Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Should Keep Pau Gasol and Add PG Help for Title Run

At 22-16, the Lakers aren't having their normal, dominating type of season, but they still reside in a battle for first place in the Pacific Division with the Los Angeles Clippers. It sounds like a situation that a team would want to improve their team with, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the Lakers.

Pau Gasol has been centered in several NBA trade rumors for the Lakers. The mill continues to churn. 

According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Gasol was thought to already been traded on Friday night. 

Why would they want to trade an integral piece of the puzzle if they can't get Orlando's Dwight Howard? The Lakers should dump the rumors, keep Gasol and find other suitable options that could help them in the scoring department.

What they should is add a point guard that can find the open man and score the basketball. Raymond Felton is a guy who hasn't produced this season with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he is a player who averages 13.4 points and 6.7 assists per game in his career.

The Lakers score 94.3 points per game, 19th in the NBA. They need help scoring the basketball and Felton could help with his scoring and assists production. 

Obviously Lakers' fans would probably want a Rajon Rondo or a Steve Nash type of fit, but the reality would be a Felton type of player, a player who wouldn't cost you a Gasol.

This would allow Los Angeles the ability to compete with a roster capable of making noise in the Western Conference.

It's amusing to think that last Sunday people were saying that the Lakers are a true threat in the NBA after their demolishing of the Miami Heat.

Suddenly, back-to-back losses followed by a narrow victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves and we are hearing more Gasol trade buzz.

Just another overreaction in sports. 

The Lakers won't win a ring without Gasol underneath if Howard isn't his replacement. It's as simple as that.

His 16.7 points and 10.5 rebounds would be difficult to replace in the Lakers' system. They should focus on upgrading their roster, not downgrading.