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Washington Wizards Free Agency 2016: Why Pau Gasol Is Good Fit In Washington

By Ben Mehic

Feb 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol (16) is defended by Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 109-104. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Pau Gasol (16) is defended by Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 109-104. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Wizards had a leadership void after Paul Pierce left the team, but that could be filled by Pau Gasol this summer

Two summers ago, the Washington Wizards shocked their fan base by acquiring future Hall-of-Famer Paul Pierce following the departure of Trevor Ariza to the Houston Rockets.

Other wing players, like Thabo Sefolosha and Anthony Morrow, were floated around as potential replacements for Ariza as Otto Porter continued to develop off the second unit. Piece’s name was never mentioned nor would it have been seriously considered among pundits.

At that point in his career, Pierce was no longer an All-Star. But, he was still The Truth – one of the most successful and recognizable figures in all of basketball. He came to the Wizards when no one expected him to, giving the fans excitement that hadn’t been seen in years.

Pierce’s veteran presence and championship experience helped the likes of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Porter lift their games on the biggest stage.

All three players exceeded expectations during the NBA Playoffs and were just a bounce or two away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.

Once Pierce left the Wizards after just a season in the district, Ernie Grunfeld tried to replace him by committee. He signed veterans Gary Neal, Alan Anderson and Jared Dudley. The void was left unfilled.

The three veterans are well-respected around the league, but all of them lacked that pedigree.

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Pierce is someone the Wizards’ core could look up to for guidance.

His no-nonsense demeanor set the example for the rest of the team.

When Pierce spoke, the team had no choice but to listen. Everyone on the roster, including the head coach, wanted what Pierce has.

The lack of a Pierce-like figure in Washington’s locker room hurt the team last year.

We all expected Wall and Beal to take the next step in terms of leadership, but they didn’t.

In reality, it’s difficult to expect a 25-year-old and a 22-year-old to guide a team at that capacity. They were a decade younger than Pierce, who won an NBA championship and a Finals MVP. They simply couldn’t carry that load.

The Wizards will never get a player with Pierce’s personality again. His trademarked statements, game-winning shots and swagger cannot be recreated. They can, however, acquire a player with his sort of experience and leadership.

Washington’s brass is reportedly interested in Ryan Anderson, who’s set to make at least $15 million annually for what will probably become the next four or so years. In total, Anderson will likely end up making over $60 million for playing a sixth man role.

Instead of investing that much into a bench player, the Wizards could go a different route.

They could choose to aggressively pursue Pau Gasol, who recently opted out of his deal with the Chicago Bulls.

Gasol, who’s turning 36-years-old in July, only has a couple of years left in his historic career – just like Pierce did when he joined the Washington Wizards.

But unlike Pierce, Gasol has shown that he’s still capable of playing at a relatively high level.

The two-time champion was an NBA All-Star in both 2015 and 2016.

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When Derrick Rose went out, the Bulls relied on Gasol to carry the club on the offensive end of the floor.

Per-36 minutes, Gasol averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds per game this past season.

Defensively, Gasol leaves a lot to be desired.

Although he did provide solid rim protection by blocking two shots per game, he’s no longer capable of defending pick-and-rolls and can’t guard wing players off switches.

At his advanced age, it’s expected to see a defensive decline and that’s been the case with Gasol.

On the other end, though, Gasol is still one of the best in the league.

He’s extended his range out to the 3-point line, making roughly 35 percent of his looks from deep with just an attempt per game, and he remains effective from mid-range too. His ability to score inside-and-out would take a ton of pressure off Washington’s back court.

The Washington Wizards seem to have their starting lineup penciled in, but Gasol would likely change that. Still, that doesn’t mean Gasol wouldn’t spend most of his time with the second unit.

Gasol is one of the best passing big men in league history and he can obviously put the ball in the hole too.

Assuming the Wizards convince Tomas Satoransky to come over, they would have one of the better benches in the league with Gasol leading the way. His minutes could be stunted, allowing Markieff Morris to come into the game early in the first quarter.

Gasol’s versatile offense wouldn’t make him a terrible fit next to Marcin Gortat, who prefers to play with a big man who can space the floor.

Gortat would also get plenty of easy looks inside with Gasol commanding double-teams inside. Even at age 36, Gasol is still ridiculously effective from mid-range and the post.

So while Anderson would definitely be the best scorer on the team, I’m not sure committing that much money to a sixth man would be the best decision for the Washington Wizards. Getting a proven winner and future Hall-of-Famer for half the price might be the better way to go.

Next: Wizards Fans Can't Blame KD - They Can Blame the Wizards

The Wizards showed last year that they still need guidance from a leader who can set an example not only off the floor but on as well. Even at this stage of his career, signing Pau Gasol would be a huge get for Washington.

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