Ludden: West teams face long odds against Lakers

[TD 21]

On other boards, sure, not this one.



I'll take a sig bet with you about him not making the All Star team. There was even talk that he'd make it this year. Next year he's in.

Put your sig where your mouth is.



You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Marc Gasol is better suited at the Poward Forward position because he's a natural shooter. He's already a better shooter than Pau.

And if you were watching the Grizz, you would know they are grooming him to play the Power Forward position with Thabeet at Center. They put him at PF in almost every game along with Thabeet.

Marc Gasol is an outstanding PF defender and his soft touch makes him an equally good PF on offense. His footwork and passing isn't as good as Pau....yet.

You're all still Lakers fans, regardless of what board it's on.

No chance he's in. The Grizzlies likely won't have the record for it and even if they do, he's not enough of a name, even if he were deserving, to get the nod.

Next year, Yao is back. So you got Yao, Duncan, Nowitzki, Stoudemire and Gasol as locks up front. That's five, which is all you need. If there's a sixth, it's Bynum.

I don't have a sig.

So you're saying you can't be a good shooter and play center? You don't know much about basketball, that's becoming more obvious by the post. It's not about offensively, it's defensively he's better suited, because of his lack of athleticism and lateral quickness, to guarding centers. He's a plodder and there aren't too many power forward's that are plodders nowadays. Not even many centers that are.

That's because they have to get their 2 pick minutes somehow, genius. Thabeet has to play center; Gasol can play some power forward in selective match-ups. He's like Miller (Brad) or Okur in this regard. Also, with Arthur being out, the Grizzlies are essentially down to 3 bigs.

[TD 21]

You're en led to your opinion.....


Doesn't change the fact that Gasol on the Lakers =


Yep...4 more in a row for your ing ass to deal with

See, this is the at ude I have a problem with. You don't have to apologize, but why the unprovoked, unnecessary arrogance? I guess it just goes hand in hand with being a Lakers fans.

4 more in a row my ass...Bryant doesn't have the legs for it and once he doesn't, it won't matter how good the rest of the team is. Really, Bynum is the only significant young player on the roster. I give the Lakers this year and 2 more where they're serious contenders. They'll probably win 1, maybe 2 more championships in that stretch.

[cobbler]

Best deal they could get? The majority of the league had no clue that this deal was about to go down. Aside from the one-sidedness of it, why do you think so many were furious? Because they didn't even have a chance to put together a package.

Here are two articles found with a simple search that says otherwise.


SEATTLE - Faced with growing opposition in Memphis to last week's trading sending Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers, Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley tried to blame the Bulls indirectly for getting so little for a 7-foot former all-star.

In an interview with the Memphis Commercial Appeal in Tuesday's edition, Heisley said the Bulls were unwilling to give up quality players or offer financial relief, so the Grizzlies looked elsewhere. Gasol was traded for Kwame Brown (expiring $9.5 million expiring contract), rookie Javaris Crittenton and two first-round draft picks.

-----

PER THE NBA rumor mill, the Chicago Bulls had a chance to nab Memphis all-star post Pau Gasol before the trade deadline.

Reportedly, it would've taken the expiring contract of veteran forward P.J. Brown and one of their young perimeter players -- point guard Kirk Hinrich, shooting guard Ben Gordon, forward Luol Deng or forward Andres Nocioni. But Chicago didn't want to part with one of its young studs.

It's safe to say it was a big mistake the Bulls didn't pull the trigger. As Detroit is proving in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Chicago's coveted young players just aren't enough on their ...

He was still overweight. His projection at the time was competent backup center. Yeah, I thought there were two first round picks, but couldn't remember for certain. Let's face it: what were the odds of any asset acquired in the deal becoming part of the Grizzlies core going forward? Not very good.

You obviously didn't understand my point. The grizz had always intended to package the picks later in thier rebuilding process. The deal was made to dump salary and obtain as many prospects and picks as they could to be used later to build thier core team. And that is EXACTLY what they did.

