Better for the Lakers to Trade Pau Gasol or Trade Dwight Howard? Or Both?
Dwight Howard was thought to be a franchise player, the type of max-contract guy you wanted to build around.
Then, as other NBA players joined forces in Boston, Miami, on the Clippers, and most recently Brooklyn, forming Super Teams, Howard was stuck in Orlando. He pouted. He had an ugly ending with coach Stan Van Gundy, then forced his way out of town.
Howard’s been a disaster with the Lakers (perhaps slowed by an injury) and everyone’s starting to doubt whether or not LA should keep him and sign him to a long term deal, or trade him now and build for the future. Howard reportedly isn’t happy; columnists are already starting to wonder if it is time to move on and annul the marriage.
If you keep Howard, do you then trade Pau Gasol? The two clearly aren’t working in Mike D’Antoni’s system, and Gasol has been relegated to the bench.
Here’s a worst case scenario: LA decides to trade Gasol (get younger on the wing, dump some salary), keep D’Antoni, and then Howard decides he’s not a good fit in that system and bolts for Atlanta or Houston in July.
So here’s the alternative: Keep Gasol, trade Howard (good luck finding someone who he’ll definitely sign with) and keep D’Antoni. You’ll spend the offseason repairing the Gasol/D’Antoni relationship, which seems frayed. You’ll also still be an ancient team, and have no immediate hope for the future.
So maybe the move is … back up the Brinks for Phil Jackson, keep Howard and Gasol, and get them to play together the way Bynum and Gasol did? Sounds good in theory, but there’s still that pesky luxury tax to deal with.
All of this means the next few weeks leading up to the trade deadline are going to be incredibly fun.
How about trading both, and putting guys like Josh Smith or Rajon Rondo around Kobe for one final run?
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123 Responses to “Better for the Lakers to Trade Pau Gasol or Trade Dwight Howard? Or Both?”
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January 25th, 2013 at 1:22 PM
More important than the tax is the reality of Jim Buss. D’Antoni is doing a historically bad job. He really is a horrendous coach. The NBA’s Mike Martz
January 25th, 2013 at 1:25 PM
I would trade D’Antoni’s system for somebody that understands you should tailor your system to your talent rather than a guy that sticks to a system that needs a lot of athletic fast guys when he has a team of dinosaurs
January 25th, 2013 at 1:25 PM
The Lakers need Jason Maxiell and Tayshaun Prince.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:25 PM
Not at all. Howard just isn’t playing at the level he did before. He’s still playing quite well though.
I think the Lakers are stupid if they trade either one of these guys.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:26 PM
I think Zach Lowe made the point on Grantland that the best the Lakers played was when Bickerstaff took over and simplified the offense. That Simmons-Lowe article actually had a lot of good stuff in it.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:27 PM
I know a guy, starkweather. Mike Brown. Jim Buss is the Lakers’ biggest ill. I’ll say it again, Woody Johnson West
January 25th, 2013 at 1:28 PM
It always depends on what you can get back but it’s not a terrible idea to trade Pau if it helps build for the future. I don’t think they’re going to get a quick fix for this season now that the logo is helping out the Warriors
January 25th, 2013 at 1:28 PM
I don’t think they played very well together. When the Lakers were at their best, Bynum wasn’t playing a whole lot. And when he was playing (efficiently), it was with Odom, not Gasol.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:28 PM
…
ive done a 180 on kobe. he doesn’t deserve these two assholes.
/sorry for the past chicago
January 25th, 2013 at 1:29 PM
That said, I recall being interested to see what D’Antoni could do with this team. I know hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but holy shit what a dumpster fire.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:29 PM
Trading Gasol is reasonable within the context of this D’Antoni charade. His value is at an all-time low, however
January 25th, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Let’s see … Lakers won a title with Kobe and Gasol … last season made the conference semis with Kobe and Gasol … this year are out of the plyoff race with Kobe and Whoreward and mostly minus Gasol … so the answer obviously is, trade Gasol!
January 25th, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Jim Buss is the Lakers’ biggest ill.
