Pau Gasol is in his walk year and while he has yet to discuss a new deal with the Lakers, he's made it clear that he wants to come back, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "It's nice to be here in the last year of my contract," Gasol said. "I'd love to continue to play with the Lakers [next year]. We've been through so much together. Mostly amazing moments and some hard moments too. It's like a relationship. If you're still together, it shows improved strength and consistency and how solid the relationship is. Hopefully we'll see if we can extend it." Here's more from around the Association..
- Offseason acquisition Tyreke Evans says that he would like to fill a "Manu Ginobili kind of role" for the Pelicans, writes Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype. Evans was also asked about why things didn't work out in Sacramento, but he took the high road and concluded that it was "just time for a change."
- As David Stern enters his final season as commissioner, he says that he is most proud of the game's international growth, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
- In a piece for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com focuses on free agent guard Rodrigue Beaubois, who looked like a promising up-and-coming prospect three years ago, and now can't find NBA work.
- More and more teams are stashing picks overseas, according to a recent numbers crunch from HoopsHype. This year, there was a record-setting eight stash picks in the draft.
- Forward Jeff Green had high praise for new Celtics coach Brad Stevens today, tweets Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe.
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