Laker fan here. Here's my take on Pau. I really believe Pau is just checked out mentally on the team. I think that veto'd trade and the constant trade rumors have really turned him off to the franchise. He looked great in the Olympics playing for his country, but for the Lakers, he often looks unmotivated/fatigued. He's being forced to play a perimeter big role in the offense while Dwight Howard lurks near the basket waiting for alley oops. He looks ok when his midrange J is falling but when it's not, all he can really do is swing the ball to another perimeter player or try to force a pass over the top to Dwight Howard. He's good for maybe 2-3 of those pretty passes that lead to alley oops to dunks but a lot of times, defenders poke it away/steal it or Dwight catches it in awkward spots. If he tries to drive to the rim he'll flip a little teardrop looking shot that sometimes goes in and sometimes bricks. If he does try to dunk it, he'll get blocked or miss when there's contact. He also talks about how he needs post touches to feel comfortable but he never really does anything in the post. He often lets his man push him off the block and he ends up shooting fadeaways. He also gets the chair pulled on him a lot too. He gets stripped sometimes but not as much as Dwight Howard. During those finals runs, he used to get a good amount of points off dunks/layups from just catching passes under the basket. He sees less opportunities like that now and even when he does, he can't catch passes he used to be able to catch. I remember he used to get a lot of points off putbacks but I can't even remember the last time I've seen him do it. The Kobe/Gasol screen/roll used to be deadly in 08 when he actually rolled to the basket but he mostly just catches it at the top of the key and looks for Dwight for alley oops. There was a part of the game in the 4th quarter against Orlando that I think caused D'Antoni to bench him for Jamison. He was playing with bench players as the primary post option because Dwight was on the bench. Chris Duhon threw him a post entry pass and he almost threw it back like he was playing hot potato. No attempt to read the defense, no attempt to make a move, no nothing. Duhon made another post entry pass and he did the same thing. Duhon had to pump fake and shoot a 3 because the shot clock was starting to run down. This guy I'm talking about isn't Pau Gasol. He's the shell of a man who used to be Pau Gasol. This is Pau Gasol: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPQlXrRPNV4[/youtube] I don't think he's as washed up as he looks right now though. He still looked good as recently as the Olympics. He just needs to be playing primarily in the post. He's checked out mentally from the Lakers, though I'm not sure if a change in scenery would revitalize him or not. I love what Pau Gasol has done for the Lakers and I hate seeing him like this. This has been going on for almost 2 years and I hoped he would magically wake up one day and go back to being good but I've resigned byself to the fact that it's probably not going to happen at least, with the Lakers. I think it's best for him and the franchise to move on from each other. If he is traded, I'd definitely root for him to start beasting again. It's sad to see such a nice guy look so mentally broken. I think McHale would properly utilize his post skills. But then again, he could just be completely mentally broken and he'd continue to get paid $19 million to suck. I know Pau's trade value is at an all-time low but what would Rockets fans be willing to give up for him? Is a 1st round pick too much? I've been looking at possible Pau deals and I've found it's nearly impossible to do a 2 team trade because of Pau's huge contract. I also found that most teams don't need him or they don't have the means to acquire him due to his bloated contract. Minnesota had some interest but they have crap to offer. I came up with the same basic idea as one of the earlier posts in this thread where a 3 team deal is made that sent Parsons, Millsap and Marvin Williams to the Lakers, Pau to the Rockets, and Rockets pieces to the Jazz. The reasoning for the Jazz was receiving return for Millsap's expiring and unloading Williams' contract and saving about $14 million in guaranteed salary. I've made several revisions to the original trade and took Parsons out once I realized it was a pipe dream. The latest deal I've come up with is this: Jazz unload Jefferson and Millsap's expiring contracts and take on smaller salaries and save a ton of money Magic unload 2 huge contracts and speeds up the rebuild process. Houston would probably have to give them a pick to make it worthwhile. Rockets get Gasol without giving up Asik, Harden, or Parsons. I didn't include Lin because I thought he was untouchable due to the whole Chinese market thing. Of course pieces can be added/dropped/shifted. Do you guys think a pick and expirings/rookie contracts and cap space are too much to give up for Pau? Is this deal so completely ridiculous and implausible that it's not even worth discussing? And would anyone be willing to give up Parsons in a Pau deal?
