NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Can't Trade Gasol Without Solving Point Guard Problem

Pau Gasol is still on the trade market, but the Lakers can't deal their star big man unless they get an elite point guard in return.

I love Derek Fisher and the head of the players union should be thanked endlessly for his work during the lockout. Unfortunately, his days as a quality NBA point guard are long gone.

This year, 37-year-old Fisher is only averaging 5.2 points and 3.8 assists per game. He's drained countless clutch shots throughout his career, but this season he's hitting just 35.1 percent of his field goals. Even worse, he's shooting an embarrassing 26.2 percent from behind the arc and his Player Efficiency Rating is a measly 8.54.

When Fisher and Metta World Peace are on the court, the Lakers are basically playing 3-on-5 offensively. Defensively, it's 4-on-5. While World Peace can at least frustrate opponents with his muscle, Fisher gets murdered by younger, faster, better point guards on a nightly basis.

The Internet exploded as Jeremy Lin dropped 38 points on the Lakers, but it should be no surprise that his outburst came against Fisher. Long before Lin sealed the win by splashing back-to-back threes, he torched Fisher on two consecutive plays in the final minutes of the first half. On the second one, Fisher hacked Lin to make up for his lack of defense and it still wasn't enough.

As much as I hate to say it, the Lakers desperately need to upgrade their point guard spot or the twilight of Kobe's career will be mired in mediocrity. Unfortunately, teams aren't exactly eager to part ways with top-notch floor generals.

Rajon Rondo trade rumors have popped up this season, but there's no way the Celtics will ship him to their rivals. And while the Rockets covet Gasol, they're reluctant to give up the emerging Kyle Lowry.

Although he didn't make the All-Star team this year, Gasol is still the most skilled seven-footer on the planet. Along with Andrew Bynum, he's the only trade bait the Lakers have. And while L.A. would do almost anything to land Dwight Howard, they can't trade Gasol to anyone unless they get one of the NBA's 10 best point guards in return.