Obviously, Stern said he would be retiring in 2014. I began noticing some Rockets fans were hammering him for denying the Rockets the chance to pair up Gasol and Nene. Looking back at it now, are you glad he did what he did with the way Harden is capable of playing? Or still prefer Gasol and Nene?
I can't believe any really wanted Nene. He was always going to be a bad contract, but we wouldn't have really given up a lot for him since scola, martin, gragic are all gone.
I don't think the thunder want Gasol. He is probably the most skilled big man in the league but he's old. Why would the thunder get a aging star with a near max level contract? I think it would be impossible to trade gasol for harden. Martin's expiring contract and Lamb's potential are what made the harden trade possible.
Let's try to paint a larger picture with these these trades. Gasol/Nene trade would have changed the landscape in the western conference. If that trade went through, lakers would not have Howard and Nash. Clippers would not have a championship calber team as Paul would be playing with the Lakers and would not attracted the other free agents. With that in mind, that Rocket lineup would have been poised to make a run for the championship and had a better chance based on how the other teams were built. The question would be, would you rather have had a possible win now situation as stated above or the current one which is a very bright rebuilding future.
I don't think the Gasol-Nene was the end plan there. We still had assets and we still would have been able to pull the Harden trait
they'd have CP3/Kobe/Howard. And a 9 mil trade exception. Maybe they turn it into someone like Ryan Anderson. Or maybe they get a real bench, starting with a real 6th man, like... Goran Dragic? or even... Steve Nash? I think the Lakers would be better off if that that went through. Especially long term, much better.
Gasol arguably could have been finals MVP, he played great.. especially when Kobe had that 3/18 shooting or whatever it was in game 7
Never liked the idea of us getting Gasol because he's too old, timid, whiny, and plays like a great big puss... Also, us helping the Fakers get Pual was just stupid. I was only mad at the time because Stern showed his favortism towards his big market team like L.A. He wants the Fakers to always be relevant because it makes the league more money. Harden is young and is someone we can build around for the long term and I guarantee players would rather come play next to a young coming up Harden than an old and soft Gasol. Nene is a joke. Overrated and not worth his contract. Getting him would be like us signing Ariza for that insane amount that we gave him a few years ago. Ariza wasn't worth the MLE and and Nene isn't worth his contract, but some teams are so desperate to keep or get players that they overspend and hurt their future. Morey pulled a rabbit out of his @$$ to get a player like Harden to build around. Marc > Pau Almost any PF > Nene (especially for the money)
