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

Lakerjones · by **Lakerjones** on Fri Aug 17, 2012 5:10 pm

ChumsGum wrote:don't know if this is worthy of its own thread but pau and marc's little brother adria is now a bruin.

^^

. Go Bruins!

KareemTheGreat33 · by **KareemTheGreat33** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:50 am

Azndude2190 wrote:Do it Mitch!

Maybe possum his way to not being drafted then BAM! Starting Laker small forward in the mold of Big Game James :man9:

Doc Brown · by **Doc Brown** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:19 am

KB24 wrote:With Nash, getting Smith would make us an insane fastbreak team.

Just imagine....holy crap lol. Nash would have the most athletic front court of all times to feed the ball to.

We would literally be Air Lakers. And Smith is another insane help defender. Our D would be through the roof.
I would do it. Cheaper, younger, more in line with Mike Brown. Gasol has 1,2 years left to be irrelevant.

The more I think about this trade, the more I like it. We have a window of about 2-3 years to really get after it with Kobe/Nash on their final run. Who is going to be standing in our way in the West? OKC. With or without Nash, Pau can't hang with that athleticism and gets lost in the shuffle because his finesse moves don't translate well when the other team is running up and down and circles around him.

Nash can counteract that, Kobe can, D12 can match that, Pau just struggles vs. players that have high energy motors.

Josh Smith can match up with Ibaka and is a better fit vs. the teams we will see in the playoffs (OKC/Memphis/Clips/Denver/Utah). Pau might be a better fit in the regular season, but with the teams we will be seeing in the playoffs, IMO Smith can match up with the high energy players that Pau struggles with.

Pau vs. OKC......38 mins / 12pts / 10 reb / 3 assists / 2 blocks on 44% shooting
Pau vs. Denver....36 mins / 13 pts / 9 reb / 4 assists / 2 blocks on 43% shooting

The question is, can Josh Smith put up these numbers? With the added bonus of better overall defense, better pick and roll defense and athleticism to match other teams.

I think he can, the crappy shooting % is already there with Pau.

Another reason for this trade, is that IMO we are basically a lock to have D12/Smith for the future.

On this team, Smith wouldn't be a chucker because he wouldn't be getting 17 shots a game or going iso all game. I see him in the Amare roll of pick and roll domination.

Pau/Duhon for Smith/Morrow or Korver.......let's roll.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:00 am

Honestly I've advocated this trade for a long time, but no one really was with it. :man10:

I'm not with it now because Kobe loves Pau and one thing that I'm sure of is that Pau will be totally differential. He'll be a great glue guy. He'll pass the ball well and fit into a system that is going to need a star that doesn't mind not being the guy.

Texas Lakers Fan · by **Texas Lakers Fan** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:25 am

I'm sure this has been beaten to death, but Smith and Howard don't fit well at all on the offensive end. Reason it simple neither spaces the floor. Smith cannot shoot to save his life. He only shot 46 percent last year which is awful for a bigman. Pau shot over 50 percent from the field and considering the fact that most of his shots were jumpshots that's pretty impressive.

Because of his spacing and passing ability Pau is a perfect fit with Dwight. There's no way the Lakers should or will make that trade. As therealdeal mentioned Kobe has already really stuck his neck out for Pau. He's not going anywhere at least for the time being. Playing with Dwight and Nash will help Pau out immensly. I fully believe bringing those two guys in will re-energize Pau and he'll return to his 2010 form.

Finwë · by **Finwë** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:30 am

therealdeal wrote:Honestly I've advocated this trade for a long time, but no one really was with it.

I'm not with it now because Kobe loves Pau and one thing that I'm sure of is that Pau will be totally differential. He'll be a great glue guy. He'll pass the ball well and fit into a system that is going to need a star that doesn't mind not being the guy.

