Report Card: Pau Gasol
We've got a few more of these to go, lest you think we forgot ...
The Lakers were already a very good team (25-11) when Andrew Bynum went down with his season-ending knee injury, ironically enough against the Grizzlies during a game in which Pau Gasol had 21/18/8. Perhaps that was the image Mitch Kupchak had in his head when he swung the Feb. 1 deal that brought the scruffy Spaniard to L.A. Whatever it was, once Gasol was on board, the Lakers went from really good to damn near unbeatable, losing only four more regular-season games (in which Pau played more than three minutes) for the rest of the year. In contrast, when Gasol missed 10 games because of an ankle injury, the Lakers went 5-5. It's hard to imagine a situation in which a player could have more quickly and effectively integrated himself into a new cast, but Gasol and the Lakers were, like Jenny and Forrest Gump, peas and carrots. His passing out of the high post helped supercharge the Lakers attack, and at the same time the Lakers didn't lose any of the chemistry on the high screen and roll that Kobe Bryant and Bynum had developed over the first half of the year.
He averaged 18.8/7.8/3.5, on 59% from the floor, with 1.6 blocks a night in 27 regular-season games. If you're a fan of the fancier metrics, Gasol's true shooting percentage was almost 64%, his effective field goal percentage nearly 59%, assist percentage 17, and PER 24. All are above, at, or just off career highs. Gasol was the perfect complement to Bryant, and even better, his presence seemed to liberate Lamar Odom, who became a very, very bad man once Gasol was on board. All told, the Lakers went from a strong challenger in the Western Conference to the prohibitive favorite to reach the Finals. All while adding a solid personality and increasing the amount of media traffic next to Derek Fisher's locker (spots formerly occupied by Javaris Crittenton and Kwame Brown) by a factor of approximately seven gazillion.
This, to reiterate, was a very good trade.
In the playoffs, Gasol's overall numbers were still strong- 16.9/9.3/4.0, plus nearly two blocks a night. He had strong efforts in the Denver and Utah series, and though he struggled in the Conference Finals and against Boston for the Larry O, there were good moments as well. Against San Antonio, Gasol's scoring and rebounding, especially early in the series, were limited, but on the other hand, he did a very good job defensively against Tim Duncan. And don't forget, the Big Fundamental isn't exactly a slouch guarding the rack, either.
In the Finals, no question Gasol had difficulty enforcing his will, so to speak, but while he couldn't get it going with consistency against Kevin Garnett and the tight Boston D, he again played reasonably strong against Garnett on the other end. My point isn't that he dominated in the series, and certainly he was absolutely atrocious in Game 6, but some of the flak he received through the Finals was, in my estimation, unfair. Gasol would finish with double-doubles in four of the six games, and while there was a lack of consistency in his production, the same could be said for everyone else on the team. Nobody, from Gasol to LO to Kobe to the guys on the bench, was able to generate sustained success through against the Celtics.
That, and the fact that Boston was a better team, helps explain why the Lakers lost.
Playing out of his natural power forward slot eventually began to wear on Gasol as he was asked on a nightly basis to do some things he's not naturally inclined to do. But I was impressed with Gasol's willingness to try (even if unsuccessfully) to body up and get aggressive. It would have been nice to see it happen more often, but when challenged he usually responded, and even through the Boston and San Antonio series where he was quiet offensively, Gasol frequently logged important points and rebounds late, indicating he was working hard to the end.
Game 6 was a nightmare, but don't let it detract from the monumental impact his arrival had on the Lakers, nor the quality of his play on the floor. He's not a perfect player, but he's pretty damn good, and in this system, playing option B or even 1A on some nights, Gasol was able to thrive on a personal level while greasing the wheels for the guys around him.
GRADE: A-
BK
Pau was definitely a perfect fit for the triangle offense. I'm not sure if any other big man could've come in and the offense not skip a beat like that. I absolutely can't wait to see him lined up next to Bynum next season...should be the best front line in the league, regardless of whether it's Odom or Artest that's up front with them.
Posted by: deezy76 | July 11, 2008 at 11:10 AM
A-............
I think that's a bit low for a guy who,as you acknowledge, played out of position. I am quite anxious to see what Pau can do at PF with AB to anchor the middle! Move Pau out to the 4 and he's no longer outmatched, but rather his length will allow him to defend other PF's quite well, especially with AB behind him. As you said BK, his effort while playing out of position was excellent, even if he was outwieghed and could be muscled a bit by other centers. I do not suscribe to the opinion that Pau is soft, just that he's been out of position his entire NBA career.
Posted by: toad | July 11, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Lift Weights and gain Upper and Lower Body Strength!
Tapas forever!
Sangria!
Elena Anaya!
Paz Vega!
Posted by: Charles | July 11, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Can some kind friend please help me find some quality NBA blogs for a project of mine? I would be greatly indebted for any help with this.
I know the LA Times has a pretty good one, but anyone else? Any weird/unique ones? What was that blog award the LA Times blog won this year, some kind of fan appreciation thing? Anyone remember?
