Pau Gasol a Bull?
Added on Feb 24, 2012 by Scott in
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It seems like Lakers forward Pau Gasol has been on the block for the last two years and with the NBA trade deadline less than a month away, rumors of his exit from L.A. are flying fast and furious. One of the more intriguing scenarios involves Bulls MVP point guard Derrick Rose. No, Rose isn’t going anywhere, but he might be using his influence to bring Gasol to the Windy City.
Rose is adamant the story about him actively recruiting Gasol (or anyone else) is completely baseless.
“I heard about it after (Monday’s) game,” Rose said. “That’s something I wouldn’t say to anyone, that I need someone to come to this team or I’m trying to get rid of someone on this team. It was all false and that’s something I would never do.”
The supposed deal would ship Carlos Boozer and backup point guard C.J. Watson to the Lakers in exchange for Gasol. That kind of swap might make sense for both teams, but this isn’t fantasy basketball. Just because a bunch of names get tossed around in a hat and linked to one another means little.
Whether or not Gasol is dealt, expect the rumors to persist until the March 16th deadline is reached. However, it’s not as if the guy is playing like a stiff. On the contrary, his points and rebounds are on par with his career averages, and he has yet to miss a game due to injury.
Boozer’s statistics aren’t any better than Gasol’s. Watson would present a slight upgrade over Steve Blake and Derek Fisher, but he’s only started 41 career games, so it’s doubtful he’s the answer to L.A.’s point guard woes. Bottom line: neither side gains much in this trade.
Chicago is competing for the top record in the league. Why rock the boat? The Lakers need some sort of shakeup, but jettisoning Gasol for another power forward might not be the best course of action considering they are lacking at point guard, small forward and bench depth.
Will Gasol be traded? Maybe, but it’s unlikely it will be to the Bulls.
Source: ESPN.com
