Under-Fire Pau Gasol Denies Rumors That Kobe Bryant's Wife Facilitated Breakup With Silvia Lopez Castro

Clearly, something has gone direly wrong in Lakerland.

Actually, given that the two-time defending champs are in an 0-3 hole, facing elimination on Sunday in Dallas, there are certainly multiple “somethings” befalling Los Angeles.

The main scapegoat thus far, however, has been big man Pau Gasol, who has yet to offer a dominant performance in the postseason — or perhaps even one up to his usual standards at all.

Why? Rumor surfaced that Pau’s poor play has been the result of his breakup with longtime girlfriend, Silvia Lopez Castro, a professional dancer and former star of the Spanish reality show Circus. According to MediaTakeout, this wasn’t just a normal breakup, but a scandalous one — involving the wife of a teammate.

“Pau thinks that [TEAMMATES] wife was behind it. Sylvia didn’t have many friends and he’s convinced that [wife] either is behind it, or could have talked Sylvia out of it,” said a source.

To further add to the controversy, it has been asserted that the Laker wife involved was none other than Kobe Bryant’s.

Gasol, though, has denied the rumors, and told the Orange County Register’s Kevin Ding accordingly.

Pau expressed dismay at “lies” reported about personal life upsetting people “very close to me.” “To me, it’s sad,” Ding Tweeted, also adding, ““Kobe dismissed theory about discord between his wife and Pau’s girlfriend: ‘They barely know each other.'”

SportsByBrooks also added that Gasol and Castro have been seen together multiple times in recent weeks.

So, if the girlfriend rumor isn’t true, then what is Gasol’s excuse?

Either he and the Lakers can get it together, or he’ll have to spend summer thinking of one.