Suns explore deal for Pau Gasol

[Chaz]

the Lakers can eat a bag of ***** if they think they're getting salary cap relief AND one of our better 1st round picks for a guy who's been injured on and off this season and is a three month rental.

unless he comes for either our pick or Indy's pick plus Okafor, I tell the Lakers to pound sand and enjoy eating the multiple offender cap tax they're about to swallow for one of the worst teams in the league.

and to tell you the truth, even if it's OUR pick, I still probably say no way. There is the good chance we don't get Minny's pick this year and even an outside chance we don't get Washington's (although that's looking more likely by game). But if we gave up our pick and didn't get Minny/Washington, only having the 30th pick in a very strong/deep draft is a mistake for a 3 month rental who probably at most helps us win a series, but doesn't make a real contender, IMO.

Lakers need the Suns more than the Suns need Pau.

 

[overseascardfan]

Gambo says the suns could use Gasol in a sign and trade for Love.

+1. This is why a move for Gasol makes sense, he could net PHX something beyond this year. He helps with a playoff push, PHX retains his Bird Rights and trades him for a star in the offseason.

I was for dealing for Monroe or Turner but why when PHX could sign them without giving up anything in the offseason.

PHX has all the cards, screw LA if they insist on a pick, no one is going to make a legit offer for Pau, they might as well take Okafor and save some $$$$$.

Posters who mention PHX should just keep Okafor, I believe there were rumors that Okafor did not want to come here to play. Obviously he is in NY rehabbing but I think Okafor would not re-sign here even if PHX wanted him.

With the emergence of Plumlee & development of Len just send him on his way.

 

[SirStefan32]

+1. This is why a move for Gasol makes sense, he could net PHX something beyond this year. He helps with a playoff push, PHX retains his Bird Rights and trades him for a star in the offseason.

I was for dealing for Monroe or Turner but why when PHX could sign them without giving up anything in the offseason.

PHX has all the cards, screw LA if they insist on a pick, no one is going to make a legit offer for Pau, they might as well take Okafor and save some $$$$$.

Posters who mention PHX should just keep Okafor, I believe there were rumors that Okafor did not want to come here to play. Obviously he is in NY rehabbing but I think Okafor would not re-sign here even if PHX wanted him.

With the emergence of Plumlee & development of Len just send him on his way.

People keep repeating this, but nobody will trade a star for Pau Gasol!

 

[Cheesebeef]

People keep repeating this, but nobody will trade a star for Pau Gasol!

agreed.

and Kevin Love just ain't the answer folks. He just isn't.

I think he's a stat padder in the extreme.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Being reports the Suns have backed out of the talks. Which is a good thing! Whew!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jlove]

@stevekylerNBA: RT @Mike_Bresnahan: Suns stop trade talks with Lakers for Gasol, say asking price is too steep. http://t.co/VUiKK3G8Uo

 

[CardsFan88]

No one I've seen has ever reported ANY protection on the Lakers 2015 pick. That doesn't mean there isn't, but usually that stuff is talked about, or at least a mention of some sort of protection.

I think we caught them napping in hubris thinking they were still going to be great. They thought they were putting together a championship club.

No way in hell would I trade the Laker pick if it is an unprotected pick in 2015. It could be #1 overall.

I would possibly trade our least or 2nd least 1st round pick, like Indiana's or perhaps one of the ones we might not get this year.

This way we'd have a good trial period to see if he fits in and could unload his salary from the cap during FA and still re-sign him afterwards.

That said it might be better to see if we could trade EO for someone younger or even a 1st round pick two or three years from now.

 

[elindholm]

The Lakers will make the 2015 playoffs. They will have a healthy and motivated Bryant, the Rookie of the Year, and whoever they can recruit in the offseason. That will be enough.

 

[Catlover]

The Lakers will make the 2015 playoffs. They will have a healthy and motivated Bryant, the Rookie of the Year, and whoever they can recruit in the offseason. That will be enough.

The Lakers will miss the 2015 playoffs. They will have an aging and broken down Bryant, a rookie not yet ready for prime time, and whatever low level free agent they can sucker into signing with them in the offseason. That won't be enough.

 

[Hoop Head]

The Lakers will miss the 2015 playoffs. They will have an aging and broken down Bryant, a rookie not yet ready for prime time, and whatever low level free agent they can sucker into signing with them in the offseason. That won't be enough.

If it were any team but the Lakers you would most likely be right. Unfortunately the Lakers have had everything work in there favor forever now and chances are that isn't going to change now, although now with Stern out and Jim Buss gone now may be their time to dwell at the bottom of the league for a while.

