Pau Gasol Reportedly Agrees to 1-Year Contract with Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers and center Pau Gasol came to terms Wednesday on a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Gasol is coming off an injury-plagued 2018-19 season.

The 39-year-old Spanish star opened the year with the San Antonio Spurs. He missed nearly two months of action early in the campaign because of a stress fracture in his foot before being released in March. He played just three games with the Milwaukee Bucks before getting sidelined by a long-term ankle injury.

Gasol finished the season with averages of 3.9 points and 4.6 rebounds across 30 appearances.

The 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year is no longer the high-impact player he was while winning two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and earning six All-Star selections. But he's only one year removed from being an effective role player for the Spurs.

Gasol averaged 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists while playing 23.5 minutes per game for San Antonio during the 2017-18 campaign. He appeared in 77 of the team's 82 games.

In January, the veteran post player told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News before leaving the Spurs he was still hopeful of carving out a niche for himself in the latter stages of his career.

"There's always ways you can contribute," Gasol said. "There's a positive side to every scenario. Just got to stay a little patient, keep my poise and hopefully at some point soon…"

It's possible last season was a sign of things to come for Gasol as he nears 40. The fact he remained a solid role player for the Spurs over the previous two years provides hope he can bounce back for the Blazers, though.

Portland already acquired Hassan Whiteside as insurance while Jusuf Nurkic recovers from multiple compound fractures in his left leg. Gasol will provide further depth, with Skal Labissiere likely to be another option behind Whiteside.