Agreed. I wanted to trade him until the Nash trade, and my desire to keep him only grew with the Howard trade. He's gonna be a huge part of the offense even if he's not taking many shots.
I don't think his numbers from last season's playoffs translate into a prediction for this year, because everything is gonna be so different personnel-wise, chemistry-wise, coaching-wise..
Pau's impact on the team goes beyond stats. IMO he was a crucial part of Drew's breakout season. He was always finding him for incredibly easy looks, that Drew converted into baskets or FTs.. His ability to read the D and make plays was one of the reasons we had a good record despite everything that was going on. In an awful offense with little to no ball movement, he was one of our best playmakers.

The thing that bothered me was not mere statistical production but a perceived lack of effort and just looking passive. There were games where he seemed to have mentally checked out.. That was, I think, the main reason I wanted him gone, getting outworked, outhustled, showing little effort and heart.
Having said that, I really believe this year's very different situation is gonna change that. I really believe Pau's gonna be much more focused and determined.

So, assuming they both gave it a 100%, this is what it comes down to IMO:
-Smith gets the defensive nod. His athleticism gives him a big advantage over Pau at that end. I'm not sure about his post defense though, I think Pau can be just as good at that.

-Smith, again with the advantage of being extremely athletic, gets the fastbreak/uptempo-play nod. He could really run the floor with Nash and score easy baskets.

-Pau, BY FAR, has the higher bball IQ, which could be huge in the clutch, since Howard won't be a big part of our offense in that time (can't shoot FTs) and we could really need Pau to make a couple of plays.

-Pau, BY FAR, is the better playmaker. This is key for me. With so many good offensive players, we need someone to make it all work. Nash is gonna be that guy at the PG spot, but we could really use Pau's passing ability and his bball IQ to read the D and make plays.

-Pau is the better shooter, and his shot selection is way better than Smith's. Also, he's a better catch & shoot player than Smith, who needs more rythm (dribbling a couple of times) to make his shots.. Ditto for P&P plays.

-Pau is still a great back-to-the-basket player. I believe he's still got mad skills as a post player, he's just been lacking the mental edge and will to exploit them. We've seen him being stopped by players like Carl Landry, which should NEVER happen. Again, this is all assuming this year's changes help Pau gain that edge back. If that happens, I believe he's gonna take advantage of mismatches and exploit the D down on the block.

-Pau is a true leader. He's not very vocal, but he does set a great example. He's very down to earth and a true pro. He's got experience and people respect his bball knowledge.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:09 pm

Finwë wrote:-Smith gets the defensive nod. His athleticism gives him a big advantage over Pau at that end. I'm not sure about his post defense though, I think Pau can be just as good at that.

Agreed on both points. Pau is actually a pretty good defensive presence for who/what he is on the low block. Smith is not a great post defender, but he's a good one-on-one defender and a very good help defender.

Finwë wrote:-Smith, again with the advantage of being extremely athletic, gets the fastbreak/uptempo-play nod. He could really run the floor with Nash and score easy baskets.

True. We've seen Pau do a great job of running the floor for a 7 footer, but that's the caveat... he's a legitimate 7 footer. Smith is closer to 6'9"- 6'10" and far more athletic than Pau can ever hope to be. Running the floor definitely goes to Smith.

Something to note here is that I doubt Nash really wants to lead a lot of breaks here. He's going on 38 and he probably isn't interested in sprinting on a lot of possessions. I think he as a player naturally likes to up the tempo, so we'll see more breaks than we used to, but I don't know that Josh Smith's ability to finish on breaks should be a major point with our team being what it is. In a few years, maybe, but for right now it's not that important.

Finwë wrote:-Pau, BY FAR, has the higher bball IQ, which could be huge in the clutch, since Howard won't be a big part of our offense in that time (can't shoot FTs) and we could really need Pau to make a couple of plays.

Smith is basically an idiot. A ton of talent, but not a ton of brains to go with it. At times he reminds of a PF/SF version of J.R. Smith. Pau in the clutch may be a little bit shaky, he may be nervous, but for the most part he won't be stupid.

