Marc Gasol breaks his silence on why he joined Lakers

Marc Gasol has finally opened up on his decision to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

According to Lakers Daily’s Ryan Ward, the former Toronto Raptors center had a very specific reason for wanting to come to L.A.

Gasol got his first taste of winning an NBA title when he joined the Raptors during the 2018-19 season via a midseason trade. Prior to playing in Toronto, Gasol had spent his entire career with the Memphis Grizzlies.

A former Defensive Player of the Year winner, Gasol brings a certain kind of toughness to the Lakers, who are looking to win back-to-back titles next season. He may no longer be the defensive whiz that he used to be in Memphis, but he still plays smart defense, nearly averaging a block per game last season.

After Dwight Howard left the Purple and Gold to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, it was imperative that the Lakers filled up his roster spot with another center.

Gasol’s experience and veteran savvy will come in handy when the Lakers begin defense of their 2019-20 title this December when the new season starts. He has career averages of 14.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.