve done anything wrong when you try to do everything for the team,” he said. “It’s pretty clear that I don’t care much about my stats and the shots I get or the rebounds I get. I’m trying to box my man out and make the next play, helping everyone. It’s not easy, but “It’s life. You have to adapt. Like I said, you see it as a challenge or you move on.”
Vogel claimed Gasol will continue to play a role in LA, explaining how he and the organization will rally around him as Gasol adjusts to shuffle the lineup.
“The approach is full support,” said Vogel. “It’s hard to see your role going to change: how can we support you? And make sure they understand they are an essential part, as Marc is an essential part for us to win this year’s championship. is no other way to look at it differently. “