Pau Gasol traded?

[theswitch]

If I'm picking between 26 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith, I'm taking Gasol.  If I'm picking between 31 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith... not so sure.   I hate the idea that the Lakers can remain relevant.  Bynum and Smith combined makes the Lakers a scary interior defensive team for many, many years.

I think it's fair to say that Smith is more explosive, but otherwise Gasol is just better in every regard. Smith gets a lot of credit here for his defense because he's a tremendous shot-blocker and gets his hands on the ball. However, over the past two years opposing PFs have had a 16+ PER against him (not very good defense) and he's letting up an average of 0.81 points per play, good for 140th in the NBA. He's done great against post-ups and guarding the picker on the old P&R but he's getting killed in iso scenarios. Subjectively, I think he's a little better than these numbers suggest. However, he seems to be a guy who is going to let a lot of points up but is going to get a lot of "Ooooohs" and "Aahhhhs" from the crowd because of his blocks and steals.

Gasol, on the other hand, has been phenomenal defensively. Opposing 4s have had a PER of 13.6 against him this season, and centers have had a PER of 11. Last year, he was worse against centers but similarly tremendous against PFs with his size. Synergy shows that he lets up an average of .72 PPP, good for 35th in the NBA. He pretty much grades better than Smith does in every advanced defensive category, except in blocks and steals.

Gasol is far more skilled offensively, on the block, with his jumper and in terms of passing. Yeah, he's worse at dunking, but whatever. I know I love my advanced statistics but they seem to suggest that Gasol >>>>>> Smith and the Lakers would be significantly worse off without Pau.

[Who]

I don't really see the point in trading Pau Gasol for Josh Smith and change.

For Josh Smith + some really valuable pieces, sure ... But without serious value added on? I don't see it for LA. What's the point?

I would imagine it would be for Smith, with Williams and Teague included.  An injection of athleticism and shooting ability at the 1 and 3 spots.

I don't think Atlanta would deal for Pau without dumping Williams anyway.  It would make them a taxpayer.

I have a somewhat vague memory of Atlanta's ownership near the start of the season saying they'd be willing to pay the tax for a true difference maker. Not for depth but for a star player.

So they might be willing to pay the luxury tax for Pau Gasol.

I think it was a Q&A on the Atlanta-Constitutional shortly after their summer takeover fell through.

[nickagneta]

Can you imagine a Lakers starting five of Bynum, Smith, Peace, Kobe and Fisher?

That might be the worst free throw shooting starting five in the league

Bynum - 65%
Kobe - 83%
Fisher - 81%
Peace - 57%
Smith - 58%

An opposing coach just has to do mass substitution at the one position at the 4th quarter of games and have his end of bench go in, foul any front court playing Laker, make them take foul shots, play offense, and then have that player foul the front court player, keep doing this until he fouls out, put in another end of game player and do the same thing with him.

As long as you are fouling Peace, Smith or Bynum it doesn't matter if you foul them 40 foul shots in that quarter, you are probably only giving up 20 points in the whole quarter.

[Marcus13]

If I'm picking between 26 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith, I'm taking Gasol.  If I'm picking between 31 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith... not so sure.   I hate the idea that the Lakers can remain relevant.  Bynum and Smith combined makes the Lakers a scary interior defensive team for many, many years.

Also consider that in 8 years in the league Josh Smith has been happy for about 4 days.  If I'm the LA front office - and I'm not, because I have some semblance of intelligence - I'd have some real concerns about how happy Josh Smith will be when he's crashing the boards after Kobe's 35th shot attempt

True, but players generally love playing for the Lakers.  I guarantee he's going to be living a nicer lifestyle as in LA than he currently is in Atlanta

[Lucky17]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

[theswitch]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

Yeah, this trade makes no sense to me from the Warriors perspective.

