Tuesday, December 4th, 2012 at 4:20 pm  |  130 responses

Los Angeles Lakers Reportedly Spoke to Pau Gasol About a Possible Trade


As soon as Mike D’Antoni was hired to coach the Lakers, fans and media began predicting that Pau Gasol wouldn’t fit in his high-octane offensive system, which would eventually lead to a trade. According to ESPN, the Lakers recently broached the subject with their embattled (and injured) big fella: “Gasol is sitting not because a trade involving the former four-time All-Star is in the works, according to multiple league sources. However, a source said that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has recently spoken to Gasol’s representatives and the gist of the conversation was that if Gasol is unable to adjust to D’Antoni’s system, the team will have no choice but to search for possible trade scenarios. Their game against the Rockets is the start of a particularly tough stretch for the Lakers — eight of their next 10 are on the road. L.A. is 1-4 away from Staples Center this sason. [...] Kobe Bryant said he could relate to Gasol’s struggles, telling reporters after Tuesday’s shootaround that he had to make a similar decision to sit out late last season when tenosynovitis in his left shin caused him to miss seven games. ‘We talked about it a little bit,’ Bryant said. ‘It’s difficult for him, obviously, because he doesn’t have the explosiveness that he had, so a lot of it I’m assuming has to do with his being injured physically and not being able to get up and down the court and perform at a high level, which could lead to some frustration. I dealt with it with the shin. You’re kind of out there playing around and playing and you kind of wind up being a little bit of a shell of yourself because of your physical limitations.’”

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    Agreed. But If I had to trade him I think getting Derrick Williams or Andrea Bargnani would be fantastic

  • LakeShow

    They aren’t better (obviously) but they do fit nice with the system…
    I’d be interested if they came with the right combo.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    both would come with solid point guards…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    Maybe Derrick Williams would even come with Pek

  • Redd

    NBA players get concussions too & playing leads to more likeliness of pain in joints or worse. NO REALLY?! I didn’t know they weren’t forced into them, thanks! The conversation was between me & the other commentator, what do you mean “this conversation” you were never in it initially.

    The relevance is there in regards to what I discussed. It’s a comment board, thus you’re free to share opinion. But that doesn’t mean I can’t think your opinion is idiotic that millions mean athletes can wreck their body for your entertainment. Money shouldn’t be equated to a human being..ever.

  • http://www.facebook.com/andre.parris1 Andre’ Parris

    Kobe when has Pau ever been expolosive? C’mon man!!!

  • LobCity

    Nope. If the Knicks get rid of Amare they’d still have over 50 million in contracts. Meaning CP3 would have to sign for 10-13(?) mil a year for 4 years as opposed to signing 5yr/100 mil. The only problem for Knicks fans is for that scenario to take place you’d need somebody to take amare and give you am expiring contract. Now tell me who’d give you an expiring contract for PF with bad knees making 20 mil a yr for 2 more yrs
    Atl and Dal will have cap space….

  • RedDragon10

    Let’s call up Memphis (Kwame) and Orlando (Dwightmare). They know a bad deal when they see one.

  • hookedonnews

    Sorry, I didn’t realize you were having a private conversation. I’m sure you’re aware that anyone can respond to a comment on a public forum like this one. When I said “conversation,” I was referring to the body of comments in general, not just to your response to Perry. The point about the money athletes make is that they make the choice to go into that profession and are fully aware of the toll it may take on their bodies. They are the ones who make that decision. Gasol’s problems with his knees may be the result of his choosing to play year- round for the last 4 years rather than resting in the off-season. I know it’s not popular these days to take personal responsibility, but people are responsible for their own choices. Most people would gladly trade places with any one of these highly paid athletes. Sports is no different that any other business. When you can no longer do the job, you’re replaced. It remains to be seen whether Pau Gasol is in that situation. This may be no more than a temporary problem.

  • http://twitter.com/arturo12031 arturo1203

    Trade him please he is not a tough player . He needs to play with huevos but I dont think he has them .

