Lakers Might Be Making Moves

[Kane3387]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=20154

It's from Hoopsworld, so take it with a grain of salt, but this trade seems plausible.

Gasol to Minny
Love and the #2 pick to LAL

I could see this deal going through and then LAL flipping the #2 pick to Cleveland for the #4 pick and another player like Varejao. Depending on how badly Cleveland wants #2 a package of Steve Blake and Luke Walton would match salaries with Varejao.

La could then use the 4th pick to finally upgrade their pg by drafting Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker.

Bynum/Love/Varejao/Odom is a nice quartet of bigs

Artest/ Odom/Barnes can all play the three

Kobe/Barnes/Brown can all play the two

Walker or Knight and Fisher can play the one.

Doubt it happens but I think Gasol is the most likely Laker traded since the young Buss loves Bynum.

[Roy H.]

I see the appeal for LA, but not so much for Minnesota.  They'd be trading away their most marketable player + a draft pick that could turn into a legit impact player for a very good but aging PF.

That's the type of move that a team makes when they're on the cusp on contention, not when they're one of the bottom three teams in the league. 

[wdleehi]

Maybe the addition of Gasol is the only way Rubio will go to Minn.



Love is not a guy Kahn drafted.  He has shown to put low value on guys he didn't draft. 




I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks Rubio will be their version of Chris Paul. 

[rondohondo]

If I was minny I would rather have bynum

Maybe something like bynum 2 or 3 1st rd picks picks for Love and Rubio ?

[StartOrien]

I actually think the basis of the trade makes sense for both teams, but I think the Wolves are giving up a little too much. Maybe include Beasely instead of the #2 pick and get a Laker #1 back?

[jdub1660]

Love needs to stay and play PF. Package Beasley,Flynn and picks for Gasol. Rubio needs to be play and up and down style game of small ball with Gasol as a C. Rubio,WesJohnson,Derrick Williams,Love and Gasol make a nice lineup for a young team. You can add around that

Then LA goes with Flynn,Kobe,Artest,Beasley,Bynum. Still a team with pieces to be filled with picks

[Fafnir]

Love needs to stay and play PF. Package Beasley,Flynn and picks for Gasol. Rubio needs to be play and up and down style game of small ball with Gasol as a C. Rubio,WesJohnson,Derrick Williams,Love and Gasol make a nice lineup for a young team. You can add around that

Then LA goes with Flynn,Kobe,Artest,Beasley,Bynum. Still a team with pieces to be filled with picks

They aren't getting Gasol for Beasley, Flynn, and picks.

The Lakers don't need players who aren't big time contributors and picks for a player of Gasol's caliber.

[Lucky17]

Minnesota gives up too much. Love, or the #2, not both.

Can't see the Lakers selling off Gasol for the #2 plus a pu-pu platter of castoffs.

[StartOrien]

I see the appeal for LA, but not so much for Minnesota.  They'd be trading away their most marketable player + a draft pick that could turn into a legit impact player for a very good but aging PF.

That's the type of move that a team makes when they're on the cusp on contention, not when they're one of the bottom three teams in the league. 

It could also be a marketing move for them. Gasol and Rubio on one team could really increase interest for them.

[hardlyyardley]

Love is more productive than Gasol

[Roy H.]

I see the appeal for LA, but not so much for Minnesota.  They'd be trading away their most marketable player + a draft pick that could turn into a legit impact player for a very good but aging PF.

That's the type of move that a team makes when they're on the cusp on contention, not when they're one of the bottom three teams in the league. 

It could also be a marketing move for them. Gasol and Rubio on one team could really increase interest for them.

I'm not sure the Spanish population in Minnesota is that big, though.  

I think that a young, unique guy like Love is going to win more fans than Gasol.  If nothing else, Love dominates statistically.

[CelticSince83]

Love and a #2 is a terrible deal for Minny.  I think that if this trade happens, it will be Flynn & the #2 pick and that trade would make sense for both teams. 

LA upgrades its PG, gets younger, can use the pick to grab a big, maybe Kanter.

MIN gets more experienced, and frees up the PG spot for Rubio.  Now they have a line-up of Gasol, Love, Beasley, Johnson, Rubio.  Prob close to play-off caliber. 

[StartOrien]

Love and a #2 is a terrible deal for Minny.  I think that if this trade happens, it will be Flynn & the #2 pick and that trade would make sense for both teams. 

LA upgrades its PG, gets younger, can use the pick to grab a big, maybe Kanter.

MIN gets more experienced, and frees up the PG spot for Rubio.  Now they have a line-up of Gasol, Love, Beasley, Johnson, Rubio.  Prob close to play-off caliber. 

I disagree with it making sense for LA. Flynn hasn't shown much promise and Kanter (or anyone at the #2 pick) isn't a sure thing. Not a great use of one of Kobe's last years.

[StartOrien]

I'm not sure the Spanish population in Minnesota is that big, though.   

How dare you question the diversity of Minneapolis.

[Fafnir]

Love and a #2 is a terrible deal for Minny.  I think that if this trade happens, it will be Flynn & the #2 pick and that trade would make sense for both teams. 

LA upgrades its PG, gets younger, can use the pick to grab a big, maybe Kanter.

MIN gets more experienced, and frees up the PG spot for Rubio.  Now they have a line-up of Gasol, Love, Beasley, Johnson, Rubio.  Prob close to play-off caliber. 

Flynn is only a slight upgrade over Derek Fisher, which is sad in and of itself. Not worth it to give up their size advantage.