I wouldn't even trade Tony "brings the ball up faster than Lin" Douglas for a 19x2 million, 32 year old PF/C and an unproctected Laker 1st. Pau on the Rockets right now makes 0 sense as he wouldn't be around for the contender years and costs us cap space that we could use to get someone who might.
I'm not necessarily for getting him but his contract could be used to trade for a younger star. We just traded away our best tradeable big contract in Martin, and sometimes it's easier to trade for a star than sign one outright.
NEVER trade with the Lakers. Every time the Lakers make a deal they add a piece that renews their dynasty. If history is any indicator, whoever we trade will become an All-Star and Pau will fade away. Just don't. Anyone but the Lakers.
This is very true. Right now this season, I just dont see Love, Aldridge, Cousins, Monroe or whoever else becoming available. If you aquired Gasol ON THE RIGHT DEAL, his contract next year gives the Rockets the ability to trade for another superstar if that player becomes available. *As an example, lets say next season the Kings begin to see that Cousins is not signing a max extension with them the following year so they take use the Rockets to move Cousins, get some assets back, and wipe the books clean by attaching a bad contract to the deal by aquiring Gasol's expiring contract. I personally do not think Gasol's contract severly hurts this teams flexibility moving forward If you buy into the fact that there wont be anyone better to trade for this season or in the Summer. Gives you an immediate impact big man, and helps you down the road if you choose to move him for a superstar player that might or might not come available.
Gasol for Varejao might not be a bad trade. If Bargnani's contract wasn't so bloated, I'd send Gasol for him. If Al Harrington didn't play for Orlando, he'd make a good fit (but I don't think Orlando wants Gasol nor do they want to help Dwight win).
Martin's 10-11 million expiring was just filler who Presi hopes he could use for this year's run. IMO, his main focus were the picks (Toronto mainly) and Lamb. But even if you want to argue it was Martin, it was much more than Martin that gave us Harden and we don't have those assets to pair with a Pau anymore. And with Pau, you'd have 1 year to try and aquire those assets AND a player of value (not overpaid value) has to become available. Now if Morey is able to pull something like that off, then I'd be all for it. But personally I see Pau as having more negative value than Royce "I have no fear of tweeting" Whilte. Waaaay too much of a contract hit for his age and where this team is right now.
19 million will hurt if we have to eat it. That is a hard contract to move. And while Pau would be better than anyone we have now, he will not make us true contenders. Best case - another playoff team for the next 2 years. How much would you give up for that?
19 Mil next season is a huge expiring contract that can do wonders at the deadline if a team is looking to move their superstar in the deal and wipe the books clean with another bad contract coming with that star player in the deal. Its not going to be the Summer of Lebron by any stretch, but we all saw what Tracy McGrady's expiring contract got the Rockets that trade deadline. For the Rockets, they have the cap space this year, and next so why not take on his salary since he should be easily tradeable next season, and if all else fails... he an expiring contract for the Rockets. I think the cap space is valuable to them in the short term, and longterm, but if they can get a top 6 big man in the NBA, and him not affect the long term flexiblity, its definitely something to look at. When you ask the question "How much would you give up for that" my answer is the initial cap space, and not much else. Im realistic that Parsons & some young PF's would most likely have to get moved in any deal for Gasol along with expiring contracts. What they give up isn't for me to decide, but if it was it wouldn't be much more than just major lux tax savings you are giving to the Lakers, which IMO, should be enough to get them interested. -I think the deal that makes the most sense for the Lakers is an Atlanta deal bringing Josh Smith to LA. Much better fit in D'Antoni's fast paced system, and gives them the ability to get Gasol's contract off the books this season and next for major flexibility. I personally don't think the Rockets have much of a shot at landing Gasol in comparison to this potential trade scenario (If Atlanta wants it), but that doesn't mean that Gasol wouldn't be a great fit for the Rockets IF they were somehow able to land him, and no I do not think he hinders their long term cap flexibility, only short term flexibility.
If Lin is traded, does his salary count as 8mil x 3 or 5/5/15 against other teams' cap? I can't see the Lakers paying 8mil for a backup pg.
Nash is 39 and potentially injury prone this year. Lin's marketing on the west coast more than makes up for it. And if Lin does pan out to be what he was during linsanity, which he certainly has a better shot of doing in dantoni system and DHoward setting PnR, he will take over as starting PG when Nash contract expires.
A few points about Pau Gasol. -He is still a star player being forced into being a third of fourth option on a stacked Lakers squad. -He is still the best passing big man in the game. -He is arguably the best post player in the game (High/Low) and he would be great next to Asik. -People often label him as soft, but how can someone who can bang down low in the post be soft? -He would be the perfect mentor for Donatas, and would expire in less than 2 years. -After trading Kevin Martin, the Rockets no longer have any large contracts to trade. To trade for a star player, you usually have to have a big contract to trade, and a 19 million dollar expiring deal would be a nice asset. Sure we could have cap space if we don't trade for Gasol, but trading for him wouldn't necessarily ruin and hopes of having cap space in the future. -And lastly, people here loved Scola and used to say he doesn't rely on athleticism, so he can play well into his 30's. How is Pau any different? People here have a hate or strong bias against Gasol and it's frustrating. If Scola and Dirk can play well into their 30's, so can Pau.
That trade pretty much makes no sense for us in my opinion. If you think that we can contend this year with Gasol, Harden, and Lin, then it would make sense. But I find that absurd. Giving up a lot of young talent for a vet on a 1-yr deal makes no sense in our current circumstances.
Sure maybe we can get them to throw in yo boy Treke Evans too? Seriously Cousins is a knuckle head,dude was trying to fight Sean Elliot who is like 50yrs old.I don't want him anywhere near this team,and his stats suck to be the #1 option on a sucky team.
This. I think maybe an even better comparison for Pau would be Duncan. Duncan and Gasol came into the league at the same age and Gasol more or less plays like a lesser Duncan and Duncan is still beasting at age 36.
No I wouldn't make the trade either,I was just saying that is what LA would want if they traded Gasol to us. Im still in the belief that we will steal Dwight from LA in FA,Dantoni will run that team in the ground.:grin:
I can see this potentially happening seeing that MDA is at lakers: Gasol for Lin + Greg Smith/Morris/TJones etc. It's a good situation for Lakers because Lin can become backup for Nash and Gasol's role could be easily replaced by 2+ young athletic player. Don't get me wrong, Gasol is a very good player, but he's in a superstar filled system right now, so he's very limited to what he can do. So replacing his role in LA at the moment is simple. But if Gasol would be playing for Houston, it would be a very different story in terms of replacing him because he'd be doing huge contributions in the offense.