Absolutely agree. He has an ego that will kill the franchise until he gives up and lets somebody else call the shots. Basketball Jerry Jones with fewer bonafides
January 25th, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Challenge accepted
January 25th, 2013 at 1:31 PM
At least Jerrah made his own money
January 25th, 2013 at 1:31 PM
Apology accepted. Likewise, I’ve almost done a whole 180 on LeBron (it’s tougher because he stands in the way of DRose. And likewise, sorry for the past. We can still be friends.
/Kobe’s always been an asshole, but I still love him to the end
January 25th, 2013 at 1:32 PM
As is usually the case with NBA matters (IMO), Scalia is on point here.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Kobe would make Josh Smith fucking cry at the first practice.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Man it is a mess out there. Went out to take some lunch bingers and the roads are a complete shitshow. Have to drive three hours to the mountains tonight, that’s not good. You guys stay frosty out there.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:33 PM
It doesn’t really seem like it would be that hard to sign Dwight Howard. Just have a meeting with him away from his reps and tell him that people will finally love him if he signs long-term. Then he’ll go to his reps and demand that he signs with the team that instant. It will take several days from there before he starts demanding a trade.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:35 PM
So much truth here. I want that trade to happen just for entertainment value the first time Smith jacks a couple 20 footers.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:36 PM
And candy….don’t forget to include Dwight’s favorite candy.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:36 PM
Paulina sighted at Torrey. C’mon DJ we need a top 10 outta ya.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Dwight Howard has two post moves; running hook over the left shoulder and a right shoulder drop step. He misses half his free throws. He’s been in the league nearly a decade. How do you think that horrible work ethic goes over?
January 25th, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Also helps that he gets more money to sign with them.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Paulina sighted at Torrey.
Hmm, San Diego is nice this time of year*…
* Jan-Dec
January 25th, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Lakers are cooked and overdone. Good luck getting rid of all those contracts.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:39 PM
Kobe may suck to play with, but I think a lot of it is most of today’s NBA players don’t want to work hard and putting on the same team as Kobe with his work ethic will make them look like the lazy fucks they are.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:40 PM
Paulina sighted at Torrey.
Logs out, puts on out-of-office
January 25th, 2013 at 1:40 PM
I’d love to call your suggestions stupid, but I have no better ones.
With no good solutions though, I’m not sure it’s time to pull the plug this early.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Kobe would make Josh Smith fucking cry at the first practice.
This is true. Why not this instead?
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=bjacd37
January 25th, 2013 at 1:41 PM
And even if he does, it’s not like anyone going into that team doesn’t know it. Howard has played with him on the national team, right? The number of superstars that have joined Kobe’s team since he’s been there is pretty high, so it must be tolerable to a point.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Lakers need more shlong. Sign Greg Oden.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Me and my pops were heading near Sevin Spring to look at a job, and we said fuck it after 20 minutes on the highway. Nice lack of preperation to put salt on the roads, dick slimes.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:42 PM
The leather bound collection of all of Jason McIntyre and Tyler Duffy’s posts about fixing the BCS, on sale now from Gannett Publishing.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:43 PM
I think that could actually be realistic, except that Josh Smith probably thinks he’s a max guy. So, there’s that problem.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:43 PM
Being a Laker trumps not seeing the ball as much as they’d like
January 25th, 2013 at 1:43 PM
That said, Dwight Howard being a poor offensive post player is very largely a myth.
Still, work ethic point stands. Josh Smith might be even more of a baby than Dwight though.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:44 PM
Seriously, Nashville de-iced the roads yesterday in preparation of the storm (some anti-icing solution). If the South can figure out ice control…
January 25th, 2013 at 1:44 PM
Wouldn’t make that trade if I’m LAL, Fredo
January 25th, 2013 at 1:45 PM
With the new luxury tax year over year multipliers they have to get out of a TON of money by next year or their penalty is gigantic.
I was all for firing Mike Brown, but hiring DAntonio was the worst of many bad moves they’ve made.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Nobody said poor. Just without skill. He can dominate positionally due solely to his physicality. He’s an above average post player, when his talents should make him a great post player
January 25th, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Kobe may suck to play with, but I think a lot of it is most of today’s NBA players don’t want to work hard and putting on the same team as Kobe with his work ethic will make them look like the lazy fucks they are.
is this the way he’s most like jordan?
