NBA free agency: 5 teams for Pau Gasol

What if Gasol decides to play for the team that initially drafted him No. 3 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft with the Atlanta Hawks? Atlanta, then a poorly run basketball organization, sent the young Spanish phenom to the Grizzlies for suburban Atlanta native Shareef Adbur-Rahim. Adur-Rahim was a nice player on a terrible Hawks team, but Gasol became a Hall of Fame level player with three other franchises.

Though he would be seen as a bit of a redundancy in the Atlanta front court with Tiago Splitter already on the roster, Gasol wouldn’t be a terrible replacement for Hawks All-Star center Al Horford should he leave in 2016 NBA free agency. Horford is expected to be the player that will shape the front court market with his presumed maximum contract offer in free agency.

Gasol is still a skilled offensive player that is great on the glass, with great post moves, and a respectable mid-range game. He’d be featured well in Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer’s offense.

Though Gasol isn’t a great defensive player, Budenholzer was just let that slide to get Gasol on his team especially if the Hawks have to pick up the pieces if Horford does end up leaving Atlanta. Signing Gasol is a nice, temporary solution for Atlanta. The Hawks could trade him mid-season if it doesn’t pan out, as Gasol will still have trade value. By signing with Atlanta, Gasol essentially guarantees that he’ll make the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Atlanta has made it nine years in a row and Chicago squandered a potential berth last spring.

Next: 2. Portland Trail Blazers.