Finwë wrote:-Pau, BY FAR, is the better playmaker. This is key for me. With so many good offensive players, we need someone to make it all work. Nash is gonna be that guy at the PG spot, but we could really use Pau's passing ability and his bball IQ to read the D and make plays.

Absolutely. This is where he'll shine for our offense. Howard wants the ball, he wants to score and he wants to dunk the ball. Pau can help him with that. He's a great player, and therefore commands respect, but he's so willing to pass the ball that life is going to be very easy for Howard.

Finwë wrote:-Pau is the better shooter, and his shot selection is way better than Smith's. Also, he's a better catch & shoot player than Smith, who needs more rythm (dribbling a couple of times) to make his shots.. Ditto for P&P plays.

I disagree only in that I think Smith is a very good pick and roll option. Smith is so athletic that he on a pick and roll is scary. Add in Howard and pick and rolls become terrifying for any team out there.

Finwë wrote:-Pau is still a great back-to-the-basket player. I believe he's still got mad skills as a post player, he's just been lacking the mental edge and will to exploit them. We've seen him being stopped by players like Carl Landry, which should NEVER happen. Again, this is all assuming this year's changes help Pau gain that edge back. If that happens, I believe he's gonna take advantage of mismatches and exploit the D down on the block.

I think that Pau has talent on the block, but he's so much physically weaker than his opponents that it becomes a true battle to work on the block. He's just simply not strong enough physically to get beat up every play. Guys like Perkins, Ibaka, Faried, and McGee all had a fair amount of success against him because they're all stronger and more athletic than he is.

Finwë wrote:-Pau is a true leader. He's not very vocal, but he does set a great example. He's very down to earth and a true pro. He's got experience and people respect his bball knowledge.

I love this point. Especially for our team, I think Smith's presence in the locker room would be pretty detrimental.

Finwë · by **Finwë** on Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:43 pm

therealdeal wrote:Something to note here is that I doubt Nash really wants to lead a lot of breaks here. He's going on 38 and he probably isn't interested in sprinting on a lot of possessions. I think he as a player naturally likes to up the tempo, so we'll see more breaks than we used to, but I don't know that Josh Smith's ability to finish on breaks should be a major point with our team being what it is. In a few years, maybe, but for right now it's not that important.

I agree that Nash isn't gonna "run & gun" like he used to with D'antoni, but we are still gonna be a little more actively looking for fastbreak opportunities than before IMO. I love Pau in the fastbreak because of his passing skills and his ability to put the ball on the floor, but, like you said, Smith is way more athletic.

therealdeal wrote:
Finwë wrote:-Pau is the better shooter, and his shot selection is way better than Smith's. Also, he's a better catch & shoot player than Smith, who needs more rythm (dribbling a couple of times) to make his shots.. Ditto for P&P plays.

I disagree only in that I think Smith is a very good pick and roll option. Smith is so athletic that he on a pick and roll is scary. Add in Howard and pick and rolls become terrifying for any team out there.

I didn't mention pick and roll, I mentioned pick & pop. I think with Howard we already have a great P&R option, but it's just a driving roll option, straight to the basket for a layup/dunk. I think we could also use a some pick and pop action, and that's were IMO Pau > Smith. Smith, like I said before, isn't a very good shooter, and he likes to dribble the ball a bit before shooting in order to get in rythm.
That's why I think Pau would be a better P&P option.

therealdeal wrote:I think that Pau has talent on the block, but he's so much physically weaker than his opponents that it becomes a true battle to work on the block. He's just simply not strong enough physically to get beat up every play. Guys like Perkins, Ibaka, Faried, and McGee all had a fair amount of success against him because they're all stronger and more athletic than he is.

I'm not sure I agree that strength is the reason Pau's been unsuccessful down on the block these last couple of seasons.
To me it's much more about a certain edge and mental toughness he seems to have been missing. I mean, is he much weaker now than in '09 when he was scoring on Howard? I don't think so. In fact, I think Pau is still physically very able to score effectively in the post against most defenders, but he just seems to be unfocused/undetermined/passive. Which is why I prefaced the whole list saying I assumed he would recover that edge, that mentality he used to have in '09 & '10.
I agree that no matter how determined he is he's gonna struggle a bit against really tough defenders, but I do think he can be a consistently reliable option down on the block this season if he regains his mental edge, which I believe he will.

