Gasol

[Catlover]

Does anybody know what the Houston Rockets were asking for Asik? Either he or Gasol would have been huge improvements to our center position. We get almost nothing from the center and defensively they are pretty terrible. Bring back Bledsoe and get either of those centers and sky's the limit.

Joe

Asik would have been a huge improvement for us but I'm not so convinced about Pau.

Everything I heard suggested that Houston was looking for real value in return, they weren't just looking to get rid of him. In addition to the Rockets demand, Asik's contract was back loaded and it's hard to justify paying a one way player 15 million (next year). It only hits the cap for about half that amount so a richer team wouldn't mind it but it probably took him off the table for teams like Phoenix. Still, even with his very limited offensive skills it would have been great to have one of the best defensive centers in the game.

 

[JS22]

What is your problem, do you really need to be a jerk? Dealing for Gasol was a national story and many were on the side of trying to get him, including Steve Kerr and others. I thought these kinds of debates were exactly the reason why people visit message boards.

You are fighting a losing battle on this forum. I'm one of the few that agree with you though. If the Suns make the playoffs the pace is going to slow down a LOT. Gasol is perfect for that situation.

With Gasol the Suns would have been able to modify their style to answer anything the defense threw at them. Opponent trying to run and gun? Good luck. The Suns are at their best when they're flying down the court. Opponent slowing things down? That's fine. Throw it down to Gasol and surround him with shooters.

I would have went as far as Okafor and the Pacers pick. Anything beyond that and you risk missing out on a potential "big" deal in the offseason by not having enough assets.

 

[JS22]

Does anybody know what the Houston Rockets were asking for Asik? Either he or Gasol would have been huge improvements to our center position. We get almost nothing from the center and defensively they are pretty terrible. Bring back Bledsoe and get either of those centers and sky's the limit.

Joe

Asik?

Come on, Joe. You're better than that!

Crippling contract next year and vastly overrated? Where do I sign up?

 

[Catlover]

Asik?

Come on, Joe. You're better than that!

Crippling contract next year and vastly overrated? Where do I sign up?

I don't think he's at all overrated, at least not defensively. His contract is scary but half of it doesn't count against the cap. At a 7 or 8 million dollar cap hit, he's a steal. I look at Asik and Gasol as almost mirror images, one plays defense and one plays offense and neither brings it at the other end of the court. If we could get the two of them and roll them into one player we'd have it made.

 

[Catlover]

You are fighting a losing battle on this forum. I'm one of the few that agree with you though. If the Suns make the playoffs the pace is going to slow down a LOT. Gasol is perfect for that situation.

With Gasol the Suns would have been able to modify their style to answer anything the defense threw at them. Opponent trying to run and gun? Good luck. The Suns are at their best when they're flying down the court. Opponent slowing things down? That's fine. Throw it down to Gasol and surround him with shooters.

I would have went as far as Okafor and the Pacers pick. Anything beyond that and you risk missing out on a potential "big" deal in the offseason by not having enough assets.

Although we vary in our estimations of how much Gasol would have helped us, I think the vast majority of us would have traded Okafor and the Indiana pick for Pau. I'm pretty sure we'll eventually discover that our front office was also willing to go that far but LA insisted on more and quite possibly, much more.

 

[Errntknght]

Although we vary in our estimations of how much Gasol would have helped us, I think the vast majority of us would have traded Okafor and the Indiana pick for Pau. I'm pretty sure we'll eventually discover that our front office was also willing to go that far but LA insisted on more and quite possibly, much more.

I guessed that the Suns would go that far and it made sense that LA would take it unless they got a better offer. If Pau had been playing like he is now they might have gotten one but with him sitting with an injury I didn't think they would. I was quite confident the deal with us would go through at the last minute.

Another thing that might have scotched the deal is if Pau didn't want to come to Phoenix - LA might not care but I could see McD yanking the offer in that case.

 

[Hoop Head]

I guessed that the Suns would go that far and it made sense that LA would take it unless they got a better offer. If Pau had been playing like he is now they might have gotten one but with him sitting with an injury I didn't think they would. I was quite confident the deal with us would go through at the last minute.

Another thing that might have scotched the deal is if Pau didn't want to come to Phoenix - LA might not care but I could see McD yanking the offer in that case.

I think we may have offered that much, the Indy pick plus Okafor, but the Lakers wanted more not just to rebuild but the market won't be high for him in the offseason so the Lakers retaining his bird rights had something to do with it. I doubt they let him walk in the offseason and his next contract will most likely be about one and half times the middle level exception. I don't imagine any team will off him more than the MLE and the extra cash from LA will get him to stay while not eating up all that much of their cap space. They should have just enough money left to sign close to a max player after resigning him.

 

[sunsfan88]

I don't think he's at all overrated, at least not defensively. His contract is scary but half of it doesn't count against the cap. At a 7 or 8 million dollar cap hit, he's a steal. I look at Asik and Gasol as almost mirror images, one plays defense and one plays offense and neither brings it at the other end of the court. If we could get the two of them and roll them into one player we'd have it made.

Agreed. Plus we could have used the savings from Okafor's contract to pay him.

