Magic Johnson: Time for the Lakers to trade Gasol or Bynum

I seriously hope this happens.

 

A Howard-Hansbrough front line would be fun to watch.

 

Rush would be gone most likely for OJ Mayo.

So the lineup would be:
PG Darren Collison
SG OJ Mayo
SF Paul George
PF Hansbrough
C Howard

Great lineup with a great defender in Paul George and Howard will mask some of the other defense

 

Gasol is gone if they get swept.

Why would the Lakers want to keep him after this series?

 

Orlando proposes: Howard + Turk for Gasol + Bynum and whatever else makes the salaries work.

Does LA accept that?

 

Because he helped them go to the Finals 3 straight times and win the last 2 championships. Without him, wouldn't have happened. Because he put up 19/10 this season while shooting 53% from the field as one of the best PFs in the NBA. Because he played in all 82 games this year. Because it's very unlikely they get equal value in return (unless Dwight Howard is included in the trade).

LOL! Is that enough?

 

If I'm Orlando I'm more interested in unloading Turk and Arenas than getting Bynum/Gasol.

All Bynum/Gasol does is put you on the mediocrity treadmill. They need cap space and picks to rebuild.

But maybe Orlando is content with "good not great'.

 

You're talking regular season like it matters. Try pulling the playoff stats:

13/8 shooting 42%

Do you think the Spurs should keep their team together as well?

 

You asked a question and I gave some answers. Nobody is defending Pau's playoff performance, but dumping him over these two series is something that should be done carefully. After all, they won the last two championships with him as the #2 option. Maybe next season it's time for Bynum to take that role instead of Pau and the Lakers should get a real PG for a change. PG is by far the biggest weakness on their team, not Pau. They made a fatal mistake hanging on to Fisher for another year as the starter.

The Spurs haven't won it all since 2007. TD is a shell of what he used to be. You can now expect Manu to fail in the playoffs. When a team hasn't closed the sale in 4 years, it's probably time to go another direction. The Spurs aren't comparable to the Lakers.

I'm not saying the Lakers shouldn't make big changes. IMO, they are almost guaranteed to be worse next year regardless of trades (unless they get Dwight Howard). But there are several reasons why they would want to keep Pau. Here is another one: Bynum's lack of durability.

 

I agree that PG is their biggest weakness and an upgrade there could really do wonders.

I was using the Spurs as comparison because you said Pau was great in the regular season and should not be traded. The Spurs were fantastic in the regular season, but sometimes that does not translate to playoff success.

Pau is having trouble scoring on one of the worst defensive PF's in the NBA. He is doing so bad that people are even starting to think Dirk is becoming a good defender. Aldridge would have destroyed Dirk if he was his primary defender.

I just don't see the Kobe-Pau chemistry that was there during their championship runs and Kobe has always had to push Gasol to get the most out of him. Pau should be able to be a 20/10 guy without Kobe's help. Now Gasol is way to sluggish and is the main reason for the Lakers downfall to the Mavs.

 

Interesting rumor going around about Gasol and the reason for his struggles. Not as interesting as Lebron from last year though.

 

But I would add that Pau was very good in their championship post-seasons. On the Spurs, I said back in December they weren't as good as their record indicated and I didn't consider them a title contender. I predicted they wouldn't be a good playoff team.

The Lakers will evaluate and maybe they agree with you that Pau is a player in steep decline. If so, he will probably be gone. Unless they make another "Pau trade", I'm just looking forward to the Lakers slipping a couple of notches next season. :grin:

sbyang, the rumor has been discussed here at length.

 

You know they are going to throw in Arenas contract as well. Heck I bet Howard's trade will also have a + Arenas cost to any willing to trade for him. Arenas + Bryant alone flood the cap space I believe.

 

Lowry/Dragic
Martin/Lee
Budinger/Williams
Scola/Patterson
Howard/Hayes

 

You should be banned for teases like this.

Care to elaborate?

 

Everything is so easy for the Lakers. All they have to do is dump salary, sit tight, and they'll have Dwight Howard fall in their lap in a few years.

 

yip, PG has been the Lakers'g BIGGEST weakness.

they need a speedy PG; Mitch Kupchak should target CP3, followed by Darren Collison

 

Gasol's GF broke up with him, and he's convinced Kobe's wife encouraged her to do it.

 

That's why I said that trade was r****ded the day they made it. It was an act of desperation and it showed on the court too.

 

I guess Bynum made the decision easier for them today.