Pau Thread: Surgery a success; now rehab & rest for 12 weeks

Basketball
Ric Bucher
+ Trust
Last note on Lakers for now: Tom Penn, NBA cap guru, said on my radio show that as constituted, they could face a
luxury tax hit of as much as $85 million next season. Even with that humonguous TV deal, it's hard to imagine them paying that on top of the $90-some million due for player payroll. One option, I'm told, is to amnesty Pau Gasol and the $19 million he has coming next season. It sounds crazy, but if they can't deal Gasol -- and he still would appear to be the most tradeable commodity -- for draft picks or anything that brings a lot less than $19 million in salaries back, they're on the hook for 1 1/2 times his salary and more thanks to the repeater tax. I have to check back with Penn, but I would think if taking Gasol's money off the cap and making another small move gets them under the luxury tax, the $85 million goes away. So maybe you can look at it as a move that gives away Gasol for nothing. Or, just possibly, you can look at it as keeping $85 million in the Lakers' pocket. about a minute ago

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA
RT @eddieboy16: Do you think the Lakers will try again to trade Pau next season? ---> Yes, around the draft and free agency.

earvinfr wrote:We should never expand any player, Pau game started to disappear just after he got his new contract. Same with Luke and Sasha. I'm joking about not expanding any player, but look at our history on re-signing players and tell how many of them were success ?

earvinfr wrote:We should never expand any player, Pau game started to disappear just after he got his new contract. Same with Luke and Sasha. I'm joking about not expanding any player, but look at our history on re-signing players and tell how many of them were success ?

jOeyB7000 wrote:

JSM wrote:

Mark Medina of the LA Daily News wrote:For the first time since tearing the plantar fascia of his right foot four weeks ago, Lakers forward Pau Gasol received medical clearance Thursday to participate in running drills.

“Discomfort was minimal,” Gasol said on Twitcam. “Very encouraging.”

Gasol traveled with the Lakers’ on their two-game trip to Oklahoma City (Tuesday) and New Orleans (Wednesday) and spent that time working with strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco on exercises that test his gluteal and neuro muscles. Gasol has missed the past 13 games and is expected to stay sidelined for at least another two to four weeks.

The 12 yr old in me lol'd

Weezy wrote:You might HAVE to amnesty him if the luxury tax hit is that high and we're not winning a championship to justify it. Still, I'd like to see him traded for much needed pieces before just cutting him loose, as mentioned a 19 mil expiring is huge and could get some good players.

therealdeal wrote:

Weezy wrote:You might HAVE to amnesty him if the luxury tax hit is that high and we're not winning a championship to justify it. Still, I'd like to see him traded for much needed pieces before just cutting him loose, as mentioned a 19 mil expiring is huge and could get some good players.

Mitch doesn't have to try that hard to find a package of some young talent for Pau if that's the direction we go in. We're not going to waste the amnesty on him. Especially since he's not just expiring, but he's a talented player with Championship experience.

Metta would be the most difficult to move in my opinion, and would be the primary target for amnesty should we choose to use it.