Don't Expect a Pau Trade (Soon, Anyway)

[NomarFachix]

Source: Ignore any and all trade talk about Pau Gasol because the Lakers landed Steve Nash by promising him he would get to play with Gasol. Nash made it a prerequisite for passing on offers from Toronto and the Knicks that Pau would be around, the source said. Such prerequisites from an incoming star aren't that unusual -- Chris Paul made similar personnel demands as part of his agreement to be dealt to the Clippers. (In Paul's case, he wanted assurance that LAC would do whatever was necessary to retain restricted FA DeAndre Jordan.) Conceivably, once Nash gets back and actually plays with Gasol, the Lakers could continue to struggle and Nash re-thinks his position. But as of right now, one of the enticements that brought Nash to LA was the big Spaniard and the organization would have much bigger problems than they already have if they backtracked on their promise to keep Gasol in the fold.

 

[Real Deal]

Nash should get his little ass back on the court, then, if he wanted to play alongside Gasol. Honestly, this isn't Phoenix, and Nash is nearly 40. We look to win a championship every year.

[Nitro]

Nash should get his little ass back on the court, then, if he wanted to play alongside Gasol. Honestly, this isn't Phoenix, and Nash is nearly 40. We look to win a championship every year.

 

Let's see you be a 38 year old PG with a fractured fibula and come back within a month.

[Lkr]

Pau isn't the problem. He isn't shooting under 50% at the line and it's not his fault dantoni is a dick that hates Jordan Hill

[bigdog17k]

I expect Phil to coach this season, especially if things don't get going for LA when Nash returns

[Real Deal]

Let's see you be a 38 year old PG with a fractured fibula and come back within a month.

I'm sure very few could. That wasn't the point.

 

We look to win. We didn't bring Nash in for him to be injured for two months, so we're making the best of what we have right now.

 

Unfortunately, Gasol has been a bad defensive player, and an inconsistent offensive player who refuses to be a second or third option when we need him most, for a few years now. This is his worst season to date... by FAR. He was three times the player during his rookie season, and at least he was making his wide-open shots last year.

 

If Nash has a problem with us dealing Gasol, tough shit. Kobe didn't want us to trade Caron Butler or Derek Fisher, either, but we did. Artest didn't want to see Odom traded, but it happened.

 

I doubt Gasol is going to be significantly better on the defensive end with Nash on the floor...and, quite frankly, as great as Nash can be in regards to turning low-percentage shooting into higher percentages from his teammates, Gasol is shooting worse from the low post than he is from his "sweet spot" this season...and even then, that mid-range jumper he always takes isn't falling as well, either, despite him getting open far too many times already.

 

Ryan Anderson is on the radar. Seems like a stretch, but as we all know, nothing is when it comes to this team. If Buss finds a way to get him, or any productive player(s) that helps us deal with a Gasol loss...then he's history, regardless of what Nash wants.

 

At the end of the day, if any two players have a say in who stays or goes, it's Kobe (because it's basically his franchise) and Dwight (who is the future of our franchise, and who we need to cater to up until he signs his extension).