 

[Covert Rain]

@stevekylerNBA: RT @Mike_Bresnahan: Suns stop trade talks with Lakers for Gasol, say asking price is too steep. http://t.co/VUiKK3G8Uo

THANK GOD. The Suns are not bending over for once and I commend them. No freaking way he is freaking worth anything higher than the Pacer's pick.

PASS.

 

[Catlover]

If it were any team but the Lakers you would most likely be right. Unfortunately the Lakers have had everything work in there favor forever now and chances are that isn't going to change now, although now with Stern out and Jim Buss gone now may be their time to dwell at the bottom of the league for a while.

It's a close call. The cynical Suns fan in me lost the battle to the side of me that still believes in unicorns. History says elindholm is correct but Cheerios taste a lot better when the Lakers go fishing early.

 

[sunsfan88]

Dragic on the Suns possibly acquiring Gasol:

“I know he’s a great guy,” Suns guard Goran Dragic said. “He is not a troublemaker. He would be a good fit. You never know. He played for the Lakers so many years. They’ve got that three-angle offense, and it’s a totally different offense than we’ve got here. We have to run. We like to run.”

 

[slinslin]

Just like when Nowitski had Chandler... Nowitski is not as good as Malone or Barkley overall as well... So take that to account.

Says who? You?

Nowitzki will go down as a better player than either Malone or Barkley, easily.

 

[SirStefan32]

Says who? You?

Nowitzki will go down as a better player than either Malone or Barkley, easily.

Yeah, sure Slin. Tell us more about his +/- vs. Malone and Barkley.

 

[Neo]

Says who? You?

Nowitzki will go down as a better player than either Malone or Barkley, easily.

Except for the fact that Malone scored more, rebounded more, had more steals and generally played better defense, Nowitzki is easily a better player.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

No one I've seen has ever reported ANY protection on the Lakers 2015 pick. That doesn't mean there isn't, but usually that stuff is talked about, or at least a mention of some sort of protection.

I think we caught them napping in hubris thinking they were still going to be great. They thought they were putting together a championship club.

No way in hell would I trade the Laker pick if it is an unprotected pick in 2015. It could be #1 overall.

I would possibly trade our least or 2nd least 1st round pick, like Indiana's or perhaps one of the ones we might not get this year.

This way we'd have a good trial period to see if he fits in and could unload his salary from the cap during FA and still re-sign him afterwards.

That said it might be better to see if we could trade EO for someone younger or even a 1st round pick two or three years from now.

It's top 5 protected in 2015 and top 3 in 2016 and 2017 and unprotected in 2018.

http://www1.realgm.com/nba/draft/future_drafts/detailed

Your point still holds true though that the Suns shouldn't trade that pick for anything outside of a star player that is still pretty young.

 

[Superbone]

Says who? You?

Nowitzki will go down as a better player than either Malone or Barkley, easily.

Says the German.

 

[slinslin]

Except for the fact that Malone scored more, rebounded more, had more steals and generally played better defense, Nowitzki is easily a better player.

Could be because Malone played 12k more minutes.

NBA MVP, Finals MVP, NBA Champion says Nowitzki will go down as the greater player easily.

Same for Garnett btw.

Duncan, Nowitzki, Garnett > Malone, Barkley

 

[slinslin]

Says the German.

So? I am not even a Nowitzki fan but every rational human being can understand that he ranks ahead of Barkley and Malone easily.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Says who? You?

Nowitzki will go down as a better player than either Malone or Barkley, easily.

and Magic Johnson wasn't a PG.

I think there's an argument to made for Nowitzki being a better PF then Barkley, but I don't think anyone lists him ahead of Malone in the grand scheme of things.

 

[slinslin]

Malone does not separate himself from the other 2. They are statistically close, Malone only has longevity going for him.

Nowitzki is clearly ahead for the simple fact that he was the best player on a championship team.
I am usually totally against evaluating players based on team success and especially championships but in this case it is true.

 

[WildBB]

It also helps the Lakers tank.

Right, the great franchises know when the time is right. Remember when the Suns were getting TANK flak before the season even began.

You think the Lakers would have to endure any of that from the mainstream?!

 

[Phrazbit]

I like that one title somehow negates an entire career of superior play from another player.

Nowitzki is a great player, an easy hall of famer... and also clearly not on the same level as some of the other all-time great power forwards like Duncan, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Garnett and Barkley.

He did win a ring, thats wonderful, but he also was statistically well behind those other guys and has also been a lousy defender.

 

[Neo]

Could be because Malone played 12k more minutes.

It could also be the fact that Malone averaged more points, rebounds, assists, and steals per game.

Was the discrepancy of minutes why Malone was named all-defensive team three times compared to Nowitzki's zero?

Nowitzki is an all Hall of Fame player, but to argue that he is easily better than Malone is laughable.