The Rockets are the youngest team in the league with a lot of cap room next summer. I just don't think they'll want to give up youth and cap room for Gasol. I would much rather go after Millsap. I also don't think Gasol is washed up, but he'd be a better fit for other teams.
just NO to this thread , were a young team we don't need an old man to ruin the chemistry , Al Jefferson would be nice though :grin:
Appreciate the thoughts. A few reactions: 1. I agree that Gasol's issue seems to be having mentally checked out rather than having lost it physically (though of course any trade partner will go over Gasol's physicals VERY carefully). He was kind of the same way during his last 1 1/2 season in Memphis. Look at Memphis' record in 2006-2007 and the first half of 2007-2008. A team with Pau Gasol on it should not have been that horrible. 2. I am not sure your trade scenario is realistic-- just involves too many teams and too many players. Moreover, it is a really raw deal for Utah. They can get better assets in return for Millsap AND Jefferson than just Marcus Morris + crap. 3. I doubt the Rockets would trade Parsons in a Gasol deal. 4. In fact, I doubt Morey would give up very much talent for Gasol at this point, given his age/contract situation and given where the Rockets stand ( projected to have max cap room in the summer, giving them a shot at signing an even higher caliber player-- like Dwight Howard (an long shot, but still one worth taking)-- or trading for one should he becomes disgruntled). I still like Gasol, but would not overpay for the guy. Something like Morris+ either Jones or Motiejunas (plus contract fillers) would be all that I'd give up. Have to keep other assets to possibly facilitate future trades (perhaps involving flipping Gasol for a younger superstar that comes loose).
This is a great idea... let's give the Lakers half our bench in exchange for doing them a favor and taking Gasol off their hands. I had no idea Kupchak made accounts to post on other team's fansites.
The Jazz can do a lot better then those scrubs for both A. Jefferson AND Millsap. Although I agree that Gasol is not completely washed up, his value has and will continue to drop. If all else's fails for Morey at the trade deadline (Love, Aldridge, Cousins) and he doesn't see a FA (Jefferson, Smith, Millsap) worthy of a max offer I could see Gasol as a backup plan. The Rockets would be in the same position next offseason, a lot of cap space with the expiring Gasol contract and a new bunch of FA targets he may like better then this years crop. Plus he gets another year to try and deal for a prime PF target (Love, Aldridge, Cousin).
I would take a waiver on gasol like how the suns took scola and that's about it. The guy has always been the same soft player that got dominated by Garnett in the finals. Trading for him is stupidity and I'm sure our gm would never pull that trade anyways.
That's an MVP level first post! re the trade -- you clearly hate the Jazz (that's ok, i kind of do too)
- Gasol is older hence more worn down - He's lost a step, he used to be a face up mid post player and do his thing there - His jumper has disappeared on him - He's accomplished plenty in the NBA and has lost desire and intensity to compete at a high level - Theres a general erosion of skills. He cant even post up vs backup PF/Cs. Right now hes at Lamar Odom level where he's still gets you 10 rebs for 30-35 mins played and gives you 4-5 assists, not a reliable scorer anymore.
If you look carefully, you'll see this thread keeps getting routinely bumped back to the first page by the same 1-2 posters who seem to have anything but the Rockets' best interests in mind. They're certainly not Rockets "fanboys." It seems the theory here is that the Rockets are just a Lakers' D-League team, and should be falling over themselves to part with their best players for the sake of a has-been like Pau Gasol.
The Rockets should just wait for Gasol's value to continue to drop to negative value. Gasol is too mentally weak to withstand D'Antoni's doghouse and negative comments. Then deal for him using minimal assets and use Gasol as a supersub 4-5 off the bench, an area of weakness for the team. Other assets should be used for a quality backup PG, and then the team would just need to continue to develop to reach contender status. Gasol's 2-year contract leads up to the big fish and would give Morey some flexibility in either making a deal or just letting his contract expire.
Respectfully speaking. Giving up two of our best young prospects for the current Pau Gasol (who is 32 and may or may not play better once he leaves the Lakers) is already a lot. Giving up Parsons as well will doom this team for the longest time. Lakers on the other hand will come out way ahead (again). Afflalo and Millsap for the price of dead weight and fillers?
If you look closely, Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are both expiring contracts. Why the heck would they settle for those players in return for those golden expirings. Saving money is not an issue when they have 1 year left on those contracts.
Indeed. Although I suppose it's the fault of the rest of us that we keep getting sucked in... A lot of my fellow LOF's are to blame as well because they dreamt of Lin for Gasol because they believed D'Antoni would resurrect Linsanity. Which would leave TD as our only PG Personally, I like this team the way it is. One more piece, a bit more time gelling and growing together and a better coach (Sorry Mchale/Sampson) and we will be kicking SERIOUS A$$ next season. It's gonna be a great time to be Rox fan.
