Pau Gasol admits he didn’t sign with the Miami Heat because of the uncertainty surrounding the organization.
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Before Pau Gasol signed with the Chicago Bulls this past offseason, the Miami Heat were one of the teams to show the most interest in the veteran forward/center. In the end, Gasol decided against signing in South Beach but it wasn’t because Miami had just lost LeBron James.
Simply put, the situation was just a bit too murky for Pau Gasol who wanted a sure thing.
That’s what he found in the Windy City which is why he picked the Chicago Bulls and not the Miami Heat as he noted to Ethan Skolnick.
Spoke at length to Pau Gasol about his recruitment by Heat. He says their situation was too "unclear" at time he made decision... (1/2)
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) October 21, 2014
.... (2/2) Gasol said he was honored by Bosh & Wade reaching out to him, and that he spoke to LeBron, who never told him not to go to Miami.
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) October 21, 2014
If anything, it’s probably nice for Miami Heat fans to know that LeBron James didn’t intentionally sabotage Pau Gasol’s potential signing in South Beach as had been hilariously rumored. Still, it’s likely a bit painful to know Pau Gasol was a potential free agent candidate that slipped through the organizations fingers simply because there was too much uncertainty surrounding the franchise at the time.
On the flip side it’s doubtful that Pau Gasol would have kept the Miami Heat as title contenders (even with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh both on the roster) though he could have likely put them in contention for a possible birth in the Eastern Conference Finals.
An opportunity missed, no doubt which stings a little deeper considering Gasol decided to sign with another Eastern Conference rival.
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