Lakers vs Heat post-game If Gasol keeps logging extensive minutes at the 4 next to Dwight the Lakers aren't going to improve very much this season. Gasol and Nash are both sieves on defense, and Dwight struggles to post-up with Gasol on the court while Gasol will get most of his touches outside of the low-post. Incoming trade before the deadline? Looks like Kupchak has got his hands tied, he really needs to cash in his chips now.
That's true, that the best players should finish games. Well, the thing is that Gasol isn't playing like the teams top players anymore. He has become basically useless at times. As talented as Gasol is, he should be able to find ways to affect the game but he has been reduced to a 3 pt shooter. This is mainly the faults of Mike D'antoni and Gasol himself. MDA just doesn't know how to utilize Gasol the most effective way and he's putting Gasol at a spot where he is mostly vulnerable. Also, Gasol was an all star player, a NBA champion, and also an Olympian, so he should know what is holding him back and making him struggle so much. But as time goes on, Gasol is getting more and more softer and most of his aggression is flowing down the drain. Gasol has been basically terrible for the past few years. It goes back to the Dallas playoff series back in 2011, that was the major moments when Gasol's game really fell off and his production on the court diminish after that series. So I doubt Gasol would get any better than he is right now. No team in the NBA would want Gasol and his terrible contract ,especially the way he has been playing the past few years. I am so glad that the Rockets were not able to acquire Gasol last season when Stern waived it off. Even though I feel like it wasn't right for Stern to interfere with that trade, it was a big relieve. The Rockets were able to get rid of all of those contracts anyway but if they would of have Gasol, they would be stuck with a terrible declining player with a big contract and probably no chance of getting Harden...
Then why not let him start, the sit him for the 2nd and 3rd quarter, then play him at the closing stages of the 4th? He gets his wish.
A nearly 20 mill expiring in 2014 wouldn't be bad. Especially with the FA pool in 2014, and IMO he'd guarantee us a playoff spot for the next 2 years. So, i wouldn't be TOO opposed to him coming here, i'd be one of the few to welcome it.
We still have plenty cap room to absorb Gasol's hefty contract. As they have a 7.84 million cap cushion to begin the season. May have changed slightly since we signed a few players here and there, although to minimal contracts. I wouldn't shoot it down just yet, depending on the asking price. Even though I do hate Pau.
Gasol makes 19 million. Jones, Aldrich, Patterson, and Delfino combined make about 9 million. Seems and the cushion we already have, seems close enough for Morey to do his thing. I'd love to add Gasol if the price is right, certainly wouldn't be willing to give up too much though. IMO we have one of the worst PF situations in the league. Gasol might make us good enough to get to the second round. Which while not anything to write home about, would add to out growing status as an attractive destination and give us a big expiring next year.
Our interior defense sucks ass. If we were to bring in another 7 footer capable of protecting the rim and providing good to great low post D, it would be a huge lift to our current group of Rockets. And then if you're still able to retain Smith after the trade it would be a plus for our bench.
gasol used to get his buckets off pick n roll. with dwight in the middle, he is just a jump shooter which makes him look vulnerable than he already is. him on a team like the rockets will increase his scoring and we'll use him in the post.
Nor should he. I wanna say one of the TNT guys said it last night, if Kobe or Dwight or Nash had a concussion or got injured, would MDA bring them off the bench? No. With that said, I hope they keep this together. Not sure it'll work out and I don't think they know how to make it work(Howard & Gasol both starting).
I'd welcome it too. He would give us the consistent scorer at the 4 spot that we desperately lack, plus he's a veteran that can keep these youngsters from running around like chickens when things aren't going well. However, I'm afraid that he would pout like a b**** if he got traded here, and not give nearly 100%. At that point, we'd be stuck with him, he would probably ruin team chemistry, and we would have to put up with him for the entire next 2 years. And to ATW, we are under the cap, so we won't have to match salary in any deal.
