Hoopshype says we are in the lead for Pau Gasol

[ceez]

Lowry/Ridnour
DD/Ross
Wright/Fields
Milsap/Ed/whatshisface
JV/Gray

is a team that could really compete and wouldn't break the bank

[connected]

Kobe does speak Italian, so perhaps it wouldn't be a terrible partnership.

yeah since Kobe grew up in Italy that just means Bargs would get a multilingual tongue lashing... but maybe saying it in Italian would finally get through to him ... rimbalzo!

[ceez]

from what i remember, Houston wants to be a team that can get up and down the court. not really a fit for gasol.

[Bouncepass]

Josh Smith (unrestricted)
Rodrigue Beaubois (restricted)
Elton Brand (unrestricted)
OJ Mayo (player option)
Andre Iguodala (early termination option)
David West (unrestricted)
Chris Paul (unrestricted)
Dwight Howard (unrestricted)
Monta Ellis (early termination option)
Andrei Kirilendo (player option)
JJ Reddick (unrestricted)
JJ Hickson (unrestricted)
DeJuan Blair (restricted)
Al Jefferson (unrestricted)
Paul Milsap (unrestricted)

Eliminate the ones that we know won't come to TO (e.g. Paul, Howard) and the pool thins considerably. Milsap might be interesting, as would Reddick and Mayo, but I don't see that much else that excites me.

[ceez]

bargs hates taking shots at crunch time, him and kobe would be best friends in no time

[Nilanka]

Eliminate the ones that we know won't come to TO (e.g. Paul, Howard) and the pool thins considerably. Milsap might be interesting, as would Reddick and Mayo, but I don't see that much else that excites me.

Agreed. No "superstar" is coming to Toronto, but the 2nd-tier players you mentioned would still be worth pursuing this offseason simply because they're upgrades to what we've currently got.

[Bouncepass]

The Lakers can wait all they want to see how it works, but I think that the writing is on the wall, ever since Kobe insulted Gasol by telling him to "put on his big boy pants". That situation is toxic, and it is only a matter of time. There's no way Kobe and Gasol can co-exist anymore.

[Nilanka]

The Lakers can wait all they want to see how it works, but I think that the writing is on the wall, ever since Kobe insulted Gasol by telling him to "put on his big boy pants". That situation is toxic, and it is only a matter of time. There's no way Kobe and Gasol can co-exist anymore.

Kobe also went on to say:

"I love Pau like a brother," Bryant told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Tuesday before the Lakers' loss in Houston. "I really do. I want him to dominate like I know he can.

"I want him to dig in and be determined, not discouraged," Bryant continued. "We should go to him more on the post because he can dominate from there as he has to the tune of two rings. I'm sure we will adjust and figure out a balance when he comes back healthy."

The two veterans had a lengthy summit Monday night at the team hotel in Houston.

"I know his knees have been hurting and that can be frustrating because you can't do physically what you are used to," Bryant said. "I just don't want him to sulk about the change of things."

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ries-pau-gasol

So maybe their relationship isn't as bad as it appears....

[Rapstor4Life]

Well according to sources LA has refused the raptors and T Wolves as potential trading partners so back to the drawing board?

Though the source is BleacherReport so who knows..

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Well according to sources LA has refused the raptors and T Wolves as potential trading partners so back to the drawing board?

Though the source is BleacherReport so who knows..

It's on ESPN too, in one of the articles that somebody else posted in this thread. It mentioned that the Raptors had made Bargnani, Calderon and Kleiza available.

I think it's a matter of 3 things from the Lakers' perspective:
1. it seems they want to be sure that Gasol won't work with the team once Nash is back
2. they want to make absolutely sure that Anderson (NO) is not available, as he appears to be their #1 preference as a PF who spreads the floor (unlikely and nearly impossible, IMO)
3. they want to drive up the price on Gasol by starting a bidding war between real (Raptors & Minny?) and imaginary (NO and possibly Houston & Atlanta?) potential trade partners


Personally, I want nothing to do with Gasol. I think his game is in huge decline and his knees scare me, if he really does have tendonitis in both knees. A multi-team trade is the only way I'd even consider it. I'd rather take a gamble on Bargnani coming around than on a 32/33 year old with 2 chronic knees who makes double the money.