He is extremely soft, but what does that have to do with his skill level? Oh but I forgot, the Lakers, they're the epitome of being hard done.

Not quite sure what "hard done" is. Again you miss the point. When the trade went down everyone ed. Then the Lakers got beat in 2008 and we didnt hear how it was so lopsided anymore but how soft he was and never accomplished squat in Memphis. Now the Lakers are dominating and the belly aching resumes. It's sour grapes and nothing more.

Get real...you'll never see an ounce of proof on this; it's simply putting the pieces of the puzzle together. If this were actually true (we'll never know) and word got out, all of the league's credibility would be gone.

According to whiners like you with all your conspiricy theories the leagues credibility is gone. That's why I say if you truly believe your BS then you are a fool for watching a single game. Go to the WWE.

I remember it well. Gasol was rumored being shopped, but when it actually went down a lot of teams didn't know that they had a deal with the Lakers. I'm not going to waste time finding old articles, but teams (including the Bulls, if I'm not mistaken) felt they never had a chance.

See above comments. It was well known that Gasol was on the trading block even as far back as the year before. There is no rule that says the Grizz have to make it known anyway. And the facts are that several teams made offers just prior to the trade. The Lakers, fortunately for us fans, had the highest expiring contract at the time. Get your facts straight.

Don't make your excuse. The fact of the matter is it's unheard of.

Again, you should do your research. Here are just a few links showing what are or were considered lopsided trades in the NBA. History is littered with them.

http://www.elevationmag.com/basketba...php?itemid=340

http://dimemag.com/2007/09/the-most-...n-nba-history/

http://www.mindritesports.com/2007/1...-worst-trades/

Big deal what they were doing relatively early in the regular season. I know it's hypothetical, but bear with me here: the Lakers don't get Gasol, Bynum is out injured...even with an injured Ginobili, do the Lakers have a chance against the Spurs?

And if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass so often. So take your hypo the other step... if they dont get Gasol and bynum DOESNT go down. Do the Spurs have a chance against the Lakers? We could play this game forever. Waste of time.

Once again, it's all hindsight. Gasol was not supposed to be nearly as good as he's turned out to be and even if he was, who gives a ? It's still not nearly enough value and all the Grizzlies did (assuming their goal is to one day win a championship) is put another potential superpower in their way in the West for the next handful of years. All teams like them had to do was out-wait the Spurs and then attempted to capitalize.

You again do not understand the facts of the day. The Memphis fan base wanted Pau out. They threatened to not buy season tix etc etc. You are very presumptious to say "wait the Spurs out" like they were unbeatable. So the Grizz save money. Create a core group of players that are young and with 4 to 5 years of building could be something. And look... thats about the time the Lakers would be in the position to have to start thinking of rebuliding post Kobe. But again, since they didn't take into consideration the Spurs needs... the whining continues.

[Allanon]

So you're saying you can't be a good shooter and play center? You don't know much about basketball, that's becoming more obvious by the post. It's not about offensively, it's defensively he's better suited, because of his lack of athleticism and lateral quickness, to guarding centers. He's a plodder and there aren't too many power forward's that are plodders nowadays. Not even many centers that are.

It has nothing to do with him being a Center, he can play both positions very well. Just like Pau. Except Marc's a better shooter and that goes better with the PF position.

Plodding Marc Gasol was last year. You obviously haven't watched him play, he's about the same size as Pau Gasol right now and very fast for a Center.

Fat, plodding Marc was last year, he's no longer fat:

That's because they have to get their 2 pick minutes somehow, genius. Thabeet has to play center; Gasol can play some power forward in selective match-ups. He's like Miller (Brad) or Okur in this regard. Also, with Arthur being out, the Grizzlies are essentially down to 3 bigs.

Hahah, you're crazy.

The Memphis Twin Towers is looking very good at this point. Thabeet on D and Marc on offense...very potent PF/Center combo once they get some more time together.

