Aldrigde pulls out the obvious one:
"NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT ...
Might it not be time for the Lakers to pull the trigger on a Pau Gasol deal?
Kobe Bryant walked off the court in the waning seconds of Friday's loss in Memphis, a show of bad form to be sure, but also an unmistakable sign of his disgust at a .500 record, with no immediate sign that Mike D'Antoni's hiring will right the Lakers' up and down play.
There were ominous hints dropped last week that the Lakers aren't happy with Gasol's conditioning, never a good omen. It's more likely that, as Mike Brown found before him, D'Antoni knows Gasol and Dwight Howard don't quite fit together -- and since Howard is the future of the franchise, it's more likely he stays long term than Gasol. Thus, the need to get something for the 32-year-old while the getting's good.
Both Pau Gasol (right) and Derrick Williams could use a change of scenery.
So, why not deal Gasol to the Timberwolves, as part of a three-team trade that would also include the Wizards?
Again: I have no information -- none -- that the Lakers are contemplating trading Gasol, or are entertaining or seeking offers for Gasol. This is pure speculation, not information or even rumor. This is me thinking out loud.
In this (imaginary) deal, Washington would send second-year forward Chris Singleton and former Laker Trevor Ariza to the Lakers, who would also get guards Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea from Minnesota. The Wizards and Wolves would, essentially, swap 2011 Lottery picks about which both are quite uncertain, with Washington's Jan Vesely going to Minnesota and Minnesota's Derrick Williams going to Washington, along with center Nikola Pekovic. Guard Chris Duhon would go from the Lakers to Wizards to make the trade work cap-wise.
The Lakers may list Gasol at power forward, but that's only because they've had Andrew Bynum and, now, Howard on the roster. Gasol, too, is a center. And in Minnesota, he could return to that position and get the most of his still-considerable array of post moves and deft passing.
And the Wolves' interest in Gasol is hardly news. They've tried to make a deal for him for the last year or so, without success. Gasol playing next to Kevin Love would open up all kinds of possibilities in Rick Adelman's offense, harkening back to the Sacramento days when Chris Webber and Vlade Divac sliced up opposing defenses with brilliant passing from the high and low post. When Ricky Rubio comes back next month, there wouldn't be a better passing team in the game than Minnesota.
By all accounts, Williams made an earnest effort to come to camp in shape this season, but it isn't translating into many more minutes (a little under 24 minutes a game this season, after 21.5 minutes last season). And with Love back sooner than expected from his broken hand, those minutes are more likely to go down than up.
Dealing Williams now would also streamline the Wolves' rotation, with Dante Cunningham capable of backing up Love quite nicely, with no worries about stunting the development of a high Lottery pick. Vesely would have to get in where he could fit in in Minnesota, but Gasol's arrival would get all the attention, allowing Vesely a soft landing and giving Minnesota a bigger young body than Williams to mix into the rotation."
I'm not sure bout that, cause we wouldn't have any money to resign Pek. & Gasol insn't famous for his inside defense: with Pau & KL42 We would have one of the strongest offensife, but also one of the weakest defensive Frontcourt
But on the other hand: Who's gonna take DWill anyway? And Gasol is surely a much better player then him... And if we give Barea as a bonus? (But don't know if this trade will work anyway... I couldn't make it happen...)
Our lineup would be ok too:
Rubio/ Ridnour/ Malcom in the Middle
Shved/ Budinger/ Roy
AK47/ HAM/ Josh Howard
KLOVE/ Admundson
Pek/ Gasol/ Steemer
But I would prefer another deal, though... (Brewer/ Mozgow)