Thanks,
Wes
Posted by: Wes J. Nixon | July 11, 2008 at 11:15 AM
I would have gave gasol a "A" and ditched the minus. I no he didn't show up in the finals most wish he would have but his addition (and bynums improvement) really made the lakers the team to beat. Even wih just bynum I don't think the lakers would have been the #1 seed in the west. Gasol was just what they needed to et over that hump
Posted by: richtown | July 11, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Reasonable grade. The confounding thing about Gasol is that his relative toughness on the defensive end does not transfer to the offensive end. Many accuse him of being soft, but I think that really only applies offensively (please, Pau, every layup attempt from this year should be a dunk attempt next year). Defensively, he showed a willingness to bang with the big guys, so his softness on the offensive end was hard to understand.
A summer spent in the gym working on the jumper from the high post will make this guy an absolutely phenomenal fit in the triangle with Kobe & Andrew.
Posted by: Leo | July 11, 2008 at 11:19 AM
And with Bynum manning the middle and Gasol moving back
to his more natural PF spot, he may earn an A+ this season.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 11, 2008 at 11:23 AM
A-men!
I like it and a really good summary AK!
And I have been waiting for anything else to discuss besides potential trade scenarios!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: PsychedLakerGirl | July 11, 2008 at 11:27 AM
A-, that's legit.
-bozz-
Posted by: bozz | July 11, 2008 at 11:28 AM
I think that's a fair grade. People might say he was "soft" or whatever at times, but you can't fault a guy for being who he is. If your grading based on how well he did against his maximum potential, I think A- is a solid bet.
I'm still very interested to see how Bynum and Pau fit together on the court at the same time. I think both are very good help defenders and since they'll probably split time being the primary defender on the other team's best post player, the interior defense should vastly improve.
Posted by: Andrew Z | July 11, 2008 at 11:31 AM
I agree with that report card of Gasol. He played incredibly well all year (when he was here anyway). Add in the fact that he was playing out of position (that is tough for him given his lack of strength and girth lol) and u really start to comprehend how well he played for us.
I think that we haven't really seen the real Gasol yet for the most part yet tho. Putting him at the 4 really opens his game up even more. It's funny how important Bynum became to this team in the matter of months.
Posted by: bonez | July 11, 2008 at 11:40 AM
According to Hoopshype and a Spanish New Site (marca), the Lakers have made an offer to Jorge Garbagejosa.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | July 11, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Gasol
Well stated BK.
I'm hearing lately that now it takes 3 star to win it all, and I think that might be true. This year we had Pau and Kobe. Next year we add Bynum, and that's 3 stars playing together.
If we get Artest that's 4 and unbeatable if everybody's healthy.
San Antonio has Duncan, Parker and Ginobli.
Boston has Garnett, Allen and Pierce.
New Orleans has Peja, West, and Paul.
Yes I believe you now need 3 stars to win it.
John
Posted by: john_in_houston | July 11, 2008 at 11:47 AM
For this grade, I generally agree. But, the scary part is that Gasol has room to grow. He can hit the weights this summer, get a little more used to banging around, plus he'll be PF next season.
You know, that is really scary. He's just too quick for most of the guys he'll face game-after-game.
Behind him will be AB.
Wow!
Then, you have to consider that LO will be our starting small forward. He will completely overwhelm all but maybe two other SF's in the league.
Wow!
I can't wait 'till next season!
--Fearless
Posted by: Fearless | July 11, 2008 at 12:00 PM
A- is too high since he crumbled when it counted most. I'd give him a B or a B+
Gasol showed trouble with physicality in the late regular season, particularly against teams like the Blazers.
He never corrected the problem and always blamed the refs instead of adjusting. That's not fighting. That's whining.
He's a good regular season player, but he was totally exposed in playoff away games.
I believe he can fix these issues. It may just take some time. He'll step up better in the playoffs.
His need to get tougher will be only partly rememdied by him playing the 4. He needs to get T'd up once in a while with excessive physicality. He needs to stop falling down. Bend your damn knees, guy! Lean into the other guy. He needs to hold the other guy some, push, scuffle some.
He's a gentleman and a scholar. During games, he needs to forget about all that.
All in all, huge acquisition. He integrated amazingly well into our offense. He should be a good guy to have for years to come.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 11, 2008 at 12:01 PM
That's a good assessment; his performance was especially good considering the lack of pre-season/training camp with this system and roster, and considering that he had some issues with injuries, too.
It seemed like he lost confidence in his 15-18 foot shot somewhat towards the end; if he can make that consistently next season it will make Bynum, who is already totally unstoppable and the best of all time, even more unstoppable and bester of all time.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 11, 2008 at 12:03 PM
It seems to me this trade should be done.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8332134/Report:-Lakers-approach-Kings-about-Artest
Posted by: dcerros | July 11, 2008 at 12:04 PM
If the Lakers don't match Ronny's contract, the Clippers should
make a play for either Biedrins or Ellis.