January 25th, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Seems like Kobe sucks to play with because he’s not your buddy; he just wants to win so bad that he’s an asshole any time you do something wrong or don’t work hard enough. That would be tough to handle given how much Kobe himself fucks up- the difference being, Kobe works his ass off and is probably harder on himself than anyone else could ever be.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Mike Brown is laughing all the way to the bank, while he gets to continue to cash a check twice a month and watch the team that fired him be worst off without him. The Lakers don’t need to trade anyone. What they need to do is fire their coach, change their offense to a high low set with the Kobe isolation option on the outside, limit Nash to 15-20 minutes a game and roll from there.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Clippers Lakers – is that even a possible 1-8 playoff matchup? I gotta presume Lakers are on the outside looking in?
January 25th, 2013 at 1:48 PM
I like that a lot. Especially for the
HornetsPelicans.January 25th, 2013 at 1:48 PM
besides skin color
/for the smartasses
January 25th, 2013 at 1:48 PM
I don’t think Dwight wants any part of Atlanta for the rest of time. Too many kids running around there that might recognize their dad.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:49 PM
By the way, I don’t mean my last comment as fact, that’s just my perception of him. Part of the reason I like him so much, actually.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:49 PM
LAL couldn’t make any trade without an extension in place, IMO.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Biggest difference: Kobe doesn’t hide his opinion for corporate gain, like Jordan. Makes him more likable IMO. Silver lining of Eagle, CO
January 25th, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Nobody reads the comments including the EIC.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:50 PM
Seems like Kobe sucks to play with because he’s not your buddy;
Kobe as GM would be awesome.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:50 PM
I would give Nash more like 25-30, but I agree with all this.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:50 PM
I honestly thought Mike Brown had the right idea for their offense but he couldn’t get anybody to buy into it
January 25th, 2013 at 1:51 PM
+ like only 3% of the traffic so you all don’t get uppity or think you contribute to this site
January 25th, 2013 at 1:51 PM
I thought the Princeton was a bad idea, but pace of play was good
January 25th, 2013 at 1:52 PM
I would give Nash more like 25-30, but I agree with all this.
Exactly. Now that we have all come to an agreement on the Lakers, let’s move on to Middle East problems.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:52 PM
While I think Gasol-Howard is ultimately untenable (and I’m fine with Gasol coming off the bench), there is a greater problem with the defense, or lack thereof, by Nash, Kobe, and Artest.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:52 PM
Isn’t that Kobe’s fault then? There’s no way if Kobe threw his full support behind Brown, that would have happened, right?
January 25th, 2013 at 1:53 PM
Wouldn’t make that trade if I’m LAL, Fredo
True. Just spitballing options out there IF they want out of the Howard business.
Which is kind of the point, isn’t it? Yes, they’re under-performing, but the reasons aren’t clear. Is it the lack of a viable PG with Nash’s injuries? Is it Gasol and Howard not meshing? Is it just Gasol’s injury?
Howard can be a petulant brat, no doubts there. But this doesn’t feel like a team. It feels like disjointed parts thrown together in a weird science experiment.
No surprise it’s failing.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
It’s why I like Kobe as well. He isn’t thin skinned and is never worried about hurting a players feelings if says a naughty word to him. He doesn’t give a fuck about being buddy buddy with every player and just wants to win more than anything. We need more hate in the NBA.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
/Jim Buss’d
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
Need to start winning at a .67 clip to get to around 45 wins, which is may get them the 8 seed in the west. So yes its possible, though not sure the Clips can get the 1 over the Thunder and Spurs.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
I think it fits the talent pretty well, sc jr. Dwight isn’t really a good enough passer to make it work in the classic sense but you have to tweak everything a little bit to fit your team. Or they could find a way to trade for Greg Monroe and just go nuts. Too bad we’ll never get to see it really play out
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
You mean the offense that inspired a book called “Seven Seconds or Less” isn’t a good idea for a high-mileage guard with bad knees, a center with a bad back, and an aging forward who works best in a half-court set?
/shocking
January 25th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
Which is why I find the anti-Garnett whining to be ridiculous
January 25th, 2013 at 1:55 PM
get the 1 over the Thunder and Spurs.