 

[Mainstreet]

I guessed that the Suns would go that far and it made sense that LA would take it unless they got a better offer. If Pau had been playing like he is now they might have gotten one but with him sitting with an injury I didn't think they would. I was quite confident the deal with us would go through at the last minute.

Another thing that might have scotched the deal is if Pau didn't want to come to Phoenix - LA might not care but I could see McD yanking the offer in that case.

I think this may have well been the case. If Gasol had shown interest in re-signing with the Suns, the trade may have very well happened. Otherwise, why help the Lakers if Gasol was only going to be a rental. Gasol would not only have cost the Suns a pick(s) but likely somewhere over 8 million dollars (estimate). Then see him go back to the Lakers next season.... no way. The Suns were not going to win a title with Gasol this season.

 

[KloD]

I think this may have well been the case. If Gasol had shown interest in re-signing with the Suns, the trade may have very well happened. Otherwise, why help the Lakers if Gasol was only going to be a rental. Gasol would not only have cost the Suns a pick(s) but likely somewhere over 8 million dollars (estimate). Then see him go back to the Lakers next season.... no way. The Suns were not going to win a title with Gasol this season.

I'm only responding to your post as you are the latest to state this, but why on earth would the Suns have interest in signing Gasol this summer? The guy is rapidly declining and 33 years old. He will undoubtably want far more $$$ than he's worth. He's banking on his next deal being based on his past production and not his future value.

I just don't get it? Yes, he put up some nice numbers for like a month, but his numbers are fools gold. He's the first option on a terrible team and his production would not be the same (or close IMO) playing in the Suns system that he is not a fit for. I can imagine where he would have helped in some situations, but I for one am thankful McD didn't panic (which IMO would have been the case) and pull the trigger (had that been even an option being that most trade rumors are false or far from the full story). Sure draft picks, especially ones out of the lottery are a long shot. But, in order to get a big name in Phoenix it will require picks as well as bodies in a trade. I'd rather have the ammo going into the off season to pull the trigger on a trade than to have traded even one pick for Gasol on a two month rental and I have absolutely zero interest in Gasol wearing a Suns uniform next season.

 

[Catlover]

I'm only responding to your post as you are the latest to state this, but why on earth would the Suns have interest in signing Gasol this summer? The guy is rapidly declining and 33 years old. He will undoubtably want far more $$$ than he's worth. He's banking on his next deal being based on his past production and not his future value.

I just don't get it? Yes, he put up some nice numbers for like a month, but his numbers are fools gold. He's the first option on a terrible team and his production would not be the same (or close IMO) playing in the Suns system that he is not a fit for. I can imagine where he would have helped in some situations, but I for one am thankful McD didn't panic (which IMO would have been the case) and pull the trigger (had that been even an option being that most trade rumors are false or far from the full story). Sure draft picks, especially ones out of the lottery are a long shot. But, in order to get a big name in Phoenix it will require picks as well as bodies in a trade. I'd rather have the ammo going into the off season to pull the trigger on a trade than to have traded even one pick for Gasol on a two month rental and I have absolutely zero interest in Gasol wearing a Suns uniform next season.

Agreed.

If Pau were fully engaged he'd have been a decent option when we were forced into half court play but he has warts, lots of them. Non-lottery picks might not always pay dividends but they have value as trade chips and they also have value at the box office. Fans get energized (and presumably buy tickets, jerseys etc.) by the possibility of drafting the next star and throwing them away for a short term rental with marginal worth is shortsighted.

I don't think Pau wanted to be here and that might have influenced this situation but I don't think we ever envisioned him as anything other than a short term rental. McD has talked about using that cap space to acquire a star and Gasol is long past being a star.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm only responding to your post as you are the latest to state this, but why on earth would the Suns have interest in signing Gasol this summer? The guy is rapidly declining and 33 years old. He will undoubtably want far more $$$ than he's worth. He's banking on his next deal being based on his past production and not his future value.

I just don't get it? Yes, he put up some nice numbers for like a month, but his numbers are fools gold. He's the first option on a terrible team and his production would not be the same (or close IMO) playing in the Suns system that he is not a fit for. I can imagine where he would have helped in some situations, but I for one am thankful McD didn't panic (which IMO would have been the case) and pull the trigger (had that been even an option being that most trade rumors are false or far from the full story). Sure draft picks, especially ones out of the lottery are a long shot. But, in order to get a big name in Phoenix it will require picks as well as bodies in a trade. I'd rather have the ammo going into the off season to pull the trigger on a trade than to have traded even one pick for Gasol on a two month rental and I have absolutely zero interest in Gasol wearing a Suns uniform next season.

I was not suggesting the Suns over pay Gasol this summer if the trade had happened. Maybe this is why the Suns had no interest in Gasol and likewise Gasol with the Suns if he wanted a big pay check. I was not one of those interested in in giving the Lakers anything beyond Okafor for him if the Suns thought he could help them.

 

[sunsfan88]

If Pau were fully engaged he'd have been a decent option when we were forced into half court play but he has warts, lots of them.

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jk i know what you actually meant