Maggette's and Turiaf's contracts would bring them up around
50 million in salaries and the cap is at 59 milion.
Offer Biedrins 10 million a year for 3 years. Golden State
reportedly offered much less than that. If Golden State flinches,
then you've got a young energetic (overpaid) PF for 3 years (but at least it's not 5 or 6 years). If they bite, and
pay Biedrins, then you turn around and offer Ellis 50
million over 5 years. So then the Warriors can either choose
to move into luxury tax to keep both players or they can let
one of them go.
Davis-Ellis-Thornton-Kaman could be a decent core of
players, with Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and Nick
Fazekas having the potential to become good role players.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 11, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Couldn’t agree more with your grade assessment for Gasol BK;
But as the saying goes, you’re usually remembered by the characteristically quick to forget fans to only be as good as your last game (or in this instance “series”). Therefore, as with the progress of Lamar Odom this season. All the monumental good Gasol made as you point out here which he bought from the time he joined the team. Along with the lavish praise Kupchak received for pulling off one of the steals of the century. Is now all but lost after the poor showing against Boston.
Never mind that Gasol a career forward had to carry the load and carried it outstandingly while playing out of position at center all last season. Never mind that Gasol was bought in only to hold down the fort until Bynum’s return. And who’s main purpose is play off Bynum at center as a PF. And not to replace him.
Now many think he’s just a weak Euro who needs to be traded pronto.
Ridicules…
Ho-Hum, well fans will always be fans I guess…
Posted by: LoveTheLakeShow | July 11, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Great report guys - if people can take the Game 6 Goggles of Pain (TM) for a few moments, they'll hopefully remember what a stud Pau was for us this year. Until he got killed in the Finals by the Celtics physical attack (as you pointed out, he faced the serious challenge of playing out of position), Pau had an absolutely monstrous effect on the Lakers down the stretch. I can't imagine going from total insecurity that my passes into the post would end up in Lou Adler's hands to seeing them consistently converted into points, but Kobe's demeanor in the last months of the season gave me a pretty good idea. Like anyone else who suffered during the Finals, I recognize Pau's need to add a few pounds of muscle and a modicum of mental toughness when facing more physical teams, but that has no effect on my celebration of the best trade of last season.
Imagine what a full year in the Lakers system will do for Pau; don't underestimate the hunger for a ring after finally getting within reach of one, either. I'm not that worried about Pau and AB playing together, but I am glad that I'm not the one who'll be figuring out the ideal rotations if Farmar, KB, Lamar, Pau and AB are the primary starters. It'll take a while to find the perfect mix, but I go into next season confident that, all things being equal (especially a healthy team), the Lakers are the prohibitive favorites to bring home the title next year.
PS For those still convinced I'm a moron for my suggestion to bring back Kwame and Smush, please refer to the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_modest_proposal
PPS Just Say No To Ron Artest for LO
Posted by: Tully Moxness | July 11, 2008 at 12:17 PM
BK,
I probably would have went for a B+, but A- is OK by me.
I think when he moves to the 4 next season with Bynum back, he will flourish.
Bynum and Pau COULD be the best frontcourt in the NBA over the next 5 years.
Posted by: Eric M. | July 11, 2008 at 12:33 PM
I wouldn't want to risk a summer Lakers blog going without
discussion of a possible Odom trade, so I'll add this into this
thread.
Next season, presumably Bynum will start at center, moving
Gasol to PF and Odom out to SF. Sounds really nifty having
a 7 7 6-10 front court, but it's not as rosy as it seems.
Odom's greatest asset is his rebounding. Will he still be getting
10 rebounds a game (almost 3 of them offensive rebounds) if
he's playing more on the wing than in the post? I don't think
so. My guess is that if he keeps up his aggressive rebounding
tendencies, but starts from the wing, it's more like 6 to 7 a
game.
And Odom's greatest weakness is his 3-point shooting. 27% is
pretty pitiful. And hitting the 3-pointer is an important part of
the SF position in the triangle.
So if he is moved to starting SF, Lamar's greatest asset becomes
reduced and his greatest weakness becomes magnified.
Artest, on the other hand, shot 38% on 3-pointers last season.
And he got about 6 rebounds playing on the wing, which
is decent -- 11th best rebounding in the league by a SF.
If you're worried about the rebounds, consider this. Using
their per-48 rebound numbers from last season:
Bynum - 16.9
Odom - 13.5
Radmanovic - 7.0
Total for this frontcourt - 37.4
Gasol - 11.1
Odom - 13.5
Radmanovic - 7.0
Total for this frontcourt - 31.6
Bynum - 16.9
Gasol -11.1
Artest - 7.3
Total for this frontcourt - 35.3
So, they'd be a hair off from Bynum/Odom, but still pretty
darn good.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 11, 2008 at 12:37 PM
This from HoopsWorld:
The Los Angeles Lakers are officially on the clock as restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf signs an offer sheet with the Golden State Warriors. The exact numbers have yet to be made public but the offer is thought to be $17 million over the next four seasons. LA can match the offer by July 17th to keep Turiaf.
