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Good article. Initially, I was pretty dubious about what looked like an obvious backdoor deal, but this offers some insight on why it went down (and why a team like the Bulls didn't make the deal instead).
All haters, instead of hating and ridiculously saying that Gasol sucks, he's soft, he won't help and all of that bull . Use this to knock the trade. Something realistic!
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basket...,6314802.story
MARK HEISLER / ON THE NBA
Lakers' trade could have a downside
Adding Gasol, and subtracting Brown, represents a roster upgrade, but it's also expensive and doesn't help their defense.
By Mark Heisler, ON THE NBA
February 2, 2008
News story: Lakers get Pau Gasol.
Comment: Duh.
Does one need to comment?
Actually one does, because it's not as simple as it looks. If the Lakers pulled off a major theft, there were a lot of moving parts and some of them may still be moving.
Here's what we know for sure: The Lakers just got a 7-foot, 27-year-old All-Star-caliber forward, essentially for nothing.
Aside from Kwame Brown's huge body and the soft spot he had in Phil Jackson's heart, he wasn't of much use (appropriately, the Pistons played volleyball on the offensive boards at the end of his last game to nip the Lakers at the wire) and his contract and Lakers career were running out in tandem.
The Lakers loved Javaris Crittenton but Jordan Farmar has been so good, it would have taken Crittenton years to overhaul him . . . if he ever did.
Here's the tricky part:
Lamar Odom was originally discussed in the talks between the Lakers and Memphis, according to an NBA source.
However, Memphis owner Michael Heisley, who has had the team up for sale for years and is projecting a $20-million loss this season, predicated everything on knocking as much money as he could off his payroll in this deal.
With Odom making $13.2 million this season and $14.1 million next, Heisley told his basketball people he didn't want him.
The addition of Gasol will give the Lakers the tallest front line the NBA has ever seen. When Andrew Bynum returns, their front line will go 7-0, 7-0 and 6-11.
Of course, one of them has to guard small forwards.
With Gasol's scoring ability and the Lakers' huge financial commitment in him, one thing is clear:
The moment the deal went down, he replaced Odom as No. 3 Option of the Future.
This one is breathtaking even for Jerry Buss, who has long set the market when he wanted a player.
With Gasol getting $49.4 million the next three seasons and Bynum's extension projected to kick in in 2009, the Lakers will go far over the luxury tax threshold, and this deal could cost $80 million in salary and tax over three years.
That's how they got Gasol. No one else would step up.
The Chicago Bulls, who eyed Gasol for years, could have offered P.J. Brown's expired $12.8-million contract and Andres Nocioni, whom Memphis wanted.
However, to put Brown's salary in the deal, the Bulls would have had to pay luxury tax on it this season, which owner Jerry Reinsdorf refused to do.
This wasn't the Lakers' only option. They could have had Chicago's Ben Wallace for Kwame Brown and Vladimir Radmanovic, according to an NBA source, incurring far less cost.
Moving Radmanovic's contract, which has three seasons worth $19 million left, would have meant the Lakers were taking on only an additional $20 million.
However, the Lakers thought Wallace was old and diminished, which was true. He's at udinal, too, but I don't think he's as bad as he looked with the runty Bulls. He and Bynum might have been a devastating defensive tandem, but we'll never know.
In any case, the Lakers now have another major piece and we don't have to watch Kwame fumble passes and chase the ball around the floor.
It does bring down the curtain on an unforgettable era. When will the Lakers have another player who hits some guy on the street in the face with a birthday cake?
But enough about Kwame, forever.
The Lakers just took a big step Friday.
Into what, we'll have to see, but it was definitely big.
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Good article. Initially, I was pretty dubious about what looked like an obvious backdoor deal, but this offers some insight on why it went down (and why a team like the Bulls didn't make the deal instead).
gmafb
Don't get me wrong. It still came out of nowhere and looks to have Jerry West all over it, but it seems a bit more above board when you look at the salary implications.
lakers still suck, gasol is not gonna be a monster all of a sudden.he is an upgrade over mihm in that style. one who benefits is derek fisher ppg due to spacing
??? I've been saying the whole time that not only is Gasol a pussy, he's an EXPENSIVE pussy. The Lakers look to have a good five, but good ing luck putting together an entire roster.
We already have the #2 bench in the NBA. Try again.
