L.A. Lakers: Could a Pau Gasol Trade Take the Lakers Back to 2008?

When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired forward Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster deal before the NBA trading deadline during the 2007-08 season, the fortunes of the franchise took a dramatic and immediate turn.

The Lakers had been challenging for the top spot in the West before their season was disrupted by the first of numerous knee injuries suffered by center Andrew Bynum.

Bynum's injury cast a dark cloud over a franchise that was finally showing life after a few dismal seasons, but the acquisition of Gasol proved to be the most significant deal for the Lakers since Shaquille O'Neal arrived in Los Angeles.

Gasol teamed with Kobe Bryant to form the best post-perimeter duo in the NBA, and the Lakers went on to appear in three straight NBA Finals and win two consecutive championships in the process.

Gasol blended seamlessly into former coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense, and he had a skill set and level of basketball intelligence that seemed to be made for the scheme.

Well, Jackson and his triangle offense are now a page in Lakers history, and Gasol's parting gift to Jackson was the most dispirited and un-inspired performance in his postseason career.

Gasol averaged 13.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and shot 42 percent from the field during the 2011 NBA Playoffs, which is a drastic decline from his career postseason averages of 17.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 52 percent shooting from the field.

But Gasol's body language was even more depressing than his mediocre numbers, because from the first series against New Orleans Gasol appeared mentally unprepared to compete.

I'm not sure what demons were afflicting Gasol during the postseason, but his indifferent performance is a good reason for the Lakers to take a long hard look at his future with the team.

Most Lakers fans feel the team's greatest area of need is the point guard position, and I agree with that, but a trade involving Gasol has the possibility of making the same type of impact on the franchise as the deal that brought him to Hollywood.

Additionally I'm not completely sold on the concept of just acquiring a point guard and leaving the rest of the Lakers roster intact because that opinion ignores the fact that the Lakers are one of the NBA's oldest teams.

The Lakers need an infusion of superstar youth, and the ideal place for that youth movement to begin is in the post.

I'm all for acquiring a competent lead guard but dominant post players have always been the Lakers key to championship success.

Gasol is now on the other side of 30 and while Bynum does have the type of youth and talent the Lakers need in the paint, the constant threat makes him a gamble the Lakers can't afford.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is the biggest prize in the free agency class of 2012, and if the Lakers are serious about building for the future, Gasol for Howard is a great place to start.

There are few other teams who could offer Orlando a player as talented as Gasol, and if it becomes apparent that Howard will not re-sign with the Magic, the Lakers have a shot at dramatically changing their franchise again.

I will always appreciate what Gasol has meant to the Lakers, but the NBA is a business, and the Lakers have been one of the most dominant franchises in NBA history because they have treated it as such.

Gasol's arrival in Los Angeles signaled a change in direction for the Lakers franchise, and in order to secure their future, maybe the Lakers should change direction again by exploring a trade for Gasol.