If they do so, he will have veto power on any trade for a full year. During that time, he can't be traded to the Warriors under any circumstances.
Turiaf has been a great influence in the locker room. He's great for team chemistry and fills a useful role of the bench. His performance in this year's playoff was underwhelming but he's still a young, developing player.
Separately, a Spanish publication of unknown veracity noted recently that the Lakers have made overtures to free agent Spanish forward Jorge Garbajosa, formerly of the Toronto Raptors. The article suggested he'd be a replacement for Lamar Odom or Vladimir Radmanovic should either be traded.
There could be some truth that LA looks at Garbajosa down the road but it shouldn't be taken too seriously as of yet especially coming off recent injuries (ankle, etc). He could be part of a contingency plan to round out the roster but don't expect an afternoon press conference.
The likelihood remains that the Lakers hold tight to the team that got all the way to Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Sources close to the team insist the roster will go under minimal changes this summer.
While the conclusion of the series showed the Lakers still have a ways to go, there is some serious thought that the addition of a healthy Andrew Bynum (as well as Trevor Ariza) may be all the franchise needs to make the next step.
The Turiaf decision forces their hand somewhat in that they could lose a regular contributor. So too would the loss of Sasha Vujacic who has yet to sign an offer sheet.
The juicy piece LA has to send out in a blockbuster trade is Lamar Odom - who is in the final year of his contract at $14.1 million. At times Odom was a major factor (Utah Jazz series) but in the Finals he struggled against the Boston Celtics.
The same sources say the Lakers want to see the big front court of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Odom in action before making a change.
Still, rumors persist that the team may look to make a change now, before they lose Turiaf and Vujacic.
The Odom buzz surrounds three players: Ron Artest, Shawn Marion and Kirk Hinrich.
The more popular rumor comes from Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee. Amick notes that the Sacramento Kings would likely try to pawn off Kenny Thomas' contract in any Odom/Artest swap. His sources indicated the Lakers were indeed willing to trade Odom for Artest.
Artest wouldn't be the issue in that deal. With extensions needed for both Artest and Bynum - in addition to the salaries Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol - the Lakers salary would be staggering next year (2009-10). It just doesn't seem remotely feasible that LA would in addition pay Thomas $8.6 million - that would in effect be doubled with luxury taxes to $17.2 million.
Obviously there are ways to dump salary but Thomas with Artest seems a stretch. On the other hand, if LA could part with one of their forwards (Luke Walton or Vladimir Radmanovic) in a bigger deal - that might justify taking on Thomas, especially if the Lakers could trim $2-3 million in salary off of the current year.
The other factor to consider is the rivalry factor. Do the Kings really look to help the Lakers? Is an Odom/Walton for Artest/Thomas swap equitable to Sacramento (let alone the Lakers)?
There hasn't been much movement on the Marion front. Those rumors surfaced before the NBA Draft. Pat Riley insists the HEAT aren't shopping Marion.
Considering the Lakers have Ariza, Walton and Radmanovic at the three - in addition to Kobe Bryant who is often most effective in the front court - perhaps it would make more sense for the Lakers to look for a long term solution at the point.
Derek Fisher was a tremendous presence last year in his return to the club but he will turn 34 before the upcoming season begins. Jordan Farmar had a very strong regular season but at just 6'2", 180 lbs - he may not be big enough to be a full-time starter for Coach Phil Jackson. Farmar is a solid spark off the bench but he has his limitations - most visibly against the Utah Jazz where he was completely dominated by Deron Williams.
Hinrich isn't that much bigger but at 6'3", 190 lbs he might be a strong long-term fit alongside Bryant, Gasol and Bynum. The Lakers would have to take a player like Cedric Simmons to balance out the salaries in this theoretical swap.
To be clear, the prevailing rumor is that the Lakers do not make any wholesale change this summer. The minor buzz may be interesting to debate but fans shouldn't expect much.
Still, if the Lakers were so bold to cut the cord on the Lamar Odom experiment and cash him in early for someone who might be a better fit - now would be the time before they lose Turiaf (or Vujacic).
Turiaf can be a valuable big man off the bench and the price tag of $4 million a season isn't outlandish, even if it's more than LA anticipated.
Of course, the Lakers are over the luxury tax threshold so every dollar spent is doubled - Turiaf for $8 million a season suddenly doesn't sound so reasonable.
Considering Bynum's agent David Lee has been clear that he expects his client to get a maximum contract which is currently $13.8 million (it will go up slightly next year), the Lakers are going to be paying the luxury tax for the foreseeable future.
Bryant may opt out and (in theory) re-sign a new, long-term deal but taking his number at $23 million and Bynum's at $14 million - the Lakers would have $66.9 million committed to just six players.
