Pau Gasol will decline a $16.2 million contract option for next season and become a free agent, but he is expected to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs on a long-term deal, according to multiple reports.The 36-year-old center intends to negotiate a lower annual salary so that the Spurs are able to offer free agents more money this offseason, according to the San Antonio Express-News.The Vertical first reported Gasol's decision to opt out.Gasol averaged a career-low 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over 64 games (39 starts) in his first season with the Spurs last season.The 16-year Spanish veteran has career averages of 17.9 points, 9.4 boards and 1.7 blocks in 1,119 games with the Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.Gasol is a six-time All-Star and a two-time NBA champion.Former All-Star David Lee is also expected to opt out of his deal with San Antonio. Lee's option for next season is worth $1.6 million. The 34-year-old averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 79 games last season.

C Pau Gasol contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds in San Antonio's Game 3 loss to Golden State on Saturday.

San Antonio Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard did not participate in Thursday's practice, and his status for Saturday's Game 3 in San Antonio against the Golden State Warriors remains in question because of an ankle injury.The Spurs provided no information regarding Leonard's status.Although Leonard, who was named to the All-NBA first team on Thursday, did not take part in the practice, several players told ESPN.com that he was at the club's practice facility."He was sitting nicely on the sidelines. It's going well, as well as it can go," center Pau Gasol said. "We have a good training staff. He's working with them, and trying to get that ankle right. That's what I know."Leonard reinjured his left ankle Sunday during the second half of San Antonio's 113-111 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals."The thing that worries me is that he did it again, the exact same thing," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after Game 1. "So, one would logically think maybe it will take longer, but I'm hoping that's not true and we'll have him for Game 3."The Spurs led by 23 points when Leonard was forced to leave Game 1 in the third quarter. Since then, the Spurs have been outscored 194-133 by the Warriors, who hold a 2-0 series lead.Leonard was injured when he landed on the foot of Warriors' center Zaza Pachulia.Pachulia is listed as day-to-day with a bruised right heel suffered in Game 2.

C Pau Gasol paired 10 points with 11 boards Thursday as the Spurs eliminated the Rockets in Game 6.

C Pau Gasol scored 12 points and became the sixth player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 300 assists and 200 blocks in the postseason (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing).

F-C Pau Gasol got his first start since Jan. 17 and recorded six points and a game-high 13 rebounds in Wednesday's 121-96 victory over Houston. Gasol began the season in the starting lineup but went to the bench after missing 15 games with a left hand injury.

San Antonio Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon sat out Saturday's Game 4 of the Western Conference first-round series against the host Memphis Grizzlies because of an illness.The Spurs, who entered the contest with a 2-1 series advantage, made the announcement approximately two hours before tipoff.San Antonio elected to start with a smaller lineup as opposed to inserting Pau Gasol immediately into the game to square off against his brother, Memphis center Marc Gasol.Dedmon, 27, has averaged 1.3 points per game in the series after recording 5.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest during the regular season.

F Pau Gasol became the 43rd player in NBA history to score at least 20,000 career points. He finished with 13 points in 23 minutes Wednesday during a loss at Utah.

F Pau Gasol contributed 15 points off the bench for San Antonio.

F Pau Gasol chipped in 12 points and 11 rebounds, hitting a key 3-pointer in overtime, as the Spurs beat the Grizzlies.

F Pau Gasol scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

F Pau Gasol scored 18 points off the bench for San Antonio, which had a five-game winning streak snapped.

F Pau Gasol added 14 points for San Antonio (57-16), which pulled back to within two games of idle Golden State in the race for the best record in the NBA and the Western Conference.

F Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs Saturday.

F Pau Gasol scored 22 points off the bench to help push the Spurs to an easy 118-102 win over the Sacramento Kings at the AT&T Center.

F Pau Gasol contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.

F Pau Gasol had 10 points for San Antonio.

F Pau Gasol scored 17 points off the bench , 10 of those in the first half.

F Pau Gasol added 15 points and seven boards for the Spurs (45-13), who beat the Lakers for the eighth consecutive time and seventh in a row at Staples.Gasol played his second game after missing 15 contests with a broken left hand.

F Pau Gasol played a vital role in the San Antonio Spurs beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center. Gasol, who played for the first time in 15 games after breaking his left hand, contributed 17 points for the Spurs, who won their third in a row. Gasol, who also collected 11 rebounds, made 5 of 7 shots from the floor and all three of his 3-point attempts. "I had low expectations," said Gasol, who played almost 27 minutes, but didn't start. "At the same time, I worked really hard with the staff, and all of the training staff (were) on me every single day, working me twice a day so when I got back from (the All-Star break) I would be ready to go."