JSM · by **JSM** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:52 am

url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-la-pau-gasol-playing-together-dictates-lakers-championship-hopes-20120826,0,4960378.story]Mark Medina of the LA Times[/url] wrote:With the starting lineup the Lakers have accumulated, it’s a hard task to dissect any significant weaknesses.

Long ago the lightning rod for criticism, the Lakers’ point guard spot suddenly becomes dangerous with Steve Nash directing the offense. Kobe Bryant’s prolific scoring will become more efficient now that he’ll relieve ball handling duties. Dwight Howard remains the league’s top center both in scoring on the low block and denying looks inside. He has a trusty sidekick in Pau Gasol to facilitate and complement his post presence. And even if it’s questionable he’ll cash in on the numerous open three-pointers, Metta World Peace is expected to enter the season in stronger shape to defend an opposing team’s top players.

Still, the Lakers can’t just expect to roll out the basketball and assume everything will flourish.

“It’s going to be playing together and understanding some nights will go more toward one player, attacking matchups and reading the game,” Gasol said. “We need to feel the game and feed whoever is hotter that particular day. At the same time, we need to keep the mind set that it’s all about winning. It’s not about who plays better or who plays worse. It’s about team effort and getting closer to our goal and getting stronger as the season goes along. As long as we understand that as a team, things will work out.”

Gasol spoke recently to The Times from the African nation of Chad where’s he’s spending this week in the Sahel region as a UNICEFambassador. Considering he’s helping with vaccinationand feeding efforts to the poverty-stricken area, Gasol has more significant issues to ponder than how the Lakers offense will look like.

Still, the issue at times became a point of contention last season when Gasol often felt restricted as a facilitator. His 17.4 points on 50.1% shooting ranked 17th among forwards, but reflected a relatively reduced role than in seasons past. He suddenly became the third option behind Bryant and Andrew Bynumand found most of his scoring opportunities off mid-range jumpers and putbacks instead of in the post.

The Lakers will look different this season.

Gasol won’t have to ponder ongoing trade speculation. The Lakers will also run the Princeton offense, a system based on frequent cuts, passing and spacing. They’ll also highly depend on Nash’s pick-and-roll skills. Both areas better suit Gasol’s game, but he acknowledged his uncertainty on how his role will evolve.

“I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to work,” Gasol said. “Obviously I like to be involved and have a chance to be aggressive and create not just for myself, but for others. We all know how comfortable and dangerous we can be when we’re working from the post and other areas. It’ll be getting a feel of what works best for the team and understanding each other’s role and go on from there.”

Regardless, Gasol will likely have added responsibilities at least at the beginning of the season. Howard acknowledged at his introductory press conference two weeks ago that he could miss the season opener Oct. 30 against Dallas and beyond. Such an absence would likely thrust Gasol into the center position, while either Jordan Hill or Antawn Jamison would play at power forward.

Either way, Gasol’s used to starting the season with a heavy load. Gasol played at center for the first 24 games of the 2010-11 season, while Bynum rehabbed from offseason knee surgery. Gasol also started the first five games last season at center while Bynum served a suspension for clotheslining former Dallas guard J.J. Barea in the 2011 playoffs.

Can Gasol absorb heavier minutes after leading Spain to a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics?

“My body feels good,” he said. “I’m recovering from the national team’s effort and the Olympics.”

Soon enough, that recovery period will stop. Gasol maintains he’s ready for it.

“I look forward to the day we get to start and working in training camp,” he said. “We have a normal season again after the lockout season. Obviously I think we have tremendous players and the goal is going to be winning. Nothing but winning a championship again is what’s going to be on our minds from Day 1.”