[Rapstor4Life]

@Calgary Tbh I don't like the Gasol thing either but Bargs is a flaw on this team that has to be addressed and everyones been dancing around the issue for a little while now. We can trade him for whatever PF that can play in the post or decent SF, or bench him and give Ed the start and let him play with Caldron who he is more accustomed to.

[BasketballCrush]

There is no rush for us, we can take our time on this deal. LA is only going to get more desperate. Gasol is not going to get younger.

I really want to take LA to the cleaners for Andrea, I want to see lots of picks. Otherwise I am sure we can trade him elsewhere for a better package. Having dwindeling Gasol only helps us short term, and we dont need the short term help. Our season is already done. Time to plan for a top 3 pick, or else we get hosed.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

There is no rush for us, we can take our time on this deal. LA is only going to get more desperate. Gasol is not going to get younger.

I really want to take LA to the cleaners for Andrea, I want to see lots of picks. Otherwise I am sure we can trade him elsewhere for a better package. Having dwindeling Gasol only helps us short term, and we dont need the short term help. Our season is already done. Time to plan for a top 3 pick, or else we get hosed.

I don't believe LA is able to trade any future 1st round picks, due to past trades and conditions on 1st round picks. I also hope Toronto isn't planning around the 2013 draft, unless it's on the assumption that they will lose their pick this year to OKC.

[slaw]

I really want to take LA to the cleaners for Andrea, I want to see lots of picks.

That's delusional. LA would be better off with Ryan Anderson or Mullens or the corpse of Rashard Lewis. They ain't paying through the nose for Bargnani.

[Matt52]

I don't believe LA is able to trade any future 1st round picks, due to past trades and conditions on 1st round picks. I also hope Toronto isn't planning around the 2013 draft, unless it's on the assumption that they will lose their pick this year to OKC.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/dra...rafts/detailed

Lakers might get MEM 2nd round pick this year - top 55 protected.

They have no 2nd round picks until 2016 and no 1st round picks until 2016 and not again until 2018.

[akashsingh]

don't get your dick hard over something that's likely not gonna happen. That's my theory.

[joey_hesketh]

don't get your dick hard over something that's likely not gonna happen.

You certainly do have a way with words akash.
Said like a true poet .... although you could try being a little less crass.

[minks77]

It's on ESPN too, in one of the articles that somebody else posted in this thread. It mentioned that the Raptors had made Bargnani, Calderon and Kleiza available.

I think it's a matter of 3 things from the Lakers' perspective:
1. it seems they want to be sure that Gasol won't work with the team once Nash is back
2. they want to make absolutely sure that Anderson (NO) is not available, as he appears to be their #1 preference as a PF who spreads the floor (unlikely and nearly impossible, IMO)
3. they want to drive up the price on Gasol by starting a bidding war between real (Raptors & Minny?) and imaginary (NO and possibly Houston & Atlanta?) potential trade partners


Personally, I want nothing to do with Gasol. I think his game is in huge decline and his knees scare me, if he really does have tendonitis in both knees. A multi-team trade is the only way I'd even consider it. I'd rather take a gamble on Bargnani coming around than on a 32/33 year old with 2 chronic knees who makes double the money.

I don't think his game is in decline at all. He's just being asked to play out of position. He's a low post player with an ok, but not great, midrange game. Plus his game is fundamentally sound and isn't predicated on athletisicm and he isn't a big, heavy banger. Guys like Pau live a long life in the NBA.

Besides, you did see him dominate the US team down on the block this past August didn't you? He was a beast.

[ebrian]

FYI - if you're hoping for draft picks from LA, you're going to be targetting someone who might still be in grade 7 right now. That's how far down the line they've got in terms of remaining 1st round draft picks.

The only way we can get draft picks out of a Bargnani deal is if a 3rd team enters the fray.

I'm fine with getting Gasol. We might win a bit more, sure, but I'd much rather we give this years' draft pick to OKC because the draft class sucks. Much worse would be if we made the top 3 and then we had to give away a 2014 draft pick instead which is a much stronger draft class.

Also, Gasol's contract is huge I mean HUGE. Couple years down the road that is a massive expiring contract.

[Matt52]

Things I love: honesty.

Hardwood Paroxysm ‏@HPbasketball

Things I love: the Lakers clearly and transparently leaked that they're considering trading Pau, then leaked they're rejecting offers.

That is the twitter feed of Matt Moore at CBSSports.com.