Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 at 2:30 pm  |  30 responses

Pau Gasol Thinks Mike D’Antoni is ‘Messing’ With His Season


by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni

If and when Dwight Howard feels healthy again this season, Pau Gasol will return to the bench. Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni’s controversial decision to remove him from the starting lineup continues to eat away at Gasol, but he maintains an air of ultimate professionalism throughout the saga..

Looking ahead, Pau Gasol admits that the Lakers might no longer be the right fit for him and his basketball career. Gasol tells the LA Times that he could see himself playing elsewhere, largely due to the reduced role D’Antoni wants him to embrace:

The coach and player met at a Manhattan Beach restaurant a few weeks back, and most folks were left with the impression they had a meeting of minds. “It was an effort on our part to try and come to an understanding,” Gasol said. “But I don’t think it’s translated to an understanding. Nothing significant has happened; it’s probably even gone a little backwards.”

“If this coach stays and Dwight Howard remains with the Lakers,” I asked, “what about you?” … “It would be hard for me to deal with another season knowing the facts you just mentioned,” said Gasol, 32 and with one year remaining on his contract. “So do you ask for a fresh start elsewhere?” … “It’s a possibility,” he said, “yes.” He will not request a trade before this month’s deadline, he said, although he knows there is interest from other teams for a starting center and he will be returning to the bench soon. [...] As dominant as Gasol was in the Olympics and as highly regarded as he is in the NBA, he said there have been times when he has felt disrespected by D’Antoni. “But I’m not going to let it affect me. In a way he’s messing with my season, but not my career. I know what I’ve accomplished, and I still feel like I’m one of the best players in the world.

Much like Kobe Bryant, Gasol is of the opinion that the Lakers would be better off if he played alongside Dwight Howard, but D’Antoni clearly disagrees (and, most crucially, seems to have management’s support.)

The front-office has also gone on the record and said that major roster changes aren’t likely to take place this season. The team as presently constructed — in all its injury-riddled, unhappy and losing turmoil — will continue to trudge forward.

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  • spit hot fiyah

    mutoni and his silly paragraphs

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

    doesn’t he know he writes for slam?

  • Comment_System

    At this point, just trade him. A trade of Kev Love for Gasol would make me happy.

  • Happy

    As of right now the Lakers are winning, even if it’s against bum squads. If the lineup is working Pau has to know nobody is going to feel sorry for him.

  • The Philosopher

    D’Antoni is in a peculiar spot. Gasol is in a peculiar spot.
    Cooler heads should prevail, though. In my opinion.
    As was stated in the introduction, Gasol is the ultimate professional.
    The high-low game with Gasol and Howard seemed to do some things.

  • K_HOLIDAY

    I dont know why, but for some strange reason I dont think Gasol likes D’antoni… LOL
    Gasol is saying everything outside of ” TRADE ME PLEASE”. Lakers need to move this dude. Send him to Brooklyn for Humphries and Marshon Brooks or something like that. LA needs to put a young core together to prep for that KB24 departure in a few years

  • Caboose

    You don’t actually believe the Wolves would do that do you?

  • MasterSplinter

    They have won they last few games without Howard, and I personally think the offense was running a little more fluidly. Kobe likes to operate and create off of post ups and is one of the best guards in the post of all time. Dwight definitely clogs up the lanes a lot more than Gasol because he is limited. It’s tough though because Dwight is needed in order for the Lakers to really compete in a series against a good West opponent.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Alanpg Alan Pg

    Mike D’Antoni is messing with the Lakers season, not just Pau’s…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Junior-Taylor/100003121138419 Junior Taylor

    I much rather have Gasol being the “low” in that equation given that he’s a superior post player but that will never happen due to Howard not being a good passer.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    right, seemed to be going swimmingly before he got there

  • The Philosopher

    Put Kobe on the perimeter, making the pass with Gasol and Howard down low, maybe?

  • Ugh

    You can talk, NBA2K trade machine man.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    I want to see whatever stats D’Antoni uses that say Gasol + Howard aren’t working. Because all the stats I have say they are, more then they aren’t (not to be confused with actually being dominant like they should be).

    .

    BUT

    .

    Gasol has been awful playing the 4. As an individual, playing anything but Center, (FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. BEFORE D’Antoni) Gasol has been no better than his counterpart. Which says a lot about the fact that Gasol is a 7’0″ 32 year old with tendinitis in both knees, not really much about his coach.

    .

    The fact that he still isn’t being played, despite being part of the Lakers top 2 5-man units, is what says something about his coach, on the other hand.

  • Comment_System

    Of course not, but a man can dream cant he?

