Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol Should Be Upset with Role in Mike Brown's Offense
Pau Gasol is unhappy with his place in new coach Mike Brown’s offense, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.
He has every right to be, especially with Kobe Bryant jacking up shots like he’s back playing with Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown down in the low post.
"I would like to get a little more inside, myself, Gasol told reporters after the game. I always like to have different looks and be able to attack from different angles. The second half, I didn’t have one chance to attack from the post, so I was more of a facilitator. I got two jumpers, open, that I missed, and that was all the opportunities that I had.
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The Spaniard is off to his worst start of his career and it’s by far the least productive he’s been as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
He is a 7’0", 250-pound PF that has proven he coexist with Bynum down low, rather than play farther out and move the ball—if he even gets a chance to touch it.
Kobe has been shooting nearly 25 times a game—the most since a turbulent 2005-06 season that ended with just 45 wins and the star shooting guard checking out in the second half of a Game 7 against the Phoenix Suns.
Pau would join the team shortly after and help lead them to two NBA championships.
Jay Caspian Kang did a wonderful piece on Grantland about how Kobe’s selfish-scoring antics are hurting this team. He also pointed out how it was apparent that the Black Mamba was pushing himself to score 42 points, interrupting any flow on offense.
Kang said that during the postgame interview, both Brown and Bryant only mentioned that the team had to work harder for loose balls and get more rebounds.
Why should Gasol be motivated to play better when he’s not even part of the team’s plans on offense?
It’s easy to see why it’s tough for him to get going every night when he barely gets touches, and when he does, the ball doesn’t find him in his best scoring position.
Brown, or someone else on this Lakers’ roster, needs to step up and tell Kobe to start involving his teammates and stop jacking shots. They need some wins and their star big men to come alive.
The most telling thing I have read about this Lakers’ season and Kobe’s play is the closing quote from Kang’s piece.
"A few minutes into Kobe's postgame talk with the media, Pau Gasol walked out of the trainer's room. The majority of the press didn't acknowledge his presence. I, along with a few other people in the huddle, managed to at least look over at Pau, who, with an incredulous smile on his face, shrugged and sat down in front of his locker.
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You can't blame Gasol one bit for being bemused by everyone's reactions to No. 24's play this season.
Kobe is putting up numbers, but the team isn't winning.
There is every reason in the world for Pau to be laughing at those who think that there isn't a correlation.
