Gasol asked to be traded before the trade deadline

[diceman]

lol, when you said make him Tank Commander it went over my head for a minute and I was thinking of the old Marcus Bryant No Limit Patton alt.

Same thought here

[SpurPadre]

PATFO with a bumbling mess the way they've handled Gasol this year. smh.

[TD 21]

To begin the season, I thought Gasol looked pretty darn good. He was possibly the best backup center in the league coming out of the gates.

But have you seen him since his return from the stress fracture? Not to be macabre, but if Gasol were a racehorse, he'd be put down. Watching him try to move is painful.

That's not how that works. If a player wants to be bought out to go to a better situation, the player and the team negotiate to determine how much money the player needs to give up in order for it to make sense for the team.

If Gasol wants to go to a better situation but isn't willing to give up any money to make that happen, you let him sit on the end of the bench because his value is still greater than zero (even if it's for Tank Commander purposes). If he is willing to give up money (preferably the money he's due next season), you help him pack his bags for Utah, Toronto, Memphis or wherever.

I have, which is why I specifically said, "before his injury, he was still easily a rotation caliber player". You make it sound as if I'm pining for him to return to the rotation.

Generally, it's not. In this specific instance, it should be. It's not unheard of for a team to pay in full, as the Knicks supposedly recently did with Kanter.

If bought out, I'd guess he's sign with the Warriors, Clippers or Lakers . . . which, along with him being Aldridge/Poeltl insurance, is probably why they'd prefer not to.

[exstatic]

I have, which is why I specifically said, "before his injury, he was still easily a rotation caliber player". You make it sound as if I'm pining for him to return to the rotation.

Generally, it's not. In this specific instance, it should be. It's not unheard of for a team to pay in full, as the Knicks supposedly recently did with Kanter.

If bought out, I'd guess he's sign with the Warriors, Clippers or Lakers . . . which, along with him being Aldridge/Poeltl insurance, is probably why they'd prefer not to.

I don't think Kanter had money due next year. Gasol's probably still owed about $11M for the rest of this season, plus his guaranteed portion next year. The Spurs aren't going to cut him loose and pay him that much. Kanter is the exception. Standard buyout is about 50%. If he would do that, the Spurs would probably oblige.

Edit: Kanter's salary for this year was $18M. Based on games played, the Knicks have paid him about $12.3M, meaning, they owe him less than $6M on a full payout, or just over half of what the Spurs owe Gasol.

[TimDunkem]

spursfans falling for dat fake news

5 pages of comments on a made up story

Stop. It literally falls in line with everything Pau has said about being able to "contribute" yet he's rotting on the bench day in and day out.

He sucks, he wanted to play and made it known, now he is denying it.

[sasaint]

I don't think Kanter had money due next year. Gasol's probably still owed about $11M for the rest of this season, plus his guaranteed portion next year. The Spurs aren't going to cut him loose and pay him that much. Kanter is the exception. Standard buyout is about 50%. If he would do that, the Spurs would probably oblige.

Edit: Kanter's salary for this year was $18M. Based on games played, the Knicks have paid him about $12.3M, meaning, they owe him less than $6M on a full payout, or just over half of what the Spurs owe Gasol.

Could you please explain your Edit? Kanter's salary was $18MM. Gasol's was a little less than #17MM. Kanter has been paid a little over 2/3 of his salary. Why wouldn't Gasol also have received about 2/3 of his, leaving about $5.4MM left on Gasol's salary this season?

Edit: I think I see it. You are talking about the payout of Pau's full contract: remainder of this season + next season. I was still thinking of your 50% buyout, which would be +/- $6MM or pretty similar to the remainder of Kanter's deal. But Kanter's deal ends this season.

[monkeypunk]

Pretty obvious now that Marc knew that Pau was asking for a trade when he talked about maybe wanting to swap teams with him.

[timvp]

I'd expect Gasol to deny the trade demand whether it happened or not. First of all, he's genuinely a good dude by all accounts so he won't want to cause waves, particularly if he's not going to agree to a buyout. Secondly, public trade demands would get him fined by the league (outlawed in the CBA). I don't know if the NBA could still fine him for admitting it retroactively but why would he risk it?

I have, which is why I specifically said, "before his injury, he was still easily a rotation caliber player".

You also threw this in: "and with steady minutes, probably still is a rotation caliber player"

Generally, it's not. In this specific instance, it should be. It's not unheard of for a team to pay in full, as the Knicks supposedly recently did with Kanter.

Link? That's not what I heard about Kanter.

