Yao is one my favorite players, and I would most likely do this deal. My main points would be.. Yao is injury prone. While Yao is very dominant and skilled, he doesn't really help excel the team talent. What I mean by this is that the team usually just relies on dumping the ball to Yao (as Battier stated in a interview). It's not a bad offensive strategy but when you have Yao out, our offense really suffocates. Gasol is more versatile. Can play both center and power forward position, allowing for different lineups. Gasol is a very good interior passer which would help make our offense more dynamic. I do not see Gasol as a soft player. He imo shows a lot of passion and competitiveness for the game, although not as much as Yao.
you have to take injury concerns into the thought process here. yao is a better player if BOTH are healthy. but yao is not going to be the same. and gasol is durable/healthy/and was an all-star level player BEFORE kobe. if the lakers included a lamar odom or some other good player, you have to say yes. remember, big Z returned from the same injury with a MUCH lighter offensive and defensive load (b/c of lebron). i'm assuming yao is NOT going to suddenly become a 3rd/4th option. so he's not going to be the same.
This trade will bring the Rockets offense, but they would certainly lose defense. Gasol is a versatile offensive player but he does not have the passion to play defense. One thing working in Gasol's favor is that he is relatively healthy compared to Yao. Yao hasnt proven that he can stay healthy consistently, but this trade aint going to happen anyways.
Agreed, no way in hell are we gonna trade a Yao for a Gasol when we could've just traded a Kwame Brown.
wait, that's why they traded for Andersen to fill Yao's spot right??? The fact is, Adelman's 'system' fits the 'soft, euro center's' style of play very well. Particularly, agile, passing centers.
You don't do that because the Lakers could have: You don't trade to the hands of the ENEMY. Farmar/Fish Kobester Artest Odom/Bynum Yao Kobe with the No.1 center They could virtually rest Yao for the playoffs with Bynum and repeat 3 or 4 times YOU WOULD ALLOW THAT??????
the lakers would be worse with Yao than with Pau. for one, Yao cant consistently hit that elbow jumper that Pau makes 100% of the time. also Yao isn't as good of a cutter to the basket as Pau is. Imagine Kobe trying to pass to Yao off a screen and roll? Turnover turnover turnover. Yao is strictly a back to the basket player which would bog the Lakers already smooth offense down. Plus you can't front Pau since he can step out to 18 feet and even put the ball down and beat his man off the dribble. Pau is probably the most versatile big man in the game next to KG.
Phil Jax has done it with Luc Longly and less mobile centers. and of course with Shaq. Within the system they have to change the way. BUT not much. Move Artest to PF. Yao is a good midrange shooter. but as good as Pau maybe. But still. And if that doesn't work, baby hooks all the way.
If you haven't watched the playoff games, Ariza was more of a X factor than Gasol IMHO. Also you can play Bynum alot and rest Yao. There I said it. Switch Odom or Artest to PF and we shall see.
I would make this trade in a heart beat. Yao deserves a ring when his countermen Sun Yue and Mengke Bateer had one each.
I for one think he should retire a Rocket. WITH or without a ring. He is one of the best representatives for this city.
