The Lakers will sign veteran center Marc Gasol after trading starter JaVale McGee to the Cleveland Cavaliers, people with knowledge of the deals said Sunday.
The Lakers outdueled Dallas and, most threateningly, Toronto for Gasol’s services, bringing him to Los Angeles less than 24 hours after his former Raptors teammate Serge Ibaka agreed to a deal with the Clippers.
The Lakers acquired forwards Jordan Bell and Alfonzo McKinnie from Cleveland. Bell has a team option and can be waived. McKinnie has three years remaining on his contract, but they’re not guaranteed.
Gasol, who will turn 36 in January, was drafted by the Lakers in the second round in 2007 but never played for them, instead being used as a piece in the team’s deal for his brother, Pau Gasol, with Memphis.
While Pau helped the Lakers win two titles, Marc earned a reputation as one of the NBA’s most cerebral centers, playing in three All-Star games and winning defensive player of the year in 2013. He won a title with the Raptors in 2019 after 11 seasons in Memphis and averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds last season.
The move comes at the end of a wild week for the defending champion Lakers in which Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and now McGee have left to be replaced by Dennis Schroder, Wesley Matthews, Montrezl Harrell and Gasol.