Whether trading for Artest or Marion or looking to extend Odom, the price tag to retain any of the three is probably eight figures. Should they trade for Hinrich, that's seven players at $76.7 million.
For reference, this year's luxury tax threshold is set at $71.15 million.
It's up to Lakers' owner Dr. Jerry Buss to shoulder the financial burden. The Lakers, a lucrative organization to begin with, just raised ticket prices. Perhaps Buss will be willing to pay for a winner. The average fan doesn't care if he's paying $60 million or $100 million for a player- as long as the team is winning.
For now the Lakers have to make a smaller, albeit important decision on Turiaf. The Warriors will have their answer by Thursday.
Posted by: BD | July 11, 2008 at 12:39 PM
A- is generous considering he wilted (that's wilted, not "Wilt-ed") in the playoffs.
Posted by: James Deen | July 11, 2008 at 12:46 PM
The trade for Gasol really put us into a championship contender caliber team.
I don't care what anyone says about Gasol's supposed "softness" or lack of aggression, but his arrival made an immediate impact on our team. When he was injured, the team faltered, when he came back, the team was re-energized.
It's a pity we never got to see Pau and Andrew together on the hardwood working side by side, but I can't wait to see the lineup of Gasol/Bynum/Kobe/Lamar/Fish next year.
It's going to be exciting. I just hope the rumors about the Lakers trading for Artest for Odom isn't true.
Posted by: PeanutButterSpread | July 11, 2008 at 12:50 PM
JORGE GARBAJOSA PLAYER PROFILE
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jorge-Garbajosa-5182/
Here is excerpt on Garbo’s strengths and weaknesses. If his knee and ankle are healed, he could be an excellent vet to have backing of power forward and give us a 4 who can shoot the 3. I like what they say about his defense and toughness. Better than Ronny? Maybe. Cheaper? For sure.
>>>>>
Basketball IQ is the trademark of Garbajosa. He’s one of the best players in Europe in taking decisions on both ends of the court. He fully understands the game and tries to take advantage of it constantly for him and for his teammates. He’s first a team player, even when he presides as the leader.
Garbajosa gains most of his offensive advantages on the perimeter, forcing his matchup to step out thanks to his reliable perimeter stroke, and enjoying range that likely extends out to the NBA three-point line. Meanwhile, he will punish his man for guarding him too closely by taking him off the dribble and looking for the layup. He’s a nice ball-handler and will rarely turn it over.
Still, as important as his own advantages is the fact that he does a tremendous job clearing space in the paint for his team’s center, allowing him to operate more comfortably with the room he creates. Garbajosa himself will feed him or move the ball so it can reach that spot. If he’s guarded by a smaller defender, he can take him to the low post, where he usually tries to attract defensive help and feed an open teammate. He’s a very good passer, not spectacular, but tremendously effective, particularly within the flow of the offense. And he’s constantly working to make the offense run smoothly, setting picks and moving without the ball.
Besides being a perimeter-shooting big man, he fulfils another international stereotype: he’s a great player forcing personal fouls, mainly in slashing situations.
What makes Garbajosa so special is that he’s as good defensively as he is offensively. He delivers every bit of intensity and intelligence to get the job done. His lateral movement is quite nice, and he’s also a tough guy. Considering his limited physical and athletic gifts, he’s a remarkable shot-blocker who shows excellent timing, although it’s hard to picture him getting any significant production in this department in the NBA.
Not a bad rebounder in the international game, it remains to be seen how he fares against much bigger opponents in the NBA. His aggressiveness and smartness should help him, though.
Weaknesses
It’s obvious, glaring and quite concerning the poor combination of size and athleticism that Garbajosa possesses. He’s a 6-9 power forward with limited leaping ability and nothing more than decent quickness. That makes the transition of his skills to the NBA level very questionable.
His decision making has one flaw: his shot selection is not always the best. Sometimes he’ll settle for the three-pointer excessively, even if he’s not making them. However, that has been the case when he has enjoyed a leading role on his team; in a more marginal role, it’s hard to picture him going overboard with his perimeter stroke. Still, it’s quite probable that he will suffer with the transition to the NBA three-point line, even if you can see him knocking down long treys in Europe.
Originally a low post player, Garbajosa has lost some of his skills there. He suffers trying to finish around the basket unless he manages to release a turnaround jumper. Rarely utilizing his hook shot, he instead prefers to pass the ball to an open teammate.
>>>>
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 11, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Pau Gasol is nice!!!!! I don't know why anyone would even question that. He's naturally a forward, has the interior and perimeter game as a forward. When he's able to play the forward position along with Bynum it's going to be a nightmare for everyone in the league. Did you see the way Gasol's complete package blended so well in the triangle. There was no adjustment time needed whatsover. By the championship series, he was the one telling guys where to go in the offense. To me, that shows that the addition of Bynum will blend terrificly!!! Ihate we might lose Ronny!
