EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Pau Gasol was one of the NBA's best centers until two years ago, when he moved out of the middle to accommodate Andrew Bynum's emergence and Dwight Howard's move to the Los Angeles Lakers.
With Bynum in Cleveland and Howard in Houston this fall, Gasol is ready to resume that prominent role.
After battling injuries and pain throughout last season, Gasol is also healthier as the Lakers begin training camp. He had work done on both of his knees in the offseason to address tendinosis, and he thinks it's working.
The Lakers are counting on the 33-year-old Gasol reclaiming his championship-winning prominence. General manager Mitch Kupchak thinks Gasol will be an All-Star again if healthy, and coach Mike D'Antoni calls him the best offensive center in the NBA.
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