Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol and Lakeshow Would Both Benefit from a Potential Deal
The time has come to move Pau Gasol for the betterment of Gasol's present and the Lakers' future. Mitch Lawrence of the NY Daily News is reporting the Lakers are "committed" to moving their talented veteran big man.
Gasol is still one of the NBA's best frontcourt players, but he will never escape the criticism in Los Angeles.
The Lakers are slowly but surely turning into Andrew Bynum's team—as long as he does not self-destruct beforehand—and moving Gasol gives the young big man free reign of the paint.
Every team has a whipping boy, or a guy that gets the blame for every loss. Usually that player is big, talented, paid handsomely, and flawed. For the Lakers, Gasol is that guy. Despite playing a major role in two championships for the Lakers his welcome seems as worn out as the elastic in Glen "Big Baby" Davis' uniform shorts.
Gasol needs a fresh start somewhere where he will be all the rage. He needs to play in a city where the pressure will not come as much from a dominant teammate, as it does from the media and fans.
Playing with a dominant and talented superstar has its pros and cons, especially for a personality like Gasol's. The dynamic of Kobe Bryant's unsurpassed competitiveness, Gasol's non-confrontational demeanor and recent Lakers' failures has produced a tough environment for the Spaniard.
Kobe has given criticism and encouragement to Gasol over the past three seasons. He actually does both in this quote from an article by Ricky Doyle of NESN.com, prior to the Lakers' elimination at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder:
""Pau's got to be more assertive," Bryant said. "He's the guy they're leaving [open]. When he's catching the ball, he's looking to pass. He's got to be aggressive. He's got to shoot the ball or drive the ball to the basket. He will be next game."
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Just like most of Lakers Nation, Kobe tends to blame Gasol for the teams' failures. Sometimes he deserves it, other times not as much, but either way it is time for him to go.
Moving him to Memphis as Lawrence's article suggests would be a favorable spot for him. He could play with his brother, which from a personal standpoint is a positive, but they even complement each other on the court.
Marc Gasol is a banger and his skill-set helps to hide what Pau does not do well. If the Grizzlies sent Rudy Gay to the Lakers for Pau, both teams would be better for it.
Gay could be Trevor Ariza-plus for Bryant, the perimeter sidekick he needs. He is a great secondary option alongside Bryant and the Lakers would remain one of the three or four best teams in the Western Conference.
Rarely does a trade benefit both the player and team, but the Lakers moving Gasol is one of those scenarios.
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