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:01 pm

Finwë wrote:I agree that Nash isn't gonna "run & gun" like he used to with D'antoni, but we are still gonna be a little more actively looking for fastbreak opportunities than before IMO. I love Pau in the fastbreak because of his passing skills and his ability to put the ball on the floor, but, like you said, Smith is way more athletic.

Definitely, I don't disagree with any of this.

Finwë wrote:I didn't mention pick and roll, I mentioned pick & pop. I think with Howard we already have a great P&R option, but it's just a driving roll option, straight to the basket for a layup/dunk. I think we could also use a some pick and pop action, and that's were IMO Pau > Smith. Smith, like I said before, isn't a very good shooter, and he likes to dribble the ball a bit before shooting in order to get in rythm.
That's why I think Pau would be a better P&P option.

I missed that P instead of R, my fault. Pau is definitely the superior pop option to either Smith or Howard, but I'm hoping that the P&P isn't used all that much anymore except as a counter move because I'd really like to see Gasol getting to the basket more often. I want to see him working his way towards the rim. My research shows he's taking more and more jump shots every year and I want to see that change.

Finwë wrote:I'm not sure I agree that strength is the reason Pau's been unsuccessful down on the block these last couple of seasons.
To me it's much more about a certain edge and mental toughness he seems to have been missing. I mean, is he much weaker now than in '09 when he was scoring on Howard? I don't think so. In fact, I think Pau is still physically very able to score effectively in the post against most defenders, but he just seems to be unfocused/undetermined/passive. Which is why I prefaced the whole list saying I assumed he would recover that edge, that mentality he used to have in '09 & '10.
I agree that no matter how determined he is he's gonna struggle a bit against really tough defenders, but I do think he can be a consistently reliable option down on the block this season if he regains his mental edge, which I believe he will.

I don't think those two things are exculsive. Meaning his mental edge has a lot to do with him being physically weaker than these other players. It's difficult for anyone to continue allowing themselves to be beat up. That takes a special will. I think subconsciously he's backing away from the basket because physically he's getting beat up. You're right, if he can gain that mental edge back he'll be more willing to fight the automatic urge to shy away from contract. I agree with that.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:06 pm

Thanks for posting that JSM.

He's right of course and I don't think that's going to be a problem with this team. Every night someone will have a mismatch. Mostly it'll be Kobe and Howard, maybe Nash, and sometimes Pau. Hell even Metta will have an advantage on some nights.

It'll be all about how willing they are to give in to a Championship aspiration and how willing they are to sacrifice their abilities on some nights to better the team. Considering Kobe, Nash, and Gasol all most likely recognize this is their last hurrah and Dwight will be eccsatic just to play here instead of Orlando, and basically our entire bench came here because they wanted to win and be a part of this team... I don't think chemistry is going to ever be an issue.

Doc Brown · by **Doc Brown** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:54 pm

Dave McMenamin ‏@mcten
Pau on the new-look Lakers: "We’ll see how we all fit. We have to understand that there’s only one basketball to play with"
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The key word for him this season IMO is AGGRESSIVE, there's only one ball, so when you get, don't fart around with it, make a play because you're not going to getting the same amount of touches you want every game.

I don't want to see any excuses about lack of touches this season. Him and Blake need to stop thinking so much and just let it rip.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:30 pm

Doc Brown wrote:
Dave McMenamin ‏@mcten
Pau on the new-look Lakers: "We’ll see how we all fit. We have to understand that there’s only one basketball to play with"
Expand
Reply Retweet Favorite

The key word for him this season IMO is AGGRESSIVE, there's only one ball, so when you get, don't fart around with it, make a play because you're not going to getting the same amount of touches you want every game.

I don't want to see any excuses about lack of touches this season. Him and Blake need to stop thinking so much and just let it rip.

