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The Lakers are the most active team in trade talks


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I just can't see Boston trading with the Lakers.

 

And the trade doesn't make sense for Boston (the one I've heard that'd send Rondo to LA and Pau to BOS).

Maybe Boston wants one final run with Gasol, Garnett, Pierce, Allen and Blake in their five.

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The way I see things...

 

Dwight to LA is a media creation, much like LeBron going to NY. People see his personality and match it with the glitz and glamour of LA, the Shaq trade, and automatically place them as a lead candidate to grab Dwight. From everything I have read, Dwight doesn't want to go to LA, and Orlando isn't too high on Bynum. Kobe is 16 years into his career, and with his massive contract on the books for a few more years, there really won't be too much wiggle room to really improve their roster the next few years. And if LA has to throw in Gasol, and take back a bad contract like Hedo, it makes the situation even grimmer. From the looks of things, Howard is dead-set on playing with Deron, and that will be in either Brooklyn or Dallas.

 

That leaves the Lakers with an aging, but still top 5 player in Kobe, an aging, but still elite PF in Gasol, a young but injury prone All-Star center in Bynum, and a bunch of spare parts. I've been saying it since last year, and especially this season...the Lakers completely lack athleticism (and talent) at the 2 positions which are really defining the league right now; PG and SF. Kobe is still athletic but not above average, Gasol is slow for a PF, and Bynum isn't particularly quick (although for his size he's athletic). I don't care how skilled these 3 guys are, this era is being defined by freak athleticism, and the Lakers simply can't make up for it with their current roster. Unfortunately, with Kobe not going anywhere, the Lakers not having much talent from their 4th-12th guys, and cap issues, all the Lakers have to fill out their roster is trade pieces in Gasol, Bynum and the TPE from the Odom trade.

 

IMO with the triangle being a thing of the past, and PG being the most talent-rich position in the league, the Lakers key focus should be PG. Gasol would ideally be the one to go because of his age, but that is where trading him will be an issue...he's 31 years old and has regressed the last few seasons, and isn't on an exactly cheap contract. IMO it is a pipe dream to assume he'd be able to net a guy as young and impactful as a guy like Rajon Rondo (and I don't even believe Bynum would get that deal done). You'd probably be able to fetch a deal with a guy like Kyle Lowry as the centerpiece, but do you really believe a Lowry/Kobe/Bynum core will give them a better shot at winning a championship? I don't believe so...throwing Scola in without giving up anything else substantial makes it a lot better for the Lakers, though. I just don't see why Houston would do that trade, though.

 

So, what is a trade that could really help the Lakers down the road? Looking up and down the league, one team I feel that could really benefit the Lakers in a trade is GS. They desperately lack a center, and with the Ellis/Curry backcourt a question mark as to whether it can be successful, I feel it is a perfect match for both teams. I feel trading Bynum for Eliis OR Curry, and a guy like Dorrel Wright would do wonders for both teams. Doing a trade like this would solve LA's PG problem, move Gasol to his natural position of C, and would give LA a very good 3pt shooter in Dorrel Wright, who is an athletic upgrade over Barnes and World Peace. For GS, they get a franchise center and defensive anchor to put alongside David Lee. It also puts to bed the question of the Ellis/Curry backcourt.

 

I am not sure if the contracts matchup, but that basic framework of a deal is just about the best, realistic scenario the Lakers can go for.

 

Then the Lakers can use the TPE to fill in the void at PF.

Edited by Nitro
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Maybe Boston wants one final run with Gasol, Garnett, Pierce, Allen and Blake in their five.

Hmmm. In my opinion, that doesn't make them better than the team now...

 

I think Boston needs to get younger in general - the Allen, Pierce, Garnett trio will no longer get them to the Finals. I can't see them getting past MIA, CHI, and ORL...and that's just in the East.