Posted by: Sid | July 11, 2008 at 12:57 PM
AK
Splendid job. I predicted an “A-” for Pau and for Kobe, just like Lamar and Drew, and it kind of makes sense because all four guys were critical to the team’s success this year but needed to play better in the Finals to ultimately get a straight “A.” When you are done, could you please list all of the grades together in a table. I think it would give your critics some food for thought when then see the grades in perspective of the team. After all, that is the curve that it seems that you are following, at least that’s what it looks like to me.
You would have been an excellent teacher and fair grader. Ever considered that when you were younger? All though high school, my plans were to be come an English teacher and basketball coach. As often happens, those dreams were replaced by other ventures and adventures but you can still see those roots as I blithely blog along with you guys. Looking forward to seeing Pau and his brother and Garbo and Rubio play for Spain this summer. Thank God we have something at least BB related to keep us going. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 11, 2008 at 01:01 PM
john_in_houston,
>>San Antonio has Duncan, Parker and Ginobli.
>>Boston has Garnett, Allen and Pierce.
>>New Orleans has Peja, West, and Paul.
>>Yes I believe you now need 3 stars to win it.
You left one out...
Miami had Wade, Shaq...
and the referees.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 11, 2008 at 01:01 PM
I think all you out there in Lakerland will enjoy this video.
http://break.com/index/shaq-jumps-over-escalade2.html
Posted by: Walt Frazier | July 11, 2008 at 01:09 PM
I Pau's an A- which I think is legit, LO is a B-.
I think any NBA fan can attest that Lamar Odom is a B player in this league and Pau is an A-.
Just cuz LO invites you nerds to his BBQs, doesn't mean you had to grade him as high as you did.
Posted by: htj | July 11, 2008 at 01:16 PM
BD,
If we give up LO for Hinrich I'll guarantee, GUARANTEE, a riot, bank on it. That's the worst possible scenario of the three. Terrible, unless we get Deng with him, even then it's somewhat weak.
Damn.
-bozz-
Posted by: bozz | July 11, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Honestly, trading for Artest is a no brainer to me. The position that we are lacking the most is the position the man plays. We need a lock down defender, as much as I love Ariza he hasn't prove to be a lock down defender. On the other hand, Artest has proved to be one of the better defenders in the whole league. All this silly talk about not trading for Artest is just what it is, silly. If Mitch is that interested to offer Lamar, I will think he knows more than us.
As for the trade for Gasol, I think I was the one most vocal on this blog about going after Gasol, more than Garnett and Oneal. I basically got my wish when we got him, and I could not have been more happier. He sure made our lives more rosier when Bynum went down. The man still has alot of upsides, and I believe he will prove himself to be a champion in this league. He's intelligent and stays motivated. I expect to see a more determined Gasol next year. He Had several games with Kobe that both players put up 30 points game at the same time, and no one noticed the numbers. He surely deserves a A-.
Posted by: wow | July 11, 2008 at 01:18 PM
Aloha
I am really looking forward to Pau at the PF next year. Just look what he did against Boston, the one game he had KG another PF guarding him. 19 points, 13 boards and 6 assists, with 2 blks. As far as defense is concerned KG only had a game and a half of good offensive production and Pau made Duncan work for everything he got as well. With Andrew back we will dominate the paint this year.
MH
Posted by: michael h | July 11, 2008 at 01:21 PM
BOSTON CELTICS: HEY! WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO LOS ANGELES CAMPING TRIP. THEY SAY WE'LL ROAST MARSHMELLOWS AND HAVE A GOOD OLD TIME.
LOL!
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 11, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Thirty2,
Here what I think and have always thought.
The Lakers vs. Jazz.
The Lakers win because the Jazz banger is Boozer. Boozer is only 6'9. It's true he a banger but he's too short to completely stop the marshmellow Gasol. Then their center is Mehmet Okur. Okur is strictly an outside player. He has very little inside game and defense is not his game. The marshmellow Gasol will do well against the Jazz.
Lakres vs Spurs
Against the Spurs: I said it throughout the season that the Spurs were a very good defensive team but I also said that they were too old.
If the Spurs restock properly around Duncan, Ginobli and Parker...they will beat the Lakers.
Lakers vs Pistons
The Pistons...I'm not too sure they could beat the Lakers because they're getting too old, too.
Lakers vs Trailblazers
If I'm correct (If I'm right again, as usual) then the Portland Trailblazers are going to kill the Lakers.
Lakers vs Suns
If the Lakers play the Suns the Lakers will have a lot of trouble. The Suns are going away from that small ball. I did watch the Suns a lot after the Shaq trade. At first they started slow. Then when Shaq got into the flow the Suns started doing well. Then as I watch the Suns games I noticed something. Everytime they took Shaq out of the game the Suns relied on that small ball and would give up a lead. I think that's why the Suns got rid of D'Antoni. If Shaq only plays defense and Amare handles the bulk of the offensive scoring down low....they will beat the Lakers. The marshmellow Gasol can't handle a defensive Suns team with both Amare and Shaq.
Lakers vs. Dallas
I have no idea how this is going to play out.