Zach Randolph becomes a valuable expiring next year.

Give 'em some time and you'll see 'ol Allanon was right yet again.

[milkshakeballa]

See, this is the at ude I have a problem with. You don't have to apologize, but why the unprovoked, unnecessary arrogance?

Why? your fukin crying about a trade that happened 2 years ago....shut your up and i won't be arrogant....

4 more in a row my ass...Bryant doesn't have the legs for it and once he doesn't, it won't matter how good the rest of the team is. Really, Bynum is the only significant young player on the roster. I give the Lakers this year and 2 more where they're serious contenders. They'll probably win 1, maybe 2 more championships in that stretch.

bryant doesn't have the legs for it????

So 2 more years after this....so that year after Kobe is wat...33? 34? Pau is 32 33? LO is 31/32 Ron Ron same age as LO....Bynum is 25 hahaha


And they aren't a contender????

[Purple & Gold]

Allanon i have to respond to the bull you keep spewing about Marc Gasol. Pretty much anybody that knows anything about European Basketball knew he was gonna be a good player. There were more than a few on here (including spur fans) that knew he was gonna be good and that it was a solid trade for Memphis. Nobody else was giving them so they took a huge expiring and 4 first rounders (Gasol was first round talent). That doesn't mean the Lakers didn't make out like bandits it just means it was the right move for the Grizzlies. But to keep hearing you trying to suck yourself off about how nobody in the world spotted his talent is getting annoying. You're eye for talent is mediocre at best. I mean for s sake you're an Odom fan and wanted and his $14 Million on the Lakers squad.

[Allanon]

Allanon i have to respond to the bull you keep spewing about Marc Gasol. Pretty much anybody that knows anything about European Basketball knew he was gonna be a good player. There were more than a few on here (including spur fans) that knew he was gonna be good and that it was a solid trade for Memphis. Nobody else was giving them so they took a huge expiring and 4 first rounders (Gasol was first round talent). That doesn't mean the Lakers didn't make out like bandits it just means it was the right move for the Grizzlies. But to keep hearing you trying to suck yourself off about how nobody in the world spotted his talent is getting annoying. You're eye for talent is mediocre at best. I mean for s sake you're an Odom fan and wanted and his $14 Million on the Lakers squad.

off Lakerfan. Don't try to impose your opinion on me... take that self-righteous crap to LG, it fits right in.

I'm responding to somebody else bringing it up...I don't bring this up.

I'm tired of all this idiocy about collusion that you and the Spurfans support.

The was NO ING COLLUSION, Lakerfan, get over it.

If you believe this collusion , don't watch the NBA. This was the fairest big man trade in the last decade. Show me a more fair quality big man trade this last decade.

If you don't like it, /ignore is your friend or GTFO.

[Purple & Gold]

LMAO @ your sorry ass. You so emotional you can't even read. I actually said it was a good trade for Memphis then and now and that people that know anything about European basketball knew he was gonna be a good player. More then a few thought that including some spur fans. But for you to act as if you're the only Lakerfan that can spot talent is laughable. Admit it you're eye for talent is average at best.

[Allanon]

LMAO @ your sorry ass. You so emotional you can't even read. I actually said it was a good trade for Memphis then and now and that people that know anything about European basketball knew he was gonna be a good player. More then a few thought that including some spur fans. But for you to act as if you're the only Lakerfan that can spot talent is laughable. Admit it you're eye for talent is average at best.

Hahah, you're such a tool. I take responsibility because I don't want this blamed on other Laker fans. Many Laker fans take offense to this dicussion and I wanted to make it clear it wasn't most Laker fans as was insinuated.

I'd welcome any Laker fan on the bandwagon as I did when Cobbler said he did too. If you were here posting before about how fair the trade was, I congratulate you. I don't remember seeing you in any of the threads but I can take your word for it.

But you coming in here all emo and on a Laker fan warrants me telling you to off.