Don’t sleep on the Warriors. God, that’s weird to see.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:56 PM
What about Eric Maynor? I always liked him coming into the league. Any chance he is redeemable? Could def be had cheap.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:56 PM
Which is why I find the anti-Garnett whining to be ridiculous
there is a difference between hate and epic douchebaggery, IMO
January 25th, 2013 at 1:58 PM
I seem to recall him throwing his weight behind the offense pretty early on. But then again, Brown was fired pretty early on.
January 25th, 2013 at 1:58 PM
I’m picky about my hate though. He’s just so cunty about it.
/actually enjoy having Garnett around so I can hate on him
January 25th, 2013 at 1:58 PM
I actually have come back around to liking Garnett. I still hate him for being on the Celtics but it’s great to see somebody who pulls off the villain act so well. He’s so calculated about it
January 25th, 2013 at 1:59 PM
There was nothing wrong with the triangle, except people who don’t understand the triangle hysterically claiming it wouldn’t suit Nash.
Stark, was anti-Princeton because of Howard as a passer, and inherent lack of low post and iso.
Career backup
January 25th, 2013 at 2:01 PM
The reason it works for Kobe is he is willing to take the big shots in ig moments without a care whether he misses. KG talks a big game, but hides in big moments. So fuck that asshole.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:02 PM
He, Paul Millsap, Hakim Warrick were my fav “sleeper picks” the past few years.
I guess I’m 1.5/3 on those. Still like Warrick, I don’t care what you say.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:03 PM
Garnett doesn’t hide. He just isn’t the scorer that Kobe is
January 25th, 2013 at 2:07 PM
Also: very hard for any big man to be ‘the guy’ in the closing part of the game. Too easy to defend a main guy when he needs to get the ball passed to him. It’s why Gs who can handle the ball but create their own shot, or PFs who have the offense run through them, usually get those shots.
I don’t remember too many feeds to Shaq for game-winning post moves. Even Tim Duncan takes a disproportionately (compared to his rap/stature/scoring) low amount of those shots.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:10 PM
Link?
January 25th, 2013 at 2:12 PM
I enjoy watching Kobe. Would like to see him win the scoring title
January 25th, 2013 at 2:13 PM
The Kobe being hard to play with story is a myth started by Shaq. In the beginning, Shaq had more friends on the team and in the media. Of course the media had no love for the young Kobe because of Shaq’s popularity within their ranks, and because he was audacious enough to be the first kid to come along who was not only not intimidated by the next Jordan label, but was audacious enough to actually play and behave as if that was absolutely what he was supposed to be. He wasn’t intimidated or reverential when he went head up against the Bulls. All of the old heads looked at him as cocky and disrespectful, but as they retired and the league became more populated with players his age or younger, the more respected he became. Who is the teammate from the recent years who left the Lakers and had negative words for Kobe?
January 25th, 2013 at 2:15 PM
Smush Parker
/so nobody I guess
January 25th, 2013 at 2:15 PM
Smush Parker.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:16 PM
Franklin, they’re shamed by his work ethic and intensity. The only reasonable knock is that he shoots a tad too much. A shot or two per game, not a huge deal though
/team Kobe
January 25th, 2013 at 2:18 PM
looks like Shawn Marion was a bigger part of D’Antoni’s success than most people realize.
ditto Lamar Odom for the Lakers’ success.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:18 PM
Would have been nice to have all you Kobe guys around 4-5 years ago.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:19 PM
Shaq was also fat and lazy the 2nd half of his career, and left on bad terms with most of the teams he went away from. Sucks on TV as well.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:20 PM
You mean during the NickP LeBron lovefest?
