The difference is in winning at least 1 game.
There's no excuse you can make for not winning 1 game...and Pau had 12 tries at it.
It's been well do ented that Gasol was on the trade block. Chicago made an offer just 30 days prior to the Laker trade. If some GM's were not aware of their environment then that is their problem for not doing due diligence.
You are just making up outright lies to support your collusion theories....
Since their 1-8 start they've gone 24-11. I think a valid case can be made that the 2010 Grizzlies are better than the 2004 Grizzlies.
And he'll be in line for a hefty payday when his contract is up. Who would you have rather had last year? Pau or Marc?
And the 1-8 start shouldn't really be factored in since Iverson completely ed their locker room.
If the 2004 Grizzlies were to play the 2010 Grizzlies in a playoff series, my money is on the 2010 Grizzlies.
To be fair,
Pau
or
Marc + $10 million salary player
2007 Warriors > 2007 Rockets then I guess
Memphis would rather have Marc + Randolph + 2010 cap space than Pau Gasol.
The Lakers are happy with Pau.
Good trade for both teams.
The Lakers were not keeping Kwame's expiring in 2008. If Pau didn't happen, something else would have.
Maybe their was collusion with the Gasol trade, maybe their wasn't. All I know is, it worked out well for Memphis, and that somewhat takes away from the collusion argument. My personal opinion is that I'd rather blame my team's front office for not inquiring about possible ways to improve and needing Gasol traded to a division rival to realize that he was available.
I don't remember back that far to those 2 teams.
What are you trying to say?
Emphasis on BOTH teams.
I also think the Marc > Pau argument is somewhat bull , but that trade enabled them to get Z-Bo who has been a stud this year. The scary part about Memphis is how good they'd be if they drafted Ty Evans instead of Thabeet.
For the record, Marc is NOT greater than Pau.
But he's not a "serviceable" either. He's very good and very close to an All Star Center.
My point is the Lakers would have been just fine without the "collussion" trade.
If BOTH teams got great returns in trade, how is it collusion?
Pau Gasol for Cap space + Marc Gasol + #1 draft picks is probably one of the fairest big man trades we have ever seen.
Win for Mitch and win for Chris Wallace.
Last edited by Allanon; 01-27-2010 at 11:45 PM.
Without the Gasol trade LA could have easily unraveled completely. Yes, I know they were in 1st at a point prior to the Gasol trade, but lets look at the time of the Gasol trade. Bynum was down with what turned out to be a season ending injury. They played 10 games in between Bynum's injury and the Pau trade, in those 10 games they went 5-5, so without the Pau trade, LA is roughly a .500 team for the remainder of the 2007-2008 season since they would have neither Bynum nor Pau.
They won 57 games that year. The 9th seed in the West, Golden State, won 48 games. They went 27-9 after the Pau trade. For hypothetical sake, lets say they go 18-18 instead of 27-9 after the 30-16 start, that would mean they're tied with Golden State for the final playoff spot.
What I'm saying is, LA had a very reasonable chance at missing the playoffs entirely in 2007-2008 if the Pau trade never happens. Who knows how Kobe reacts if that happens. It could have very well triggered him making a serious trade demand.
I'm not saying this WOULD have happened if not for the Pau trade, just saying that the Pau trade could have very well prevented a disaster.
Kobe was upset about not having the talent. But with Bynum and Ariza, the Lakers were once again a very talented team.
And Mitch was on the move, if it wasn't Pau, it would have been somebody else.
With Bynum, Kobe knew he had a chance again and if Mitch had come up with another trade instead of Pau, the Lakers still would have had a great team. You can't ask for more than that.
Kobe said it himself that he was happy with Bynum, the Lakers were contenders. Bynum had a fluke injury; I think Kobe understood that and would have waited next season for Bynum/Ariza/Marc + 1 more $10 million player (replacing Kwame)
I think the Lakers still would have been perfectly fine, if not better in the long run.
Kobe went from publicly calling out Bynum to loving Bynum in less than a month. He could just as easily return to demanding a trade if they wound up missing the playoffs in 2008.
Nah, it was alot longer than a month. Kobe ed out Bynum in the summer. Bynum realized he might leave the comfy confines of LA so he worked out and came back with hunger. Kobe said he loved him in December or January (don't remember which one).
Of course, this is all speculation. I'm man enough to admit there is a possibility that things wouldn't haven't been all pretty. Although I think it is a very minute chance compared to things turning out just fine.
I'm cool with the Pau trade, I think it's proven itself not to be the grand collusion everybody was crying about.
Kobe would give the Lakers a list of 5 teams and then veto all the trades after realizing what a situation that would be and end up staying in LA. The Lakers don't have problems attracting free agents or anything.
I'd like to add Chris Wallace is a friggin' genius and deserves consideration for Executive of the Year.
Pau Gasol = ZBo + Marc Gasol
Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Conley = All solid draft picks
Allen Iverson = Didn't compound his mistake by forcing AI on the coach
Thabeet ruins it.
Well I haven't seen much of him since they don't play himBut he looks pretty bad. Maybe he turns into something but even Rubio would have been better with the Gasol connection.
memphis could have drafted Evans or Curry with the pick , instead they got thabust. imagine how much better their defense would be with Evans.
rudy gay wasnt drafted by memphis
Marc Gasol is a nice player and all, but he's overrated here IMO..I would be shocked if he's ever on the level of a Pau Gasol-type IMO..
Memphis deserves some credit though..the biggest move they made was gambling on Zach Randolph, which was criticized by everybody, including myself..it has clearly worked..
They should make another move to help their bench though..if they do that, it'll show that their front office is actually serious about making a playoff run..I love their starting lineup, but they still have a weak bench, so I don't know if their starters can carry the team for the entire season..
Look I'm not making a declaration that if not for the Gasol trade, Kobe would have left and LA would currently be rebuilding. All I'm saying is that it easily could have happened.
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