Gasol for Gasol Revisited

[Vermont Green]

The big Laker-Griz trade had other parts and pieces but it really came down to this.  I can't remember a trade ever being panned more as one-sided than this one but at the time of the trade Marc was a big unknown playing I think in Europe.

Don't look now but so far Marc is averaging 16.3ppg/11.7rpg/58.2%fg and Pau is injured.

Is anyone starting to change their mind about this trade?

How about if the Lakers had traded Bynum instead of Marc.  Bynum is at 20ppg/10.6rpg/54.0%fg but injured.  Where would the Lakers be if they had Marc right now instead of Bynum.  The trade would have seemed much more fair at the time.

[Steve Weinman]

The big Laker-Griz trade had other parts and pieces but it really came down to this.  I can't remember a trade ever being panned more as one-sided than this one but at the time of the trade Marc was a big unknown playing I think in Europe.

Don't look now but so far Marc is averaging 16.3ppg/11.7rpg/58.2%fg and Pau is injured.

Is anyone starting to change their mind about this trade?

How about if the Lakers had traded Bynum instead of Marc.  Bynum is at 20ppg/10.6rpg/54.0%fg but injured.  Where would the Lakers be if they had Marc right now instead of Bynum.  The trade would have seemed much more fair at the time.

I don't think there was any doubt that Marc had the potential to develop into a nice player.  But he's a horrific defender, and Pau's injury - so far as I understand it - is temporary.

That trade propelled the Lakers to two Finals appearances and a championship.

Can't say I've changed my view much about this trade.

-sw

[jambr380]

I agree that M. Gasol is looking better and better in Memphis- he has clearly worked on his game and is developing into a solid player. I also know P. Gasol hasn't played yet, but that will come very soon and he will be just fine.

I guess the main point of the trade in the first place was that it was so lopsided at the time. M. Gasol was not considered even a decent prospect, so to get P. Gasol for him was pretty much a joke. At some point in time, maybe they will be more comparable (in terms of talent), but if anyone ever thought that would be the case, he would have gone much higher in the draft.

I guess the best scenario would be the unthinkable- P. Gasol quickly declines, while M. Gasol becomes a star. Even in that scenario, though, it still doesn't take away from the principle of the original trade...and you are right, Bynum would have been a more fair trade at the time...

[Eja117]

It would be like if we traded Rondo to the Trailblazers for Steve Blake.  Then the Blazers go on to two finals and Blake just happens to become a very good point guard and then someone says "So are you changing your mind about the trade?"

Sorry I gotta agree with Steve W on this one.

[JBcat]

Here is the way I look at it.   It was a win-win situation for LA in the short and long term.   For Memphis I'm scratching my head.  Pau is still a young enough player where he can be a top player for at least another 5 years.   The thinking on Memphis's side was that it would open up a ton of space but then they go out and get Zach Randolph that is on the books for another couple years.  The other bit pieces to the trade really didn't amount to much of anything although Memphis still has LA's first round pick next year (shouldn't amount to much as well where the pick will be).  So yeah it really comes down to Pau verses Marc and right now and probably will be for the next 5 years Pau is the better player.   

[PRIDE]

Memphis will lose Gasol before he helps them win anything. Why would any decent player want to stay in Memphis? They are a terrible franchise that handed Pau Gasol to the Lakers, which led to them appearing in two NBA finals. Chris Wallace handed the Lakers a ring, blasphemy.

[Vermont Green]

I agree that Pau is a really good player and that the Lakers still "won" the trade but with Marc playing the way he is, I am seeing that Memphis came out of this better I first thought.  Plus they saved a whole lot of money by not having to pay Pau.  Unfortunately, that may have been more of the motivation than making the team better.

I also just like to look at things from different perspectives and I think had the trade been Bynum et al for Pau, that would have been viewed as much more even.  Bynum has not been much of a factor and today, if the Lakers still had Marc, I don't think they are any worse and if the Griz had Bynum, I don't think they are any better.

So may conclusion is that this trade was not as lopsided as "the worst trade ever".  It still kills me that the Lakers got Pau of course.