He'll be much better and I like what he's been saying thus far. It's all about refocusing and getting back to that Championship level basketball. I don't know if he'll have that edge that he's been missing, but we'll see. I mean, these last two seasons have we seen the Pau that hit that baseline shot against 3 Celtics in the Finals? Not even close. Have we seen the Pau who playing his butt off and dominated the Gold match for a stretch? Not close either. Maybe we won't get either of those performances, but we don't necessarily need that, we just need a more focused Pau than we've seen.

gcclaker · by **gcclaker** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:15 pm

Last season, Brown in Gasol's view asked him to "facilitate" from the 4 position. I.E. feed Bynum on the low block and 24 on the wings. His shot would be THE last resort [Game 4 vs. OKC anyone?]. With Brown [hopefully] giving Nash a free rein to run the offense, then Gasol should not have that burden anymore and should benefit from being fed. Let's see if he gets back to that scoring mindset circe 2008-2010. Howard? He'll get his points from putbacks and lobs. His one on one opps won't be as much as it was like in Orlando.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:28 pm

gcclaker wrote:Last season, Brown in Gasol's view asked him to "facilitate" from the 4 position. I.E. feed Bynum on the low block and 24 on the wings. His shot would be THE last resort [Game 4 vs. OKC anyone?]. With Brown [hopefully] giving Nash a free rein to run the offense, then Gasol should not have that burden anymore and should benefit from being fed. Let's see if he gets back to that scoring mindset circe 2008-2010. Howard? He'll get his points from putbacks and lobs. His one on one opps won't be as much as it was like in Orlando.

See that's why I want to go with a unique approach to this team.

I'd split up the Fantastic Four so to speak. I'd use Kobe and Pau who are absolutely familiar with each other and know each others' game inside and out. And I'd use Howard and Nash who are such an absolutely natural fit that it's kind of ridiculous.

My lineups would mostly consist of: Blake/Bryant/Artest/Gasol/Hill and Nash/Meeks/Ebanks/Jamison/Howard.

Honestly, either of those starting fives makes it into the playoffs in either conference. Against 99% of the league, those two lineups are going to have a lot of success. 99% of the league can't one of those lineups and 100% of the league can't defend BOTH of them. It's just too dangerous.

Obviously when the chips are down and we need a win, we put our star studded starters in there, but through the course of the season, these two teams would be my go to weapons. Remember in '09-'10 when we'd start with our two 7 footers then sub in Odom and maybe Vujacic or Farmar and then we'd pick up the pace? Well think of my lineups as that... on steroids.

With the Kobe/Gasol lineup you have a deferential PG, an All-NBA perimeter defender, a cleanup Center, and a deferential 2nd option which are all PERFECT fits for Bryant. That way he can control the offense, he doesn't exhaust himself on defense, he has an option to help keep the defenses honest, and if/when he misses some shots we've got the cleanup man around the rim. It's a beautiful mix. Then when this team starts slowing down or if they can't quite get things going you switch...

With the Nash/Howard lineup you have a ball dominant PG, a sniper from the SG spot, a young athlete who can run the floor at the SF, an excellent catch and shoot PF with range, and the most dominant Center in the league right now. The floor has 3 terrific shooters from deep and a cutter/mid-range worker which is a great fit for Howard. Nash and Howard have the perfect pick and roll team for them to carve up the opposition. And obviously if this team isn't clicking, you get the starters back in.

Sorry, went on a ramble there. But that's my ideal coaching situation. I don't think Brown has it in him to do this or not, but I think it would make the Lakers damn near impossible to beat while maximizing everyone and using their tools in all of the best situations.

XXIV · by **XXIV** on Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:06 pm

Great post real. I completely agree that with the amount of versatility this team has we should be able to provide a variety of lineups for different in game scenarios. This would give the opposition fits, because quite frankly they won't be able to guard us. Lets hope Mike Brown is on the same page, or at the very least his assistants.

Ariza3 · by **Ariza3** on Tue Oct 02, 2012 8:58 pm

in the post practice vid pau looks a little happier and has some smiles. i really think hes finally happy and doesnt have to worry about trade stuff.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:09 pm

Doc Brown wrote:
KB24 wrote:With Nash, getting Smith would make us an insane fastbreak team.

