ESP - Marc Gasol expects Navarro-less Barca to struggle

CADIZ (ACB) - Akasvayu Girona center Marc Gasol closed the door on a return to Winterthur Barcelona when good friend Juan Carlos Navarro decided he was leaving the Catalan giants for the NBA.

Gasol, who played at Barcelona before moving to Akasvayu for the 2006-07 campaign, recently decided to remain at the club he helped win a EuroCup for another year.

"The only way I would have considered going back would have been if Juan Carlos had stayed," Gasol said to AS.

"But I spoke to him, realised he was going and made my decision. He was the standard-bearer of that team and Barcelona will find it pretty difficult without him."

Navarro is expected to put pen to paper on a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies this week and play with Gasol's brother, Pau Gasol.

The 6ft 3in Navarro is anxious to play in the NBA, where Spaniards like Gasol, Toronto's Jose Manuel Calderon and Jorge Garbajoa and Portland's Sergio Rodriguez have enjoyed success.

However, the move comes with a huge financial sacrifice for Navarro as he has to pay a large buyout to leave Barcelona.

"This year, he will virtually be playing for free (Navarro will reportedly be one of the 13 lowest paid players in the NBA), but next year, I'm sure he'll sign a long-term contract because he is a very good player," Gasol said.

"Pau is his protector and will take perfect care of him. He will help him to settle, but Memphis is also a peaceful city, so I am sure he'll be fine."
Gasol himself expects to one day cross the Atlantic for the NBA after being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of this summer's draft.

"I have the whole year to think carefully about my next move," he said. "They (the Lakers) told me it would be difficult to get into the team this year, so I decided to wait.

"But I would love to have the feeling of pulling on that shirt with my name on the back. I can't imagine it at the moment but it would be incredible."
Gasol is content to remain in Spain's ACB, which is widely regarded as the best domestic competition outside the NBA.

"I still believe that at Girona the conditions are perfect to play, unlike at Barcelona, where there is a philosophy which doesn't help young players. There is no margin for error there," he said.

The 22-year-old is currently preparing for the EuroBasket with the Spain squad in Cadiz, and says he is happy to be back with the national side after last year's gold medal success at the FIBA World Championship.

"I hope to continue improving and helping the team in any way I can," he said.

"It is good to be back and I am feeling more confident than last year. It doesn't matter if I have had a good or bad year, I must do whatever (coach) Pepu (Hernandez) wants from me here."

Spain start a series of friendly games in the build-up to next month's EuroBasket against Venezuela in Jerez on Wednesday.

Pau Gasol will sit out Tuesday's training because of what team doctor Delfín Galiano described as "pain in his toes".

But the medical chief said on the Spanish basketball federation's official website Gasol should be available to face the South Americans.

"We've given him 24 hours rest," Galiano said.

"We are not worried about his condition because this is the same kind of situation Navarro had four days ago and he's been training normally."

Ben Hayward
FIBA