Marc Gasol did not require much of an introduction. For more than a decade, he has occupied a place in Lakers history as a unique footnote that any knowledgeable fan can recite: He was a second-round pick who, before he ever played a game, was traded for his All-Star brother, Pau.
In the 12 seasons that followed, Gasol became a three-time All-Star and a Defensive Player of the Year. Lakers fans very much know who, and what, this younger Gasol is. But on Wednesday, he still felt a need to warn them what he is not.
“There are some things I don’t have,” he said. “I don’t have the above-the-rim lob threat all the time.”
The 35-year-old knows he is stepping into the job that was shared between two of the league’s best rim protectors. Dwight Howard signed with Philadelphia as a free agent, and to create a spot for Gasol, the Lakers traded JaVale McGee to Cleveland.
Gasol is, to put it mildly, a very different kind…
