NBA Rumors: Unhappy Pau Gasol Will Force Lakers to Trade Him

The Lakers would be foolish to think that they can keep Pau Gasol and return to the promise land; it is time to trade their big man.

Gasol is currently less than pleased with his current role in the Lakers offense. His points per game are lower than any season in his career, and his rebounds and field goal percentage are the lowest they have been in any season as a Laker. 

This seems to be frustrating the tall Spaniard. 

The Comments

Here is Gasol, as quoted by the Orange County Register, following the Lakers' recent loss to the Pacers,

"

I would like to get a little more inside, myself. 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.

"

Gasol is not a chronic complainer by nature. The fact that he made these pointed comments should be taken as a sign that his frustration is reaching the boiling point. 

Why a Trade is Necessary 

It is going to be hard to appease Gasol in this offense. Andrew Bynum commands looks in the post, and Kobe is never going to go without his shots. Gasol remains a vital contributor to this offense, but the unhappier he gets, the worse his performances will become. 

As talented as he is, Gasol has a history of disappearing. He thrives when he is confident, happy and involved. In his first season with the Lakers he was bullied completely out of his game and was a non-factor in the finals. 

Last season, Gasol's performance fell off a cliff during the playoffs. Rumors swirled that relationship problems were at the root of his dismal performances. While he denied that was the source of his problems, he was quoted by ESPN's Dave McMenamin as saying, "Obviously there's some tension inside of me. I guess it's—you can see it. It's tangible."

It now appears as if there is some tension boiling up inside of Gasol again, and this situation is going to get worse before it gets better. Somehow the Lakers must make a blockbuster trade—like the ill-fated Chris Paul trade—involving Gasol. Otherwise, this season and future seasons will continue to get bleaker by the second.