ESP - Gasol wants reinforcements at Memphis

BARCELONA (NBA) – Pau Gasol has warned the Memphis Grizzlies he will seek a move to a new team unless the front office adds quality players to the squad.

Gasol, who is back in his home country of Spain resting ahead of this summer’s EuroBasket, said on his website, www.paugasol.com: "If they are desperate to keep me, then they have to make the necessary effort to get players around me that can compete at the maximum level.

"I want to be in a winning team that has ambition and fights for everything with stronger players.

“I want to have options to have the opportunity that I didn't have last season."

In 2006, Gasol was an NBA All-Star and reached the play-offs with the Grizzlies.

He then earned MVP honors at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan as Spain captured the gold medal.

However the seven-footer suffered a foot injury in Spain’s semi-final win over Argentina that required an operation, and forced him to miss the first 22 games of the season.

Nevertheless, he was quickly into his stride once on the court again and finished the season averaging 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Memphis never recovered from Gasol’s absence early on when they won just five games and lost 17.

Gasol was mentioned in trade rumours with the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics but he finished the year with the Tennessee team, when ended the year last in the Southwest Division with a 22-60 record.

The Grizzlies recently appointed Marc Iavaroni as their new coach, and Gasol revealed he has already met with his new boss.

"I had two meetings with him in Barcelona and he told me that he is counting on me for his project," Gasol said.

FIBA