[Kori Ellis]

Wait... the Laker fans are fighting among themselves about the Gasol trade?

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

my jedi mind tricks are working

The Faker fanbase is dividing!

[Allanon]

Wait... the Laker fans are fighting among themselves about the Gasol trade?

It's actually a misunderstanding.

He thinks I'm trying to take credit for it, when I'm trying to deflect the blame from my fellow Laker fans who don't feel the same way I do about the Gasol trade.

My apologies P&G, your insults set me off...I always respond to insults with even more insults.

[Purple & Gold]

Hahah, you're such a tool. I take responsibility because I don't want this blamed on other Laker fans.

I'd welcome any Laker fan on the bandwagon as I did when Cobbler said he did too. If you were here posting before about how fair the trade was, I congratulate you. I don't remember seeing you in any of the threads but I can take your word for it.

But you coming in here all emo and on a Laker fan warrants me telling you to off.

All emo?

You're the one that is on the verge of breakdown mode. I only called you out for continuously sucking your own about the younger Gasol. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a Spanish League MVP with legit size was gonna do well in the NBA. Just because spur fans keep crying about the trade doesn't mean that nobody else noticed his talent.

So to keep it clean and short don't start honking your own horn especially when you wanted the money that would have been saved from Pau's contract to be given to Jefferson. At least use half your brain and realize that a PG was needed and not another SF type player.

And yes I've been here for awhile and sensible spur fans realized it was a good trade for Memphis. They also realized this would put the Lakeshow over the top which is where all the hostility towards the trade comes from.

As for your bandwagon invitation. No thanks don't need it. Been a Laker fan since day 1

[Allanon]

All emo?

You're the one that is on the verge of breakdown mode. I only called you out for continuously sucking your own about the younger Gasol. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a Spanish League MVP with legit size was gonna do well in the NBA. Just because spur fans keep crying about the trade doesn't mean that nobody else noticed his talent.

So to keep it clean and short don't start honking your own horn especially when you wanted the money that would have been saved from Pau's contract to be given to Jefferson. At least use half your brain and realize that a PG was needed and not another SF type player.

And yes I've been here for awhile and sensible spur fans realized it was a good trade for Memphis. They also realized this would put the Lakeshow over the top which is where all the hostility towards the trade comes from.

As for your bandwagon invitation. No thanks don't need it. Been a Laker fan since day 1

You've misunderstood my intentions P&G.

I'm not tooting my own horn or sucking my own as you put it.

If you read over the thread and others like it, there's a constant insinuation that Laker fans are just making excuses to validate the trade.

Since I've said this since Day 1, other Laker fans can't be called out for making excuses after the fact.

Just making sure my fellow Lakerfans don't get ted on for what I do.

[Purple & Gold]

It's actually a misunderstanding.

He thinks I'm trying to take credit for it, when I'm trying to deflect the blame from my fellow Laker fans who don't feel the same way I do about the Gasol trade.

My apologies P&G, your insults set me off...I always respond to insults with even more insults.

It's all forgiven Allanon just admit Pau is better than the Marc/Jefferson combo

But seriously sensible people realized this was a good trade for Memphis and a GREAT one for the Lakers. The second part is why they keep hating.

BTW I like trash talking so ignore my last post

[Allanon]

All good P&G. To be honest, I didn't read your post, just wrote some nasty I could think of

Here's an example of why I tried to take the sole blame for it. Not picking on Harlem, he's been surprisingly very fair lately. There's been plenty like it though from others.

To be fair, Laker fans were obviously pimping their "prospects" to make the trade look better.

[Purple & Gold]

You've misunderstood my intentions P&G.

I'm not tooting my own horn or sucking my own as you put it.

If you read over the thread and others like it, there's a constant insinuation that Laker fans are just making excuses to validate the trade.

Since I've said this since Day 1, other Laker fans can't be called out for making excuses after the fact.

Just making sure my fellow Lakerfans don't get ted on for what I do.

