Mike D'Antoni did not enjoy marginalizing Pau Gasol in an attempt to placate Dwight Howard last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

"It was very uncomfortable," D'Antoni said. "I knew I was messing on (Gasol) last year. That's not fair to him. But that was the situation we were in. How do we make the best of it? I was just trying to make the best of it. But no, it wasn't fair to him.

"I think it was all (politics). It was all that. We wouldn't do that (normally). If nobody had names on their jerseys, and we were just playing? You go through Pau. There's not a question. No question."

With Kobe Bryant coming back from a torn Achilles, the Lakers will give Gasol a huge opportunity on offense.

"It was hard to be in that position," Gasol said. "I understood the politics of it, and why things were a certain way, but it didn't make it any easier during the process.

"But you learn and move on and you grow, and you go to the next chapter. I'm excited about my new position. It's a different situation, a different team. I'm happy and proud to continue to be here, despite everything. I'm ready to play and have a great year."