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Dwight to LA is a media creation, much like LeBron going to NY. People see his personality and match it with the glitz and glamour of LA, the Shaq trade, and automatically place them as a lead candidate to grab Dwight. From everything I have read, Dwight doesn't want to go to LA, and Orlando isn't too high on Bynum. Kobe is 16 years into his career, and with his massive contract on the books for a few more years, there really won't be too much wiggle room to really improve their roster the next few years. And if LA has to throw in Gasol, and take back a bad contract like Hedo, it makes the situation even grimmer. From the looks of things, Howard is dead-set on playing with Deron, and that will be in either Brooklyn or Dallas.

IMO this is dead on and I think he ends up in Brooklyn at the end of the day.

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IMO with the triangle being a thing of the past, and PG being the most talent-rich position in the league, the Lakers key focus should be PG. Gasol would ideally be the one to go because of his age, but that is where trading him will be an issue...he's 31 years old and has regressed the last few seasons, and isn't on an exactly cheap contract. IMO it is a pipe dream to assume he'd be able to net a guy as young and impactful as a guy like Rajon Rondo (and I don't even believe Bynum would get that deal done). You'd probably be able to fetch a deal with a guy like Kyle Lowry as the centerpiece, but do you really believe a Lowry/Kobe/Bynum core will give them a better shot at winning a championship? I don't believe so...throwing Scola in without giving up anything else substantial makes it a lot better for the Lakers, though. I just don't see why Houston would do that trade, though.

 

The Rockets walked away when the Hornets were asking for Lowry (keep in mind that this is before he broke out this season) and this was when Houston could sign Nene after a deal for Pau Gasol. Now Nene is no longer is a possibility, can't picture Houston have too much interest honestly unless the Lakers accept a Scola/Martin package.

 

Anyways it was reported yesterday by Jonathan Feigan of the Houston Chronicle that Houston hasn't held one discussion with the Lakers about Pau Gasol since mid-December. So yeah...that ship has sailed.

 

Edit: Daryl Morey and Kupchak were actually seen sitting together during the D-League All-Star game. Probably nothing but just throwing that out there. Again I don't see Houston having interest in Pau Gasol at the current asking price.

Edited by Dash
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http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/dwighthowardlakers.jpg

That would be nice and all, but I have absolutely no hope that the Lakers will bring in Howard, because he really doesn't want to play for the Lakers. Once he stated he didn't want to follow in Shaq's footsteps, that was it for me.

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You wouldn't do Gasol for Chase Budinger/Goran Dragic/Luis Scola + 2nd round pick?

I can't stand Scola, and I'd like to try and get younger at the PF position. Not a fan of Dragic, either, and Budinger is a throw-in to me.

 

I'd rather keep Gasol and continue playing with him and Bynum in the five, and find a way to get Sessions and Beasley.

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I can't stand Scola, and I'd like to try and get younger at the PF position. Not a fan of Dragic, either, and Budinger is a throw-in to me.

 

I'd rather keep Gasol and continue playing with him and Bynum in the five, and find a way to get Sessions and Beasley.

 

See, now you're talking :glasses:

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...but there's no way I'm passing on Rondo for Gasol.

 

And I would much rather see Howard and Gasol in the five (but that won't happen because Orlando isn't stupid).

 

Yea I really don't think Howard is coming, he's not interested. If we can get someone like D.J Augustin, Ramon Sessions, Ray Felton, I think we will be fine at PG and they'll do just fine. Plus Rondo hates the Lakers, I really don't see them trading him, that will be just dumb by Celtics.

Edited by Hayes1
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You could have kept that post on here, Hayes. Not that big of a deal...just figured that us turning down a Beasley trade, especially for a first rounder, was "new topic" material.

 

Word is that the Lakers are interested in Kirk Hinrich. Ugh...far too late for that. He's headed downhill.

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You could have kept that post on here, Hayes. Not that big of a deal...just figured that us turning down a Beasley trade, especially for a first rounder, was "new topic" material.

 

Word is that the Lakers are interested in Kirk Hinrich. Ugh...far too late for that. He's headed downhill.

 

Hinrich needs change of scenery in my opinion. his play will come in strides

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ight kool RD. Yea he is, But yea man this is crazy. I mean, with the new time warner cable channel for Lakers and the ever increasing size of Buss Jr's Wallet we should have no problem paying off the tax.

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