[StartOrien]

If I'm picking between 26 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith, I'm taking Gasol.  If I'm picking between 31 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith... not so sure.   I hate the idea that the Lakers can remain relevant.  Bynum and Smith combined makes the Lakers a scary interior defensive team for many, many years.

Also consider that in 8 years in the league Josh Smith has been happy for about 4 days.  If I'm the LA front office - and I'm not, because I have some semblance of intelligence - I'd have some real concerns about how happy Josh Smith will be when he's crashing the boards after Kobe's 35th shot attempt

True, but players generally love playing for the Lakers.  I guarantee he's going to be living a nicer lifestyle as in LA than he currently is in Atlanta

Find me a player whose happy on the Lakers right now.

[Evantime34]

If I'm picking between 26 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith, I'm taking Gasol.  If I'm picking between 31 year old Gasol and 26 year old Smith... not so sure.   I hate the idea that the Lakers can remain relevant.  Bynum and Smith combined makes the Lakers a scary interior defensive team for many, many years.

Also consider that in 8 years in the league Josh Smith has been happy for about 4 days.  If I'm the LA front office - and I'm not, because I have some semblance of intelligence - I'd have some real concerns about how happy Josh Smith will be when he's crashing the boards after Kobe's 35th shot attempt

If la moves gasol I think they would want a pg back, so I bet they would get Teague or a pg from another team.

[LarBrd33]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

oh man... as someone who has hyped up curry endlessly on these boards as being a phenom and a future superstar... this really really depresses me.  I have an irrational love of Steph Curry.  I'd give up anyone on our team for him.

If this happens, Boston needs a last-ditch attempt at grabbing Curry from the Lakers and giving them Rondo (who they apparently like).  You have to at least try.

[StartOrien]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

Money is at least relatively close, but that's whole mess of a lot for Golden State to give up. Guess it's a pretty good power move if they think they're in the hunt for Dwight though.

[Greenbean]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

oh man... as someone who has hyped up curry endlessly on these boards as being a phenom and a future superstar... this really really depresses me.  I have an irrational love of Steph Curry.  I'd give up anyone on our team for him.

If this happens, Boston needs a last-ditch attempt at grabbing Curry from the Lakers and giving them Rondo (who they apparently like).  You have to at least try.

That is not an irrational love my friend...I love Curry too.

[bostonpatriot]

I think the Warriors get fleeced in that deal, but they hired Jerry West a few months ago and Mark Jackson used to express a great deal of admiration for Gasol when he was a commentator.

[LooseCannon]

Find me a player whose happy on the Lakers right now.

Luke Walton is probably happy to still have a job in the NBA.

[theswitch]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

Money is at least relatively close, but that's whole mess of a lot for Golden State to give up. Guess it's a pretty good power move if they think they're in the hunt for Dwight though.

Outside of desperation to get rid of Lee and Biedrin's contracts, I'm not seeing the point. Since Gasol isn't going to get them very far by himself (with Monta I guess) in the next year, unless they want to just completely wipe the slate clean I don't see the value in giving up Curry here.

[Roy H.]

Over on the RealGM boards the following was posted:

Ric Bucher was on KNBR (bay area radio) this morning and said he was hearing rumblings of Pau, Artest and a 1st to GSW for Curry, Wright, Andris and Lee.

Don't even know if that works. Seems like a lot for the Warriors to give up, too.

Money is at least relatively close, but that's whole mess of a lot for Golden State to give up. Guess it's a pretty good power move if they think they're in the hunt for Dwight though.

Outside of desperation to get rid of Lee and Biedrin's contracts, I'm not seeing the point. Since Gasol isn't going to get them very far by himself (with Monta I guess) in the next year, unless they want to just completely wipe the slate clean I don't see the value in giving up Curry here.

If Golden State weren't taking back Artest's contract, it could conceivably make some sense, as they could supplement a core of Ellis/Gasol + some young pieces with a max free agent like D12 in the of-season.  However, Artest makes this a complete non-starter, even if there weren't better value out there for Curry.