Denial, denial, denial.
Well if Mihm is an upgrade on Kwame and Mihm doesn't play and Kwame's gone....I'm sure Gasol is just a little better than Mihm...hmmmm.....good point buddy.
If the Spurs had gotten Gasol, you would be doing back flips and jumping with joy getting all excited. If the Lakers had a bad head coach, I could see this as a negative thing but Phil is the best damn coach in NBA History. You are just pissed off Lakers landed Gasol for nothing and trying to throw the ego/soft card to make yourself feel better. Deep down inside you know this team is more than capable of really doing something this year and it concerns you.
Gasol is UNDER rated. He will fit in perfectly, brilliant passer and he'll be playing in the triangle. The dude averaged nearly 5 assists per game in 05-06 playing out of the post and from the elbow.
I would actually start Ariza in place of Odom when he gets back, i dont think Phil wants Kobe guarding the best perimeter player night in night out, because Lamar certaintly cant do that. Bringing Lamar off the bench would give the them somewhat of a go-to-guy with the second unit - but i cant see him accepting that kind of role.
Bynum
Gasol
Ariza
Kobe
Fisher
---------
Turiaf/Mihm
Odom
Walton/Radman
Vujacic
Farmar
Thats still a young team 1 through 12 apart from Fish and Mihm.
Their future looks good.
You make too much sense to be a Boston fan.
Wow thats the most logical thing ive read on this thread. Thank you for not being a like the rest of the haters.
Geez guys, not all Spurs fans are trying to minimalize this or say that Gasol is soft. Who CARES? I'll take a soft 18 and 9 any day of the freaking week.
The Lakers, point blank, are frightening now. They are easily the #1 threat to the Spurs in the West. They're also now officially the complete mismatch nightmare for the Phoenix Suns. A healthy Lakers team wins that series in 5 games now.
Birthday cake.
It's ridiculous how much hate Gasol is getting around here. He's a very tough player to guard and put him next to Kobe and you got a very tough team to beat. I think this puts the lakers in contention for a championship now which I didn't so before despite their record.
I hate to have to agree with a Mav fan, but the Spurs fans who are dissing Gasol are either morons or s. They're going on and on about him being "soft" and ignoring the rest of his game. They're ignoring the fact that he's been a semi-franchise player for years. (I say "semi" because no true franchise player could play for that many years without winning a single playoff game.)
So yeah, Gasol is not perfect. He has some flaws in his game. And he may not be a true franchise player, but he is a huge acquisition for the Lakers. They were already dangerous...if they gel, they may start dominating in the West the way the Celtics are dominating in the East. I, for one, remember all the fools who were saying the Celtics wouldn't be that good this year.
I think the Spurs triple towers lineup beats the Lakers by an inch.The addition of Gasol will give the Lakers the tallest front line the NBA has ever seen. When Andrew Bynum returns, their front line will go 7-0, 7-0 and 6-11.
It's official. The Lakers are freaking scary.
60-39 up on the Wiz now. With the following statline:
Andrew Bynum - Has not entered game.
Pau Gasol - Has not entered game.
That's impressive. Laker fans, you should be dancing in the streets about now.
Well you are seeing how well the Lakers play when Kwame Brown is not in the lineup.
I hate how other teams can dominate these scrub teams and the Spurs ALWAYS have to play down to the level of their opponent and fight out a dirty win.
That's because you don't have a particularly great offense. Your defense is best in the league though.
Without Parker, we have zero offense. We've become built around his penetration and mismatches that he draws with the defense. Otherwise, they just lock down on Duncan or Manu with doubles and triples.
We REALLY need a player who can hit another outside shot when Parker is out.
I would've been more intimidated with Wallace than Gasol.
The Lakers already had a formidible offense before this trade, regardless you only get so many possessions a game. (PHX has tried to defy this law, it hasn't worked) However, their interior defense could've used a boost. I like Bynum, but he is still very young, and the LA front court could've used some toughness. No offense, it seems LA is trying to match up to beat PHX, but past that, I'm not sure how far this lineup will get them. SPEAKING SOLEY ON THIS SEASON, I think the Wallace trade would've benefited LA more.
I saw Wallace play in a Bulls game recently. He's worthless, and yes I mean that. He blew two layups and is scared to go up strong with it.
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