Portland Trail Blazers have added center Pau Gasol to their roster ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Gasol began last season with San Antonio Spurs and played 27 games before joining Milwaukee Bucks in March.

The 39-year-old Spaniard managed just three appearances for the Bucks before his campaign was ended by injury. He has now joined Portland for a 21st and potentially final year in the NBA.

Gasol won two NBA Championships with Los Angeles Lakers and is a six-time All-Star. Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey believes his experience will make him an invaluable member of the Portland team next year.

“Pau is a future Hall of Famer that brings invaluable championship experience and an elite skill set and basketball IQ to our roster,” Olshey said in a statement. Portland finished third in the Western Conference last season with a 53-29 record and went on to reach the Conference Finals, where they went down 4-0 to Golden State Warriors.

Gasol is unlikely to be a regular starter for the Blazers next season but should feature heavily from the bench as Portland bid to challenge for honours again. The Blazers are 17.00 to win the Western Conference and 34.00 to win the NBA Championship.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the 4.33 favourites to win the NBA title after bringing in superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the off-season. The Lakers are rated at 5.00 and the Bucks can be backed at 5.50.