  • Caboose

    So you think Love for Pau straight up is a good/fair trade? Or are you just whining for the sake of whining?

  • shutup

    But Dwight in the High is almost completely useless, his shooting ability is abysmal, ability to put it on the floor is even worse, and his court vision and passing ability can be rivaled by the likes of Mr. Magoo.

  • KevinJohnsonFan

    He’s right. Nothing can mess with what he did for Kobe and the Lakers. I hope he requests a trade or they do it on their own. He’s handling it the right way besides the moping he did for a while. Don’t really blame him for moping though. Everyone handles things differently. His issue should be with Dr. Buss who brought in D’Antoni for some reason.

  • Irishway’s

    Gasol been on the trading block far to long.. Make’s you wonder if that’s what affected his stats or he’s just getting older.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/ Nick Tha Quick

    In other words, the Triangle?

  • The Philosopher

    Well, I was a supporter of D’Antoni coming in to coach the Lakers. And I am still in support of him coaching the team.
    But perhaps, my main point is that, basketball is not a hard game. Although things are going a little better for the Lakers, in my judgement, they are all thinking too much.
    And there is a little too much drama.

  • HaHA

    honestly, i would prefer mike brown over d’antoni right now.

  • chyea

    Phil was actually very correct when he said that having Bynum as the focus in Brown’s low post offense last season doomed the Lakers. Now you have Howard, with the same type of tunnel vision but is probably even worse on the block, and it is easy to imagine why it is tough on Gasol. The Lakers, IMO, play better on offense without Howard.

  • Lloyd Price_XU

    Watching Pau Gasol play makes me think, “you know..If I was THAT TALL, I would be way better than Pau Gasol.” Also, think of how limited and bad at basketball Dwight Howard actually is (no post moves, no passing, no FT’s, whining, soft, only averages 11-12 rebounds a game, etc.) and yet he is like the 2nd best big man in the game right now. Wow. I bet Alonzo Mourning is rolling over in his grave thinking what could have been.

  • Dominic R

    Really yall… we need dwight to shut down penetration from opposing teams and in my mind Earl Clark is playing lights out. he’s more athletic and he can play D. Gasol my man but he’s gettin old and cannot bang with those strong PFs and centers. we need to get younger and if tradin Gasol for a more athletic player, then I’m all for it. take a look at denver and OKC. we need speed and athleticism to compete. And Coach Mike is adapting very well.. stop talkin bad about our coach. we never knew what Earl Clark cud do until coach put him. Listen, coach didt have a training camp to see what he got but its comin along very well… LETS GO LAKERS!!!

  • hookedonnews

    Why do you say that he “maintains an air of ultimate professionalism” when he is doing just the opposite? He has been whining from the get-go. He complained about not getting enough play in the post when he was starting, and now is unhappy because he is coming off the bench so he can play there. He doesn’t like it when he’s not in the game in the 4th quarter even though the team wins the game. It’s all about him. He has made that pretty clear. No matter if it helps the team for him to add some scoring and defense to the bench. His ego is more important than the team. It’s obvious that even if Howard stays he will have plenty of opportunity to play. They are often on the floor together in the second half. D’Antoni is messing with his ego, not his season. He’s trying to do what he believes will give them the best chance to win. A team player doesn’t undermine his coach or his teammates (Howard). He hasn’t been healthy all year, and now he’s out for at least 6 weeks.He’s a good player, but he’s not helping the team with his attitude. This is the kind of thing that should be kept in house, or he could be like Steve Nash and just do what he’s asked to do.

  • hookedonnews

    I’ve seen the stats and both of them are more effective by themselves on the court. Gasol belongs in the post. That’s why he’s coming off the bench. The bench is the weak link on this team and needs his scoring & defense. Why is that a problem? It shouldn’t be except for his ego. Howard hasn’t been 100% and was hampered earlier in the season with Kobe’s 30 shots a game. He should be more effective with time. People who insist that you have to have Gasol & Howard on the floor together all the time forget that Gasol’s natural position is center. Howard can’t play forward, so the obvious solution is to bring Pau off the bench when Howard is starting.

  • Lak3shou

    gasol’s bad at d, only shot blocking is his ability on defense where hi is average or above

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    amen. i remember when he just got hired, he claimed he was the perfect coach for the job.

  • C0P0

    How about…Messing with your CAREER.

    _’Antoni hasn’t known what to do with a big since Amar’e.
    He had Shaq and couldn’t deliver. Now he has Kobe, Nash, Howard and Pau, and the Lakers are worse then NY was last year with Lin. That guy is a joke.
    Pau should live to fight another day. Mike _’Antoni, on the other hand, I doubt he makes it through his entire contract term.

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