On the very first day of February, Memphis and Los Angeles pulled a deal on the one-and-only Pau Gasol, who is a one-time All-Star and 2006 FIBA World Championship MVP. Once the trade was first announced, many people beleived the aquisition was unfair. Even though I am a huge Lakers fannatic, I believe both teams were winners in this trade, and this is the reason why.....
Memphis was situated in last place for several years. They were forced to construct a trade to get rid of Pau Gasol, their leader. They couldn't win with him in the playoffs at all. In the trade, the Grizzlies received Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, rights to Marc Gasol, and the Lakers' first-round draft choices in 2008 and 2010. But their is one player from this list that can be a star. I guess it runs in the family?
Marc Gasol's potential has Memphis eager. The basketball world is keeping their eye on Marc Gasol, the younger sibling of Pau Gasol. Playing for Akasvayu Girona, Gasol is averaging 16.2 points on 66-percent shooting along with 7.8 rebounds. Scouts are strongly impressed by Gasol's upper-body strenghth and soft hands, just like his brother. He is a back-to-the-basket type of big man, and the Grizzlies are impressed by that.
Some other advantages that most NBA fans overlook is that this offseason, Kwame Brown's contract is set to expire, which will free up approximately $9,379,279 in cap space. The draft picks are also a crucial addition.
Not many people think this, but the Laker-Grizzlie trade was acctually a success for both clubs.
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4 comments:
Gasol trade is the single most lopsided trade in NBA history and yet another example of the Lakers getting whatever they want whenever they want. I hate Laker fans trying to justify the deal. Crittendon is nothing. marc gasol will be nothing. and 2 first round picks around #28-30 mean NOTHING. 2 lottery picks would be something. But not 2 very low first round picks. And Memphis was NOT in last place year in and year out. They were a playoff team in the west 3 years in a row and won 48-50 games during that run. The only benefit they get is cap relief. Which they aren't going to use anyway. And they had several better offers from Chicago on the table. So any attempts to justify this trade don't work. It was a joke and the way the Lakers get whatever they want is a joke.
Gasol trade will work out for Memphis. Owner tired of losing and finally having the balls to do something. Gasol is a low-post threat and good defender more than what his brother is and whole lot more than Darko. Now we got (Mayo in the draft-trade and Darrell Arthur a top 10-15 lottery pick via trade).
PG Conley
SG Mayo
SF Gay
PF Artur (pending)
C Marc Gasol
Not saying we will make playoffs but looking more like a 35 to 40 win team with better defensive players and good offensive players.
Lighten up sundeep. We don't know yet who got the better end of the deal. It's true Chicago made some offers, but they weren't BETTER than the one they consummated with LA; they were a lot WORSE. Basically they were player-for-player offers, and would not have done anything long-term for Memphis. The Grizzlies were going NOWHERE w/Gasol as their leader. They were 22-60 the last two seasons--deep in LAST place in the toughest division in the NBA. Yes, they made the playoffs three years in a row before then, BUT they went 0-12 those three years!!! As a Grizzlies season ticket holder, I watched Pau play MANY times, and every Grizz fan and coach can tell you how soft he is defensively. His signature move is bringing his wrist up to his nose then "checking for blood" EVERY time he gets fouled. Watch and see! SOFT SOFT SOFT!!! It doesn't matter if you're a 20/12 guy if you allow 25/15. How did he do against Boston, when they put some tough defense on him? Yes, he folded up like a cheap suit. Gasol is just a complementary player and Memphis brass finally had the cahones to get rid of him. If the Lakers win a championship it will be in SPITE of Gasol, NOT because of him! As for Crittenton (NOT CrittenDon--gets your facts straight) and Marc Gasol being "nothing", Javaris will either add nice depth or be great trade bait, and Pau's little brother was the MVP of his Spanish league last season. We'll see if that translates to NBA success, but scouts are saying he has the potential to be BETTER than Pau. One of the Laker picks turned out to be Darrell Arthur, who would've been a lottery pick until false rumors about his health dropped him in the draft. The Grizzlies have cap-room flexibility, depth, and hope for the future. They had none of that w/Pau on the roster! I have to laugh at opinions like sundeeps. This trade will look like the Vikings-Cowboys deal that sent Hershel Walker to Minnesota before it's over with!
P. S. I'm actually looking forward to watching the Grizzlies this season. Yes, this was a GREAT trade!!!
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