LA Lakers: Has Pau Gasol Played His Way out of Los Angeles?

If there was ever a time for Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol to step up and prove he was still worthy of being called a star, then it was late in the fourth quarter of Game 4 in the Lakers' series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Facing a double-team on the perimeter, star guard Kobe Bryant passed the ball to a wide open Gasol in the corner. Instead of attempting an easy shot, Gasol threw the ball away on an errant pass intended for Metta World Peace.

Gasol's bad pass led to a decisive three-pointer on the other end by Thunder forward Kevin Durant, and quite possibly ended any hopes for a Lakers title this year. Gasol's time as a Laker might be limited to the ensuing Game 5 contest as well.

The Lakers certainly could have used a big game from the seven-foot Spaniard who has been called the most-skilled big man in the NBA; especially after a defensive adjustment from Thunder head coach Scoot Brooks.

Brooks resorted to fronting center Andrew Bynum in the post after a dominant first half. In daring the Lakers to throw the ball over the top, Brooks gambled on being burned on the back side once his players came to double Bynum.

Brooks' gamble paid off, however, as Gasol was much more content to loft jumpers from the perimeter rather than asserting himself in the paint.

Kobe Bryant didn't mince words when describing Gasol's performance after the game:

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"Pau's got to be more assertive," Bryant said. "He's the guy they're leaving. When he catches the ball, he's looking to pass. He's got to be aggressive. He's got to shoot the ball. He's got to drive the ball to the basket, and he will be the next game."

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Gasol has a reputation as one of the smartest players in the NBA, so he shouldn't have to use too many brain cells to see the message in Kobe's statement.

The Lakers could only defeat the Thunder if the team's interior duo of Gasol and Bynum were able to dictate the tempo of the series with their size and skill—and to a certain extent, they have.

But Bynum, and especially Gasol, have yet to find any real consistency. And the Lakers have suffered.

Barring a miracle, the Lakers will face a second-round exit from the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It's difficult to imagine Gasol being around for another chase at title No. 17 next year.

Gasol's performance in the Lakers' dismal 2011 NBA playoffs, which resulted in a four-game sweep to the Dallas Mavericks, was bad. But this season, Gasol has proved that last year was not an anomaly.

Gasol's 12-point average this postseason is even lower than last year's playoffs. More importantly, Gasol is shrinking when the Lakers need him most to stand tall.

During the regular season, Gasol seemed to be bothered with the constant trade rumors and speculation floating around in-season.

After suffering through another terrible postseason, Gasol shouldn't worry himself too much about his future in Los Angeles. Unless the Lakers do something dramatic, Gasol's time in the Purple and Gold is likely already over.