If bought out, I'd guess he's sign with the Warriors, Clippers or Lakers . . . which, along with him being Aldridge/Poeltl insurance, is probably why they'd prefer not to.

If he's willing to give up that money next year, they'd buy him out. But he likely won't because he can't get that money back on the open market ... so Gasol will be here for the rest of the season, most likely.

[TD 21]

You also threw this in: "and with steady minutes, probably still is a rotation caliber player"

Yeah and? That didn't mean he should be here, just that this is probably (no way to tell in scattered spot minutes whether the foot injury permanently did him in) not a player who's finished.

Link? That's not what I heard about Kanter.

I don't have one, but I know I heard it.

If he's willing to give up that money next year, they'd buy him out. But he likely won't because he can't get that money back on the open market ... so Gasol will be here for the rest of the season, most likely.

He shouldn't have to. Personally, I'd wait until the off season (for the 2 reasons previously mentioned), but if they're willing to do it now, then they should have the decency to pay him in full.

Besides, the last thing this image conscious (paranoid?) organization needs, is another disgruntled prominent player. When they end this, it should be on as good of terms as possible.

[Dverde]

Gasol, via Michael C. Wright of ESPN:

“What’s the source? What’s the validity of that story? I don’t know. I didn’t request to be traded. I don’t want to comment on it because it is what it is. I think people understand or can figure out my situation on the team is not what was expected from me, and my only wish and desire is to be able to contribute to the team, and be able to be on the floor and do what I’m supposed to do, and do what I signed here to do, and kind of live up to what I’m paid for. That’s all. I’m waiting and hoping that that will happen. I’m staying positive. But don’t believe everything that is out there. Kind of interesting how that was put out there. But people go with it because it makes sense. Let’s point the finger at Pau. Maybe we should point the finger somewhere else, and ask other questions and ask other people. When you’re here in the spotlight, and you get asked questions and put in that position, it comes with the territory. I’m staying positive. I love this game, love what I do, and work hard to be able to do what I do. And I want to continue to do it. I know I might not be in my prime, but I feel I still can contribute at a very high level, and be an important and positive impact for my team, and make my team better. There’s a lot of rumors, a lot of stories. It didn’t come from me, right? So ask whoever that source or that outlet that found that information. Go ask them. I just think that’s fair. Ask management, right? Players are put in these positions, and I feel like I just want to do what I’m supposed to do, what I can do and what I’m paid to do.”

[TimDunkem]

That sure is a lot of words over a "fake news" story, Pau.

[BackHome]

Me Think You Do Protest To Much Paul

[superbigtime]

I wouldn't want to argue with Pau much. He is defensive and clearly not happy with his status and P.T. He can't complain about the salary though.

[duncan2k5]

He definitely asked for a trade... Lol... This is damage control

[Dverde]

Let’s be honest, Newphew broke up with you, not the other way around. I think we were fortunate to do a trade. He could have given Spurs the silent treatment and walked when his contract was done. He really exposed himself as an asshat. I don’t want him on my team anymore.

[r0drig0lac]

He definitely asked for a trade... Lol... This is damage control

this

[Ozballer]

Massive "buy back into it" job by Gasol after not finding any suitors. In Spain he would be called a Pesetero (Money chaser)

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Who cares quite honestly. I think he's somewhat delusional on his current abilities, kind of like Parker was the last couple of years. His thinking he can do more than he can probably hurts the team. If he said, "Pop, play me for 3 minute stints, and in that time I'm going to ball out, knowing I'll be gassed and done for the night, but in that time I'm leaving it all on the floor." That would be better than him thinking he can still contribute like he used to and feeling like he should be a regular rotation player.

Mentor, and bust it when you're out there. Raise your hand when you run out of juice and get your ass back on the bench. That should be his mantra. He could still do some good for the team that way.

[Coach X]

Who cares quite honestly. I think he's somewhat delusional on his current abilities, kind of like Parker was the last couple of years. His thinking he can do more than he can probably hurts the team. If he said, "Pop, play me for 3 minute stints, and in that time I'm going to ball out, knowing I'll be gassed and done for the night, but in that time I'm leaving it all on the floor." That would be better than him thinking he can still contribute like he used to and feeling like he should be a regular rotation player.

Mentor, and bust it when you're out there. Raise your hand when you run out of juice and get your ass back on the bench. That should be his mantra. He could still do some good for the team that way.

I couldn't agree more.

Superstars turn old sooner or later. Usually, they take more time than the rest of the world realizing it. As a hall-of-fame caliber player, not everybody can accept that new status.

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili are so special. 5th is their favourite championship. Fair reward.