Here's the conclusion of the matter:
Lakers vs. Jazz = Softie vs. Softie: Advantage Lakers
Softie (marshmellow Gasol) vs. any other softie, the Lakers win because Gasol can score and then you have Kobe Bryant.
Softie vs banger but banger is too short. Advantage Lakers because the marshmellow Gasol has long arms. (look at Gasol vs. Glen Davis of the Celtics. Davis made Gasol work for position but was to shot to contest the shot.)
Marshmellow Gasol is not a championship big man. And Bynum is nothing but a question mark at this point. But there's one question about Bynum that has already been answered: He got pushed around by Boston in the regular season when the Celtic beat the Lakers twice.
Jerry West said that Bynum/Gasol won't work because both are too slow footed and the Lakers would get burned by transition basketball.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 11, 2008 at 01:31 PM
Walt Frazier,
Haha! Fake, but f-ing awesome.
Well done.
"MVP b****!"
-bozz-
Posted by: bozz | July 11, 2008 at 01:34 PM
ABOUT PAU, EUROS, AND SOFT…
Now that the sports media hyperbole of the Celtics beating the Lakers in the Finals and the accompanying indictments of the Lakers toughness have passed and the pendulum of common sense is now hovering above normal after violently swinging into overreaction, I want to return to a sensitive subject that Staples 24 started with his politically incorrect post that insinuated that black players were tougher than white or half-white players, even grading the “darkness” of players as if white blood diluted their natural “toughness.”
When Sonny Belfast humorously posted that we should interpret “soft” to mean “white” whenever we read or hear comments about NBA players, he may not have been kidding. What do NBA reporters and analysts mean when they say a player is “soft?” When they question whether there are “too many Euros” on a team, isn’t that just a more politically correct way of saying a team just has “too many soft guys” or “too many white guys?” Compton posted back and criticized Staples for posting his comments but acknowledged that he and his relatives had been saying the exact same thing watching the Finals.
We may not be able to eliminate the bias that was the subplot of White Men Can’t Jump but we can at least not hide behind innuendos and double speak when we talk about the NBA and teams having too many Euros when what we mean is too many white players. At the same time, we need to be careful not to allow stereotypes and generalities that we all recognize in large size populations to influence our judgments of individual persons. Despite glaring exceptions, most of us know that – in general – white men can’t jump and black players are more athletic, Euros are better shooters and Americans better drivers. Hell, I’ll even admit that most Asians are terrible drivers. LOL.
One of my favorite ESPN writes, Jason Whitlock, was the guest host on Jim Rome this morning and had a terrific take at the end of the show on Jesse Jackson’s comments about cutting off Barack Obama’s balls and what the reaction would have been if the comments had been made by a white person. To make a long story short, the point of Jason’s take was that we all need to back off from being so sensitive about comments that people say that might be offensive to some other person, race, religion, or culture because most of us have at one time or another been just as guilty of the same – whether we’re white, black, yellow, or some other shade. We’re all human and biased in millions of ways.
I remember Barack Obama commenting how insensitive and crude racist comments from his white grandmother, who loved him with all her heart, literally had made him “cringe.” I have had the exact same experience with my 90-year old Chinese father and understand. The history making reality that we may soon elect the country’s first biracial president is a testament to the greatness of our country and a benchmark to remind us that we really are one nation and one people after all. Even on the LA Times Lakers Blog.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 11, 2008 at 01:52 PM
htj-
Don't forget, it was also a pool party.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 11, 2008 at 01:58 PM
Long Time,
Excellent points on Lakers rebounding. That is probably my biggest concern about losing Lamar, that and the impact on chemistry. I wouldn’t trade Lamar yet but will support whatever decision the Lakers come to as I trust them to do the right thing.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 11, 2008 at 02:08 PM
LakerTom,
Jason Whitlock is a bit$$. I do think his strategy of been one of a kind journalist is pretty smart, but it does not take away from his bit$$ness.
Posted by: wow | July 11, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Lamar Odom for Kirk Hinrich and Cedric Simmons
Sign James Posey
Backcourt and Frontcourt is set.
Posted by: Oscar | July 11, 2008 at 02:11 PM
dcerros
It seems to me this trade should be done.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8332134/Report:-Lakers-approach-Kings-about-Artest
Posted by: dcerros | July 11, 2008 at 12:04 PM
I see some alumni in that blog too!
Posted by: Charles | July 11, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Charles,
Paz Vega!!! YES!!!
Posted by: Oscar | July 11, 2008 at 02:13 PM
ok im back. we los angeles times blog as a unity give pau gasol the grade of a. we also beleive that he will fit perfecly in his normal position next year of pf. freinds garbajosa is an excellent shooter but is his leg a bum. i took the time to study him on video and he remins me of peja stokavocich. very natural release the ball into basket. how do you think sascha is right now. has he received an offer outside of the los angeles lakers california. ok for now.
Posted by: ding how in prattville | July 11, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Mike T,
I've never seen a fan of a team take more delight in the failures of their supposed "favorite team."
