Lakers Rumors: Team Must Trade Pau Gasol and Build Around Draft Picks

The Los Angeles Lakers are rumored to be shopping Pau Gasol. Given their recent woes in adding quality players via the draft, trading Gasol for draft compensation is a necessary move if they are to get back to prominence.

The Lakers' approach in recent years has been trading draft picks for players. Since 1996, their only draft pick to make an impression on the team is Andrew Bynum, selecting 10th overall in 2005.

In fact, he's the only first-round draft pick from the last decade that is still on the team. 

The Lakers are attempting to fix that problem. Per an ESPN.com report, they are contacting teams to see if anyone is willing to trade a top-10 pick in Thursday's draft for Pau Gasol.

The Lakers took Jordan Farmar in 2006, Javaris Crittenton in 2007 and Toney Douglas at the end of 2009's first round. None of them have helped the Lakers win.

The best that can be said of the group is Crittenton was part of the compensation to acquire Gasol.

For the Lakers to get back to prominence in the NBA they need to get back to building through the draft. Their approach in recent seasons has left them with an aging set of starters and very little depth.

This has left them struggling to compete in the playoffs.

Trading Gasol for a first-round pick would be a good step, but a difficult one.

It is difficult to predict if a team would be willing to surrender such a high pick for the 31-year-old power forward. 

The New Orleans Hornets have picks one and 10 in the first round and could certainly consider using him at power forward. But with two years—and $38 million—remaining on Gasol's contract, the move may not make sense for a team in the rebuilding stage.

The Atlanta Hawks have floated Josh Smith as part of a trade for Gasol.

"

The Atlanta Hawks have been pursuing Pau Gasol, The Times has learned. Nothing imminent, but Josh Smith would be key piece going to Lakers.

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) June 27, 2012"

While it would be a great move for the Hawks, Smith would hardly help the Lakers spread the floor and open up scoring lanes for Bynum.

The Lakers will likely need to bring a third team into the mix. The Portland Trail Blazers have picks seven and 11 and might be willing to deal one of them, but Gasol isn't an attractive addition.

The Utah Jazz or Minnesota Timberwolves could come into play, provided the Trail Blazers don't have a concern with bringing Gasol into their division. 

Regardless of the partners involved, the Lakers need to get back to the basics of building their team with youth through the draft. They seem to be acknowledging as much with their efforts to move Gasol.

Now they just need a willing player.