  • LakeShow

    You always take Pek as a throw in, but he wouldn’t necessarily add allot. He and Dwight wouldn’t play together which would set him as a reserve. Not bad, just under utilization. Plus he wouldn’t benefit from D’Antoni, like a more athletic more versatile player would. Williams would be sweet in D’Antoni’s system, as would Luke Ridinour or JJ Barea… So any combo of Williams and a PG would be enticing…

  • Matt

    What are you rambling about? There are different roads to the championship; the Lakers don’t have to be a powerhouse early in the season nor do they have to be one in the playoffs.

    I also don’t get your reply to my comment. Perhaps you can word it better or something, because I’ve shortly explained how D’Antoni is adjusting to Pau while you reply with “[it's] the lakers management who made these results”.

    While I do believe that Mike D’Antoni was not the best choice for the job, I still don’t think that the Lakers are out of contention…at all. It’s an 82 game season, with a month of playoff time.

  • cucamongakid

    What needs to go is this system and that moron d’antoni it wasw a bad move bringingt this clown in. Dumbass jim ande mitch should go on teir knees to Phil’s house and ask for forgiveness

  • LobCity

    Have you watched the Clippers play? They have an athletic center with improved post moves (yes, DJ. Go watch game tape), Blake Griffin (more on him later), Solid veterans in Billups and Caron, the best back-up PG in the league (freakish athlete too), Jamal Crawford (almost 20ppg off the bench), with Barnes, Odom(still fat) & Hollins doing the dirty work. Plus Hill and Thomkins have yet to suit up. Now how is thats not enough to keep you satisfied, I don’t know what is.
    As for Blake, he’s improved his jumpshot and added post moves. He’s improved, you must not be watching many Clipper games. As for being one dimensional. That’s coming a long, still has a long way to go. But you did mention the Melo and the Knicks in an earlier post so you must be familiar with bad D and being one dimensional,
    I thought you were making an argument earlier but now you just sound like a hater……
    So please elaborate on this fantasy team that will have cap space to sign CP3 and a better supporting cast.

  • losersnotwelcome

    new son as well. daughter will do, too.

  • RedDragon10

    Now I’m a hater? Look, it’s obvious that you’re a clipper fan. You’re name is lobcity. You obviously are biased for them. And that’s fine. But I have seen them play. The fact of the matter is that the clippers often play to the level of their opponents. They’ve beaten the spurs and the heat but they’ve also lost to the cavs, hornets, and the warriors. You mention Griffin and Jordan. Has Del Negro ever kept them in a close game for the majority of the fourth quarter? No, they can’t make free throws. Crawford is great but he shoots too much and Billups is a good leader but he’s old. I agree on Melo and the knicks be one dimensional. I never said he wasn’t. I think you’re getting the delusion that I’m a knicks fan. I’m not. The fact of the matter is cp3 is his own man and if he doesn’t think that the clippers will bring him a ring he’ll jet just like how I think Howard will leave LA this summer.

  • mrggacartier

    if we do trade pau it should be 4 josh in atl

  • LobCity

    I’m a Clipper fan, but I can still be realistic. None of my comments have been about him staying a Clipper for the sake of being a Clipper. I’ve stated facts, such as the moeny/yrs they can offer on a contract. Or the purchase of a home. Or the players on the team. Or the lack of teams with salary cap. Or the limitation of the new CBA that make it less likely for him to go elsewhere. That’s being realistic, not biased. Yet you have failed to provide a relevant argument on any of those topics. Look at their schedule this season and they’ve beaten some nice teams. Bad losses? Sure. but it’s early. But if you’re going to throw that in their faces then hold that against the potential teams he’s going to leave the Clippers for? Don’t pick random flaws on this team like other don’t have similar flaws. That’s why I said “fantasy team”. Everybody is saying the Clipps are better this year, but I guess it’s not enough for you. Haha.