You made excuse after excuse for why Kwame Brown was the key to the Lakers success, despite the limited success we experienced with him. And now after months later after leaving the blog, because Kwame gets traded you're trying to downgrade the team in some strange attempt to prove yourself right.
Get over it, you were wrong. Kwame sucks because he has limited basketball skill, and he couldn't even get off the bench for a team that had Darko Milicic in the starting lineup. Darko Milicic! The only reason Darko isn't the biggest bust in recent NBA history is because Kwame exists. Kwame is an athletic big man who is having trouble finding work in this league and even defensive-minded coaches like Jeff Van Gundy think the guy is a joke and thought the Lakers stole Gasol in that trade.
Posted by: Xodus | July 11, 2008 at 02:14 PM
Are you listening on the Loose Cannons?
I have good news and bad news to relay.
Bad News:
1. Lakers doctors have NOT CLEARED Andrew Bynum to run at all. So all these speculations of how much is he worth, are worthless at this time. He has been out since January and until he can show the beef, why should we take the combo with the drinks. I am also wondering why are the Lakers doctors not included in Bynum's medical condition. Are the Lakers not qualified to handle ACL spurs? Does he have to go to NY to determine if he can play?
2. With all the indications of Summer League roster, other preliminary moves, Lakers on the verge of not matching Ronny Turiaf. The blogs, mainstream media are projecting that he becomes a Warrior. (To all young guys in the blog - if you happen to see a Laker dancing, cheering and celebrating with gusto, it doesn't mean he will be a Laker for life. That's what I heard and read on his interview. Money is a big motivating force that overrides passion.
What are the good news?
A. I read in LA Times paper that the Maloof Bros are here in the Orange County Fairgrounds putting up the Skateboarding events. In fact, they produced the rich contest called Maloof Money Cup. After all the speculation of hate LA, you can't really remove LA from the map of Sports America. There are so many olympians and talented players in our school system who call LA and its environs as their home. Therefore, if Maloof Bros. give Artest to the Lakers in exchange of Odom, it's just a fair deal. Lakers are equally helping them to improve their team with our beloved, Lamar, If they continue to antagonize the Lakers and their fans, it can have a negative effect on Maloof Companies like the Palm Resort Casino in Vegas as well as their fascination of the X games,
B, I said earlier that Ronny Turiaf move will not be matched by the Lakers Here is why?
At 5pm today, do not miss the Lakers Pro League game on NBA TV. Here are the Lakers roster
http://tinyurl.com/668qgk
I thought we will be watching only Joe Crawford and Coby Karl. I did not know that the other participants are composed of local team players like Davon Jefferson of Trojans 12ppg, 6.3rpg 6'8' PF (Step aside Luke haha!) and Lorenzo Mata-Real 3.1 PPG 3.5 RPG 6'9" PF (Step aside Vlad haha!) Isn't that exciting Mata-Real becomes the Laker Dozer a poor man PJ Brown and Cedric Bozeman of Bruins and also match advertised Marcelus Kemp of Nevada-Reno.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | July 11, 2008 at 02:15 PM
This offseason will show Kwame's true worth. On a team that doesn't have an established center; they can re-sign him to a significant deal if they want. Or he could be offered an MLE by just about any team. Apparently Philadelphia, the Clippers, and Golden State weren't interested in him.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 11, 2008 at 02:19 PM
LakerTom,
Very good post.
If our black guys are so hard, why are we not the Olympic champions right now? Maybe we need a few white guys on our Olympic team.
If Gasol has to play center, he's going to get pushed around and outmuscled. If he's playing PF, he matches up with anyone in the NBA. Gasol is not soft because he got pushed around by a guy who outweighs him by 75 pounds. Anyone with that disadvantage would get pushed around.
Gasol is not soft. From what I see, he's a big time competitor. He does need to build a little more strength. He did play well against Duncan though, and that's the measure I look at when evaluating Gasol. Kendrick Perkins was not a natural matchup for Gasol, so to base Gasol's performance on that matchup just isn't fair to Gasol as a PF.
Give Gasol a full training camp, and Andrew Bynum backing him up, and we'll see this guy reach his full potential.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rocky | July 11, 2008 at 02:20 PM
ARTEST TO LAKERS? CRAZY ENOUGH TO WORK
By Charley Rosen for FoxSports.com
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8333122/Artest-to-Lakers?-Crazy-enough-to-work
Interesting comments that it was Jim Buss who convinced his dad not to trade for Artest, when he was available from Indiana before going to Sacramento. Here is a key excerpt:
>>>>> So, then, factoring in all the knowns and all the guesses, the Lakers
>>>>>bringing in Artest certainly involves their taking considerable risks.
>>>>>But if dethroning the Celtics is the organization's uppermost motivation,
>>>>>then it's a gamble well worth taking.
>>>>>In truth, it's a gamble they absolutely must take.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 11, 2008 at 02:22 PM