LQOTD: Lakers Question of the Day

trodgers · by **trodgers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:49 am

Upon his return, how should Pau Gasol be used?

revgen · by **revgen** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:52 am

I think Pau needs to answer that question himself.

The Rock · by **The Rock** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:54 am

We've seen enough evidence from 2011 playoffs till now, 4 different head coaches, different sets of teammates, when he is the primary post option, playing at C he continues to hover around the perimeter, this tells me he can no longer handle the scoring responsibilities. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt last year because he was almost traded or whatever but hes been struggling in preseason and regular season. You pretty much have to use him like Boris Diaw/Lamar Odom now I guess, an interior passer, rebounder and an occasional scorer. He's still elite at those things. He shouldn't finish games unless hes having a good game

trodgers · by **trodgers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:57 am

Some stats to consider:

Limited minutes, but check this:
When Gasol plays the 5 with Jamison at the 4, they have: 43 minutes, +28, 10-2 in such matchups.

In three of the four lineup combos, they're shooting at least .529 eFGs. None of their opponents are shooting better than .489 eFG.

Does this mean that Gasol in the post is an effective and motivated Gasol?

revgen · by **revgen** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:01 am

If that's the case, then we need to trade him. We can't have 2 bigs clogging up the paint.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:01 am

I think it means Gasol in the post is the best way to use him which is the exact problem we have. Gasol is still a gifted player, but we don't use him because we're busy using Dwight (previously Andrew) and Kobe. This is completely understandable since they're far more explosive options, but that doesn't suit Gasol's talents very much at all.

Gasol is a Center. For him to be effective he needs to play that position. I still don't think he's VERY effective down low, but that's certainly his BEST spot to be on the floor. If we keep Gasol, the key will be to play through him down low when Dwight isn't in the game. But if that's what we're doing... D'Antoni will have a tough time running his fast pace offense through the post.

That's why we'd be best suited to trade him for a more sound athlete and hardworker type guy. Millsap comes to mind, maybe if we could somehow convince Cleveland to throw us Varejao. If not that type, then a shooter like Frye/Anderson although one of them is hurt and the other is almost untouchable.

kosstick · by **kosstick** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:06 am

trodgers wrote:Some stats to consider:

Limited minutes, but check this:
When Gasol plays the 5 with Jamison at the 4, they have: 43 minutes, +28, 10-2 in such matchups.

In three of the four lineup combos, they're shooting at least .529 eFGs. None of their opponents are shooting better than .489 eFG.

Does this mean that Gasol in the post is an effective and motivated Gasol?

Interesting, would you agree that Gasol should come off the Bench as a 5 Paired with Jamison? I feel like if he starts and is 3rd/4th Option while playing as a 4 he has trouble switching that mentality when howard and kobe go to the bench and be the #1 Option he has to be. So maybe if he automatically goes into the game as the #1/#2 option he will find his identity and play more confidently.

dwighthowardsdad · by **dwighthowardsdad** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:07 am

Pau didn't fit last year with Bynum and he doesn't fit with Howard. You either bring him off the bench or trade him. Chances are he's going to be traded...

khmrP · by **khmrP** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:10 am

I only see him having a chance to post when Howard is out of the game but even then its on him to demand the ball and get position, something I dont see very often out of him anymore.

lakerfan2 · by **lakerfan2** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:11 am

Have him embrace a backup role and leader of the bench like Lamar.

He belongs in the post.

If not, trade for Ryan Anderson in a multi-team trade. :man11:

Lets Go Lakers · by **Lets Go Lakers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:11 am

I think Gasol coming off the bench to anchor the 2nd unit would be a good idea. That way, you split the low post duties between Howard and Gasol. It has got to be tough for Gasol because he's been the 3rd option for years now. A guy this good should not be the 3rd option.

Lets Go Lakers · by **Lets Go Lakers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:14 am

khmrP wrote:I only see him having a chance to post when Howard is out of the game but even then its on him to demand the ball and get position, something I dont see very often out of him anymore.

He definitely has to get that hunger back and play with more fire. He gets pushed around too much.

kosstick · by **kosstick** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:15 am

Yup Exactly, he needs a identity and him coming off the bench as the Leader and #1/#2 option on the floor can do just that

Lets Go Lakers · by **Lets Go Lakers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:19 am

Really, if we are going to relegate Gasol to 3rd option, might as well trade him for pieces we are actually going to utilize because we are just wasting his talents right now.

Doc Brown · by **Doc Brown** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:22 am

He should be used to properly rotate on defensive rotations and limiting the amount of shrugs we have to see.

puffyusaf#2 · by **puffyusaf#2** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:29 am

I'm torn with the answer to this but I think bringing Pau off the bench with the second unit while Nash is still out may be the best.