HaHa no worries it's all in good fun. Yes Marc is a good player and I would have loved if he was not part of the trade. But you have to give up something to get something. I also have a feeling Marc and Pau also wanted him part of the deal because they knew he wouldn't get any PT behind Bynum and it would seriously stunt his NBA career. This was a Win/Win for basically everybody. Good trade all the way around.

[Purple & Gold]

Wait... the Laker fans are fighting among themselves about the Gasol trade?

We just trying to keep it more like the upstairs forum....

[Purple & Gold]

All good P&G. To be honest, I didn't read your post, just wrote some nasty I could think of

Here's an example of why I tried to take the sole blame for it. Not picking on Harlem, he's been surprisingly very fair lately. There's been plenty like it though from others.

Harlem is just upset the Lakers gonna run off a bunch of les now. Can't say I blame him I'd be worried to if I was a fan of a different team.

[Allanon]

Harlem is just upset the Lakers gonna run off a bunch of les now. Can't say I blame him I'd be worried to if I was a fan of a different team.

Harlem's been pretty cool lately so I can't talk about him.

About Pau, I'm not talking about Pau. Pau's a great player and obviously better than Marc right now.

My whole point is Marc Gasol is 5 years younger than Pau. Laker dominance could have been for the next 10-12 years instead of the next 5.

But the Grizz did the league a favor and screwed that all up...yet Spurfans aren't appreciative of it.

[Purple & Gold]

Harlem's been pretty cool lately so I can't talk about him.

About Pau, I'm not talking about Pau. Pau's a great player and obviously better than Marc right now.

My whole point is Marc Gasol is 5 years younger than Pau. Laker dominance could have been for the next 10-12 years instead of the next 5.

But the Grizz did the league a favor and screwed that all up...yet Spurfans aren't appreciative of it.

Lots of things can happen in the future who says we don't get Marc back later on

[21_Blessings]

Its a Spurs board, so there's gonne be alot of trash talking going on of opposing players. I mean, one guy said Bynum's worst case scenario is a more explosive Tim Duncan. I garuantee you 99.9% of people here would take Bynum on their team, but they wont say that when there are some Laker-fans gloating about how he can be better than David Robinson.

Which poster said that again?

Even then you have to admit, at 22 with his post gam, Bynum can get much better than he is now. Which is a 20/10 player on 90% of the teams in the NBA.

But if you want extreme examples, numerous posters here use to compare Manu to Kobe using Hollinger logic, claiming he was a superior player when healthy. Or some other inane crap disparaging Kobe and many actually believed the "Kobe can't win witout Shaq" talking point.

Not to mention most Spurs fans of this board was claiming the Spurs would were absolute contenders this off-season with the RJ addition. Acting like teams such as Dallas and Denver weren't even on their level. When we called them out on it with reality and facts, those Spurs fan flipped out and had the audacity to call our fanbase 'homers'.

[Ice009]

But if you want extreme examples, numerous posters here use to compare Manu to Kobe using Hollinger logic, claiming he was a superior player when healthy. Or some other inane crap disparaging Kobe and many actually believed the "Kobe can't win witout Shaq" talking point.

If you ask me Kobe is the last couple of years has been playing like Manu's 2005-2007 Blueprint where he looks to get other players involved and takes over the game in the 4th.

Manu at his best is on the same level as Kobe, but Kobe is usually at his best 24/7 . Great player Bryant now that he is actually getting others involved.

[Ice009]

Lots of things can happen in the future who says we don't get Marc back later on

We can forget about the Pau Gasol trade right now if the Grizzles trade us Marc Gasol for Bonner and Splitter's rights.

[21_Blessings]

If you ask me Kobe is the last couple of years has been playing like Manu's 2005-2007 Blueprint where he looks to get other players involved and takes over the game in the 4th.

Manu at his best is on the same level as Kobe, but Kobe is usually at his best 24/7 . Great player Bryant now that he is actually getting others involved.

:

Thank you for affirming my point.