NBA Rumors: Lakers Unlikely to Swap Pau Gasol for Carlos Boozer

Try as he might to play general manager for the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose will not be teaming with Pau Gasol any time soon.

As first reported by Marca.com and later confirmed by Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops, the reigning NBA MVP has encouraged some within the Bulls organization to pursue a trade that would bring Gasol to the Windy City in exchange for Carlos Boozer and a point guard, most likely C.J. Watson.

Not that either team would touch such a deal with a 10-foot pole, at least not right now.

OK, so it would make some sense for the Bulls. They still lack a true No. 2 option on offense behind Rose, though that deficiency would clear up rather quickly with Gasol in that slot.

However, Bulls GM Gar Forman isn't likely to so much as consider giving up his team's backup point guard so long as Rose remains sidelined with injuries. The three-time All-Star hasn't set foot in a live game since Feb. 8 on account of back spasms and will be a game-time decision for Monday's tilt with the Atlanta Hawks. There's no way Chicago's front office will send Watson anywhere until Rose works his way back onto the court.

On the other end of the proposed transaction, there's very little incentive for the Los Angeles Lakers to get involved in such a discussion even if Watson is on the block and, of course, absolutely none if he's not. LA's point guard situation has been nothing short of abysmal this season, but while Watson would be a considerable upgrade over Derek Fisher and Steve Blake, he's hardly good enough to warrant giving up a skilled seven-footer like Gasol.

As for Boozer, he's a year-and-a-half younger than Gasol but is also shorter, considerably less skilled, more clearly in decline and is owed more money ($46 million over three years) than Gasol ($38 million over two years).

And, for what it's worth, Gasol doesn't have to spray his hair onto his head.

That being said, Rose's supposed enthusiasm for Gasol isn't exactly unfounded. Aside from the fact that Gasol is still among the best big men in basketball, he and Rose are both advised by super-agent Arn Tellem, who was among those most responsible for steering Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in 1996.

Clearly, if Tellem could convince 12 teams to pass on a singular talent like the Black Mamba and get the then-Charlotte Hornets to trade him away, he has enough influence to put together another blockbuster deal involving the Purple and Gold.

Just don't expect such a deal to fit around D-Rose's suggested guidelines, unless the Bulls can pull a better point guard out of a magic hat of some sort.

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