John3:16 · by **John3:16** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 10:54 am

lakerswiz wrote:In a trade.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:46 am

puffyusaf#2 wrote:I'm torn with the answer to this but I think bringing Pau off the bench with the second unit while Nash is still out may be the best.

He doesn't necessarily need to be "demoted" that way. That's tough on anyone's psyche especially someone as gifted as Gasol.

That's why we should just pull him earlier in the first and have him play with the second unit mostly (or vise versa with Howard as long as Nash is out). Play him with Kobe more, those two have a winning pedigree and need to rekindle their relationship on the court.

Lets Go Lakers · by **Lets Go Lakers** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:18 pm

therealdeal wrote:
puffyusaf#2 wrote:I'm torn with the answer to this but I think bringing Pau off the bench with the second unit while Nash is still out may be the best.

He doesn't necessarily need to be "demoted" that way. That's tough on anyone's psyche especially someone as gifted as Gasol.

That's why we should just pull him earlier in the first and have him play with the second unit mostly (or vise versa with Howard as long as Nash is out). Play him with Kobe more, those two have a winning pedigree and need to rekindle their relationship on the court.

I don't think him coming off the bench should be viewed as a demotion. Some of the better players to have played the game have come off the bench in order to make the team better. Crawford, Odom, Schremf, Pierce, Terry, Ginobli, Harden, etc. He could look at it as a challenge as in he's the top dog for the bench and they are relying on him to carry the team for stretches. Plus he can look forward to the challenge of possibly winning 6th man of the year award. And winning rings along the way.

LakerFanIam · by **LakerFanIam** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:30 pm

lakerfan2 wrote:Have him embrace a backup role and leader of the bench like Lamar.

He belongs in the post.

If not, trade for Ryan Anderson in a multi-team trade.

Exactly..

gcclaker · by **gcclaker** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:35 pm

khmrP wrote:I only see him having a chance to post when Howard is out of the game but even then its on him to demand the ball and get position, AND LOOK TO SCORE OTHER THAN PASSING IT OUT which I dont see very often out of him anymore.

...no seven million jab steps, no fadeaways, no "weenie" [per Phil Jackson] shots.

Showtime.Revival.05 · by **Showtime.Revival.05** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:37 pm

lakerswiz wrote:In a trade.

puffyusaf#2 · by **puffyusaf#2** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:40 pm

therealdeal wrote:
puffyusaf#2 wrote:I'm torn with the answer to this but I think bringing Pau off the bench with the second unit while Nash is still out may be the best.

He doesn't necessarily need to be "demoted" that way. That's tough on anyone's psyche especially someone as gifted as Gasol.

That's why we should just pull him earlier in the first and have him play with the second unit mostly (or vise versa with Howard as long as Nash is out). Play him with Kobe more, those two have a winning pedigree and need to rekindle their relationship on the court.

I don't consider it a demotion. His minutes should be the same and game time rotations will put him with Kobe like you suggest. The only demotion Pau has suffered is sitting in the 4th quarters because he isn't aggressive nor rotating effectively on defense. In the end, Pau has to show he is supposed to be here or he may be the odd man out for sure.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:40 pm

puffyusaf#2 wrote:
therealdeal wrote:
puffyusaf#2 wrote:I'm torn with the answer to this but I think bringing Pau off the bench with the second unit while Nash is still out may be the best.

He doesn't necessarily need to be "demoted" that way. That's tough on anyone's psyche especially someone as gifted as Gasol.

That's why we should just pull him earlier in the first and have him play with the second unit mostly (or vise versa with Howard as long as Nash is out). Play him with Kobe more, those two have a winning pedigree and need to rekindle their relationship on the court.

I don't consider it a demotion. His minutes should be the same and game time rotations will put him with Kobe like you suggest. The only demotion Pau has suffered is sitting in the 4th quarters because he isn't aggressive nor rotating effectively on defense. In the end, Pau has to show he is supposed to be here or he may be the odd man out for sure.

But it really is a different mindset and it takes guys a while to fully embrace that. It took Lamar a LONG time to sit there and accept that he, a borderline all-star at one time, was going to be coming off the bench. Now Gasol, a future Hall of Famer, is being asked to do the same thing, that's going to take a toll on someone's psyche. If we continue starting him and just pull him early, then we can use him with the bench guys anyway. It's not necessarily as clear cut as benching him, but it provides the same thing for the team.

That way what's left of his confidence isn't completely swept away.

XXIV · by **XXIV** on Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:49 pm

He should be the backup C and become a post player when Dwight is out. Try to limit the amount of the time Dwight and Pau play together by playing each one with either Jamison and Hill. However, I still think MDA will continue to use Pau as a jump shooter/passer into the post.

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