Pau Gasol Trade Rumors: Atlanta Hawks and Teams That Must Acquire Veteran
The Los Angeles Lakers have been trying to trade Pau Gasol since they lost in the playoffs, but the veteran would still be a great addition to a number of teams.
According to Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN, the Lakers are attempting to acquire a top pick in the NBA draft along with an established player.
While this might seem like a high price, along with the $38 million still owed to the forward, it would be worth the move for these teams looking to gain credibility or contend for a title.
The Kings have been listening to offers for the number five pick, but to this point they have declined a trade. According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo, the team is waiting to see if Thomas Robinson falls to them in the draft.
Robinson would be a solid addition for a team that needs a power forward to pair with DeMarcus Cousins in the frontcourt. However, if the Kings like Robinson, then they should love Gasol.
While they are different types of players, Gasol is already one of the best frontcourt players in the league, and still has plenty of good years ahead of him. The veteran has scored over 17 points per game in every year of his career, and has averaged a double-double in each of the past three seasons.
Not only would Gasol give the Kings a great tandem of big men, but the All-Star would provide a veteran presence to a young team that needs leadership.
With two lottery picks in the draft, the Trail Blazers should look to make a trade with the Lakers for one of them. Portland is attempting to rebuild, but pairing Gasol with LaMarcus Aldridge should put the team in the playoffs regardless of who else is playing.
The Blazers do not have too many veteran players to add to the trade, but someone like Nolan Smith could help the Lakers point guard depth.
There will still be plenty of solid guards the Blazers could add with the number 11 pick to truly improve the rebuilding process.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Hawks have been actively pursuing a trade that would send forward Josh Smith to the Lakers in exchange for Gasol. Mike Bresnahan states, "Smith has been unhappy in Atlanta for more than a year, his dissatisfaction starting after the 2010-11 season because he felt he was an unfair target of criticism by coaches and media members."
If the Lakers are unable to get the top draft pick they are looking for, this trade would be a reasonable consolation. Both players have loads of talent, but could use a fresh start.
Atlanta would gain playoff experience in addition to some added height that they could use in the frontcourt. They would also lose a disgruntled star that could cause a distraction.
The trade would make the Hawks immediate contenders in the Eastern Conference.