January 25th, 2013 at 2:21 PM
In the clutch (5 min left close game), Tim Duncan was 44th in FGA last year.
http://www.82games.com/CSORT5.HTM
Since he always plays in crunch time, I think it’s fair to compare that to overall FGA/36 minutes
Was 25th in FGA/36 out of all players with 1500+ minutes
http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2012_per_minute.html
January 25th, 2013 at 2:21 PM
I always thought Shaq was lazy. Just never got fat until age caught up.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:21 PM
Some of the most annoying days of mine and cursedcleveland’s lives.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:22 PM
I don’t want to make it seem like I’m reading a ton in Duncan’s numbers… I just think it’s fair to say that guys who can create their own shots will have many more late FGAs than guys who require passes, no matter what their level of dominance earlier in the game.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:23 PM
and because he was audacious enough to be the first kid to come along who was not only not intimidated by the next Jordan label, but was audacious enough to actually play and behave as if that was absolutely what he was supposed to be
Not that he was ever compared to Jordan, per se, but Bubbachuck breaking Jordn’s ankles, rewinding, and doing it again was the watershed moment for that generation of guards.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:25 PM
trust me, I was here.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:26 PM
It went from Parker (16.7, skewed playing more minutes, so sometimes without Duncan) and Duncan 16.1 (playing more with Parker) for a full game.
To 24.7 Parker, to 19.8 Duncan.
Based on that you’d say the two get equal shots when both are on the floor, maybe even Duncan getting more earlier, since Parker would be adjusted down for both crunch time, and for playing without Duncan more than vice versa.
In crunch time, Parker got more shots than Duncan, hands down. PGs always will, IMO.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:26 PM
I’d like to think our Kobe wars were directly responsible for the site’s success. BBOB can thank us later.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:27 PM
No question, and if I remember correctly he yelled something at Jordan after that he later denied to the press.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:27 PM
I thought Manu was the big shot guy for the Spurs
January 25th, 2013 at 2:29 PM
I’m trying not to let my fanboy show too much, Darrell, but that play still gives me chills.
/Hoya Saxa
January 25th, 2013 at 2:32 PM
Nobody is responding to WWOS, but I would like to say I appreciate the knowledge your comments are providing.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:32 PM
Ginobli probably didn’t play enough last year to qualify. But he can also create his own shot better (being a guy who can drive) than a guy who needs a post feed in a decent position, and then by doing so won’t be available to rebound as well.
Duncan also at one point led the league in ‘clutch’ rebounding. It makes a lot more sense to have your best rebounder down low and your best guard shoot, than vice versa late.
But anyway the whole point is that KG shouldn’t be taking late game shots. This isn’t 2001 Timberwolves. He should sit by the hoop in case of a miss.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:33 PM
Thanks, chicago.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:33 PM
Oh I know… I was just saying that because it always seemed like cursed and I would get the most sucked in to the Kobe-LeBron wars.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:34 PM
I get what your saying, though, I’d be curious to see the usage rates. Also, I wonder if there is a way to factor in FT and/or the expected drop off in FGA for a big who has to rely on others to get him the ball in those instances.
I still think the difference in Kobe/KG hate levels is that Kobe wants to be the alpha dog always (even at times its a determent to the team), where as KG is much more comfortable deferring to others.
And I say that as a card carrying Kobe hater.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:36 PM
He is, because he isn’t that caliber of scorer. He’s probably the best defensive PF ever though
/considers TD a C
January 25th, 2013 at 2:38 PM
That moment was fanboy worthy. I still remember seeing it on Sportscenter when that meant something. That was a statement!
January 25th, 2013 at 2:38 PM
WWOS: Btw, I realize that it would be a shit ton more work to look up, but my point was not about last year, but rather over their careers.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:38 PM
You’re now beyond my data-mining ability. There are very few centers who can be alpha dogs, simply because they do require someone else to get them the ball.
If KG played point forward would he be more of an alpha? Probably not, but I don’t have the stats to make whatever case you are trying to show.
I do think it’s much more of an offense for a PG to be unable to take big shots (Rondo) vs. a center, simply because what it allows an opposing team to do.
Even if KG was the best at late-game shots (let’s say 50%-40% for someone else), his rebounding ability probably puts win percentage higher when he didn’t shoot. Who knows though…
January 25th, 2013 at 2:41 PM
Also played with Pierce, who has a premier skill set for that role
January 25th, 2013 at 2:42 PM
It was like half the state of Ohio populated this board, and then you had the EIC who would present a new slanted story every day. Or when Kobe would have a beast game, he’d have to do something like note the number of shots he took or his percentage in the game. “Kobe hit a game winner, finished with a triple double with 36 points (on 25 shots) 10 rebounds and 12 assists……..”
