Lakers Trade Rumors: The Latest on Lake Shows Efforts to Deal Pau Gasol

Of all the trade rumors and recent gossip around the NBA, no team has been more involved than the Los Angeles Lakers and no player more involved than their power forward Pau Gasol.

Gasol was nearly traded before the season began to the Houston Rockets in a three-team deal that would have sent point guard Chris Paul to the Lakers and several Houston players to New Orleans. However, that trade was vetoed by the NBA, which owns the Hornets.

The drama hasn't stopped there. Lakers' superstar Kobe Bryant lashed out at Lakers' management just before the All-Star break about whether or not the team would keep or trade Pau Gasol.

The Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak responded by saying that he understood Kobe's position, but that he had to what was best for the franchise and revealing the team's hand in the trading game certainly wasn't that.

Combine all of that with a new coach in Mike Brown, a new offensive system, the loss of Lamar Odom and the lack of any real bench and the Lakers appear to be in dire straits right now.

Gasol has been reportedly on the block for most of the season and has been rumored in trades to Houston, Minnesota, and, most recently, Boston.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that Boston GM Danny Ainge had offered point guard Rajon Rondo to the Lakers for Gasol. The newspaper also stated that the Lakers had turned down the offer.

Another potential trade partner is Minnesota. The Timberwolves would like to have Gasol to pair with young power forward sensation Kevin Love, especially after losing promising point guard Ricky Rubio to injury for the season.

The basics of the rumored trade would have the Timberwolves sending forward Michael Beasley to the Lakers for Gasol. These talks have been extensive enough that several media outlets reported that Gasol had been traded on Friday.

However, these reports proved to be false.

Right now, it's looking like the current Lakers roster will be the same when the playoffs roll around. But stay tuned, because anything can happen, even in the last moments before the trade deadline.

There is always time to strike a deal.