    The funniest line you’ve dropped yet though “CP3 is his own man and if he doesn’t think the clippers will bring him a ring” Yes, but back to first point: Why not? and Who can?

    Howards leaving LA? Dang. That’s bold

  • RedDragon10

    You keep on citing money as if that is the only reason why players sign with a team. I’m not predicting anything. I’m only considering possibilities. The fact of the matter remains that he didn’t immediately sign an extension. Sure he can wait until the summer to and get more money, but isn’t that what Dwight said? Could’ve Lebron done that in the summer of 2010? Wade? Bosh? Players have taken less money to compete for a championship. Will Chris do that? I don’t know. I’m not too keen on money restrictions and, even though you look like you know what your talking about, I don’t necessarily believe that you factored in all of the possibilities. After watching chris play since his days in NO, I’ve realized the player is incredibly gifted yet considerably whiny. Remember when he made headlines stating that he wanted to be traded to a contender? Clippers have gotten better. Enough to win it all? The clippers are a good team but good teams don’t win championships. Great ones do. And I’m not calling them a great team. I don’t see them getting past san antonio, memphis, OKC, and maybe even LAL if they get better when Nash comes back. We’ll see what Chris does.

  • LobCity

    First, I didn’t cite money as the “only reason. Read my posts and they cite money, location, team, CBA, etc.
    Second, not one player you mentioned has sacrificed a dime to win. Wade, Melo, Bosh and LeBron all signed max extensions with the teams that drafted them. This extensions had opt out clauses after 3 years. So they opted out early and signed new max deals. Melo via sign and extend, Bosh & LeBron sign and trade, and wade just signed an extension. CP3 could have done a deal like Melo’s when he was traded to the LAC but he wouldn’t get the 100 mil he can get this summer. The New CBA doesn’t allow for a sign and trade like LeBron and Bosh did. Although he could extend for 100 mil w/LAC like Wade.
    Third, understand this is a new CBA so there’s no point in comparing CP3 and DH to the rest. Their Free agency will be completely diff. As you can see they didn’t opt last year to test free agency. They requested trades to maintain the right to sign 5/100mil.
    Lastly, only ATL & Dal (Bobcats, etc dont count) will have cap. So unless LAL, MIA, NYK magically trade horrible contracts for exp deals. Or OKC, Bos, BK, SAS trade bad contracts AND their star PG’s, I don’t know what other situation is out there

  • RedDragon10

    The only fault I found in your reasoning was that you said Lebron, Wade, and Bosh signed new max deals with the heat. They did not sign max deals. They all took less money (especially Wade) to make what they did happen. Could that happen with Chris? I think it’s possible but it seems as though you don’t think its possible because of the new CBA regulations. I don’t know enough about the topic to make any inclination towards anything but I’ll stick to my premise and say anything is possible.

  • LobCity

    LeBron & Bosh make 17,545,000. Wade makes 17,182,000….Check the NBA trade machine on ESPN to see the salaries. You’re right, he took less……about 300,000…..

  • TV63

    Well Gaurav, He looks pretty damn good if you’re a CAVS fan. LOL

  • TV63

    Geez Wake up out of your Laker world and remove the dust from your eyes and see the “Other Nba teams” . There are bottom of the barrell teams that would love to take him. Like the Cavs for example. You ever hear the expression someone’s trash is someone else’s treasure? Well it’s like that!!

  • Peter Maguire

    That is the smartest comment I have seen about Pau.

  • Peter Maguire

    isn’t that something everyone can see it and yet DHoward still plays at the end of games? why

  • Peter Maguire

    he is more of an asset in the post – shooting % goes way up when he is closer to the basket

  • Peter Maguire

    so true – doesn’t anyone remeber he was basically the MVP of the Olympics

  • Peter Maguire

    that is exactly why it will not happen

  • athanasia columbus

    i would like to see Gasol in Houston he deserves to play w an organization that will appreciate him!

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