January 25th, 2013 at 2:45 PM
I am afraid most of my evidence in the case of Duncan would be of the anecdotal variety. I have neither the ability nor the time to see if what my eyes are telling me is reflected in the facts.
Over the last decade a lot of the Spurs offense in crunch time has ran through Duncan on the block; Manu/TP in a pick & roll with Duncan or played off of double teams of Duncan. This has understandable been shifting to more of Parker creating for himself lately though. I cannot quantitatively back that up, just what I have seen.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:46 PM
To answer your question Eric, I randomly picked a second ‘validation’ year, of 2008-2009. They change from per 36 to per 48, so just go by who has the most
Overall
Duncan – 16 FGA
Parker – 14 FGA
Ginobili – 16 FGA
Crunch time per 48
Duncan – 21
Parker – 28
Ginobili – 20
It went from Parker being third option during the game, to first option in crunch time.
Also, both Duncan and Ginobili were assisted on 45% of their shots in crunch time, vs. 27% for Parker (unsurprisingly)
January 25th, 2013 at 2:47 PM
I don’t think this really refutes anything you say necessarily, and certainly would need more time/effort/controls, but I certainly think it’s suggestive that PG usage increases during crunch time, no matter what scoring option he is during the rest of the game.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:48 PM
What about this one? Brooklyn will probably make a deal even without the extension in place.
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=aj2l5tl
January 25th, 2013 at 2:50 PM
No way Lakers are dumb enough to fuck their salary cap up that much, for those two guys. You’d rather extend Howard to a max contract.
/Lakers may in fact be dumb enough.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Kobe would definitely murder Gerald Wallace if they were on the same team.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:58 PM
Not to create more work for you, but I wonder how that difference compares to the rest of the league as far as perimeter players shots to low post players.
Oh well, good talk and thanks for doing the leg work and getting the info.
January 25th, 2013 at 2:59 PM
Lakers wil not take any contracts back that do not expire by 2013. They want tons of cap space for 2013.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:32 PM
3 Team Trade between Lakers/Knicks/Wizards
LAL get: Amar’e (team him with Dantoni/Nash)
Knicks get: Okafur and Singleton. Provides NY with a backup center who
will defend and rebound. Singleton won’t score much, but
can defend.
Wizards get: Gasol. Team him with Wall and Beal and at least get some
excitement in the capital and try and make a lower seed
playoff run in 2013-14.
The Lakers could then try and swing a deal with the Hawks for Josh Smith. Lakers could run Nash, Kobe, Smith, Artest, Amare out there.
The Knicks would releave themselves on Amar’e who’s just not working and strenthen themselves in the East. Perhaps Felton, Kid, Brewer at the 3?, Melo, Chandelr. 2nd unit would have guys like Okafur, JR Smith, Shump, Novak, Prigi Smalls.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Stoudemire’s contract is uninsured FWIW
January 25th, 2013 at 6:29 PM
This is where I should have stopped.
Why would the Lakers take a worse player on a worse contract that has an extra year on it?
Knicks would do this deal in a heartbeat to save the $4 million this year, plus millions more in luxury tax over the next 3 years. Anything (and it wouldn’t be much) Okafur and Singleton do on the court is a bonus.
Washington may do this, but I doubt Gasol’s presence on offense offsets the down grade on defense enough to get into playoffs next year. Also takes them over the cap and within luxury tax range. This hurts their chances of adding pieces in FA.
That lineup may give up 130+ on a nightly basis. Playing small and at the SSOL pace is not optimal with grey beards like Nash, Kobe, Artest and Amar’e (and his broken knees).
January 25th, 2013 at 7:31 PM
The Wizards have actually played rather well since the return of Wall. Their plan this entire time has been to get horses who can run with Wall. Gasol slows them down. Gasol isn’t a good enough primary low post option for the Wizards to make this trade. The Knicks wouldn’t make this trade, because they’re going to need the bonafide second scoring option that STAT is going to be when healthy in order to make that deep run. None of the guys this trade scenario has ticketed to the Knicks provide that option.