Gasol traded to Lakers
- Thread starter Stojakovic
- Start date
- Status
Well.... WOW.. We could have had Gasol for a couple #1s and some trash? YIKES.. Damn Petrie.. Why didn't you pull this off! 
Yep. We are more like Memphis than LA. Small market, empty seats, losing record, losing money, and big questions about how to get out of the rut. Memphis blew it up, and has everything they need to be a good team in a few years, while keeping their payroll low with all those rookie contracts. Lakers hurt their own future a little, but might get a title or two out of it, and the trade will give them momentum they can exploit in the future, like signing ring-hungry FAs for cheap.
I kind of doubt whether Gasol would want to come here anyway. Why follow one losing team with another?
I kind of doubt whether Gasol would want to come here anyway. Why follow one losing team with another?
This is the 2nd time since the 90s that they have turned into a contender within 3 yrs of missing the playoffs. Ending contracts and good picks in the lottery are largely responsible for both instances. Only difference is that West had less to work with and was cutting costs on purpose while giving Magic and Worthy balloon extenstions that expired in 94/95. I'm not gonna say, however, that Mitch had that same foresight on this deal. This was a rare occurrence w/ mitigating factors behind it. He'd have been lucky to peddle that exp-K for ANYTHING (which was proven by getting nothing for previous exp-Ks they had).
This covers the last 20 years and trading Vlade to end up with Kobe was either a stroke of genius (probably) or very, very lucky. But before that they get Kareem and Wilt and started with Mikan. It is almost as if the league feels a sentimental need (and financial need) to have a HUGE market team slugging it out for a championship. The NBA would be in poor shape financially if small market teams were dominating the air waves and slugging it out for championships because no one would care.
Compare this to the Royals/Kings. Have they always had brain dead GMs and that is why they almost never are fighting for anything except a divisional title? Perhaps. And perhaps the reason we end up with Joe Axelson and you guys get West is that no one with half a brain would want to live in Sacramento if given the option of LA. Also, LA can ALWAYS come up with the extra cash to make sure their brain trust is the best. There is no salary cap on these folks.
I think, in the end, there is some skill but there will always be stars at the end of their career who would like to sit on a Lakers' bench. This may not seem like a big deal but when a starter gets injured, there is always a great sub. The Kings will NEVER have this advantage.
Compare this to the Royals/Kings. Have they always had brain dead GMs and that is why they almost never are fighting for anything except a divisional title? Perhaps. And perhaps the reason we end up with Joe Axelson and you guys get West is that no one with half a brain would want to live in Sacramento if given the option of LA. Also, LA can ALWAYS come up with the extra cash to make sure their brain trust is the best. There is no salary cap on these folks.
I think, in the end, there is some skill but there will always be stars at the end of their career who would like to sit on a Lakers' bench. This may not seem like a big deal but when a starter gets injured, there is always a great sub. The Kings will NEVER have this advantage.
The right way??
Laughable.....
Trading your best player for late round draft picks is always the way to rebuild. Memphis as an organization is a mess. They have horrible fan support(always have) and they have been "rebuilding" since they moved to town. Chris Wallace(the GM not the rapper) is a complete and total buffoon and not the GM you want to rebuild the team.
Laughable.....
Trading your best player for late round draft picks is always the way to rebuild. Memphis as an organization is a mess. They have horrible fan support(always have) and they have been "rebuilding" since they moved to town. Chris Wallace(the GM not the rapper) is a complete and total buffoon and not the GM you want to rebuild the team.
Kwame's contract ends this summer, so his job is to take them from being on track for a #4 draft pick to a serious shot at #1. And then he's gone, leaving nothing behind but cap space - $50M over 3 years that they would have been paying Gasol (in addition to a few million in immediate savings). Memphis gets the two late first rounders, and they also get a promising rookie in Crittenton.
Fair value? Not at all! MILES from fair value! Could they have done better? Most likely! But if they pick up Beasley this summer, as a replacement for Gasol, they will have every reason to expect to become a better team than they were, while cutting their costs significantly. It's not a risk-free strategy, but the only thing they had to lose was debt. Worst case, they still suck, but cut payroll costs by around 20%. Best case, they're in the playoffs in 2 years, which seemed unlikely if they maintained the status quo ante. Either way, they improve their financial position, which was the worst in the NBA.
Fair value? Not at all! MILES from fair value! Could they have done better? Most likely! But if they pick up Beasley this summer, as a replacement for Gasol, they will have every reason to expect to become a better team than they were, while cutting their costs significantly. It's not a risk-free strategy, but the only thing they had to lose was debt. Worst case, they still suck, but cut payroll costs by around 20%. Best case, they're in the playoffs in 2 years, which seemed unlikely if they maintained the status quo ante. Either way, they improve their financial position, which was the worst in the NBA.
Last edited:
their best player wasn't good enough to win them a playoff game in the past. Their record with and without him is almost equal percentage wise. While the trade is one sided - what Grizzlies are gaining is cap relief a very talented Young player couple picks and a team bad enough to lose a lot. That is how You tank and rebuild. It isn't set in stone but it is a way. If they get bad enough to get one of the top 3 picks - it will be worth it for them. With Pau - they weren't going anywhere
Very true but not many teams rebuild through the draft. It's usually a lucky draft pick to get a marquee player(cleveland and San Antonio come to mind) and then fill in around them. Is anyone going to want to go to Memphis as a free agent with their ownership in flux and no fan support??
Chris Wallace's drafting has been horrendous(except for Pierce but he just fell in their lap) and his trades have been horrible.
Chris Wallace's drafting has been horrendous(except for Pierce but he just fell in their lap) and his trades have been horrible.
In the draft next year??? Unless you know something that I don't it's not that strong and someone may develop 2 or 3 years down the road. They can't sell tickets now so I don't see how that is going to help them. Seattle got a franchise player in the draft and they are stuck with dog **** around him.
i don't know, the draft is a gamble. the odds are higher with a low 1st rounder than a late 1st rounder for sure. look dude, grizzies not going anywhere anytime in the next 5 years w/ the current squad they have. seattle at least has a foundation to work with. us? we have cow**** to work with. alot of JUNK slapped together by petrie using that shoestring budget called the MLE. at least you know what the grizzies are trying to achieve in this deal. lopsided deal? most definitely but its a move for the future for the grizzies.
Pau Gasol hardly challenged Kobe's "the manhood". He however can eb a brilainat passer perfect to play the post guy in the, and can play 2nd fiddle without either he resenting it or Kobe feeling like there is a threat to "his" team. Its clearly still Kobe's team. Just now they are filling out the roster with a bevy of near All-Star level guys in support.
- Status