Just imagine....holy crap lol. Nash would have the most athletic front court of all times to feed the ball to.

We would literally be Air Lakers. And Smith is another insane help defender. Our D would be through the roof.
I would do it. Cheaper, younger, more in line with Mike Brown. Gasol has 1,2 years left to be irrelevant.

The more I think about this trade, the more I like it. We have a window of about 2-3 years to really get after it with Kobe/Nash on their final run. Who is going to be standing in our way in the West? OKC. With or without Nash, Pau can't hang with that athleticism and gets lost in the shuffle because his finesse moves don't translate well when the other team is running up and down and circles around him.

Nash can counteract that, Kobe can, D12 can match that, Pau just struggles vs. players that have high energy motors.

Josh Smith can match up with Ibaka and is a better fit vs. the teams we will see in the playoffs (OKC/Memphis/Clips/Denver/Utah). Pau might be a better fit in the regular season, but with the teams we will be seeing in the playoffs, IMO Smith can match up with the high energy players that Pau struggles with.

Pau vs. OKC......38 mins / 12pts / 10 reb / 3 assists / 2 blocks on 44% shooting
Pau vs. Denver....36 mins / 13 pts / 9 reb / 4 assists / 2 blocks on 43% shooting

The question is, can Josh Smith put up these numbers? With the added bonus of better overall defense, better pick and roll defense and athleticism to match other teams.

I think he can, the crappy shooting % is already there with Pau.

Another reason for this trade, is that IMO we are basically a lock to have D12/Smith for the future.

On this team, Smith wouldn't be a chucker because he wouldn't be getting 17 shots a game or going iso all game. I see him in the Amare roll of pick and roll domination.

Pau/Duhon for Smith/Morrow or Korver.......let's roll.

I'm not the biggest fan of keeping Pau on this team.... I think we need some balance on the floor but a gigantic Hell to the No on Josh Smith.....

Smith is a sometimes shot blocker not a "defender"....and shot-blocking is vastly overrated as a metric of defense....

His court discipline on both ends is just about the worst in the game and in the half court (which is what we are going to play 95% of the time) he's useless from beyond about 10 feet and really has little offensive game other than slashing/dunking..... overrated beyond belief IMHO.... Lot's to look at but not much under the surface.... Keeping Pau over someone like him keeps the ball moving.... gives us a back-up center..... and an offensive player that is smart.... all things you don't get with Smith....

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:06 am

Ariza3 wrote:in the post practice vid pau looks a little happier and has some smiles. i really think hes finally happy and doesnt have to worry about trade stuff.

I agree. I think he looks and sounds a lot healthier mentally and it was already clear that the atmosphere is much healthier as well. The team looks far more like a team than they did last season and it's only the first day.

Lakerjones · by **Lakerjones** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:18 am

therealdeal wrote:
Ariza3 wrote:in the post practice vid pau looks a little happier and has some smiles. i really think hes finally happy and doesnt have to worry about trade stuff.

I agree. I think he looks and sounds a lot healthier mentally and it was already clear that the atmosphere is much healthier as well. The team looks far more like a team than they did last season and it's only the first day.

No doubt whatsoever. This is a ridiculous team. Pau is going to be so much happier playing alongside a defensive monster like Howard and one of the greatest distributors of all time in Nash. It should be just a total joy for Pau. We should be utilizing all of his abilities this year, passing from the high post, pick and roll and pick and pop with Nash and with Kobe, mid-range shooting, play in the low post.

This is Pau's kind of team, all vets in the starting lineup. I think last year he felt overshadowed with Bynum stepping into the number 2 role but being rough around the edges. I see Pau working extremely well with Nash and Howard, and he's already got a strong relationship with Kobe. Should be a blast.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:04 am

I think Pau was lost in the shuffle last season because our offense was all sets with no motion. He was asked to be a "creator" of sorts and that's really not his game. He's a low-post scorer with some ability to stretch the floor. He's a great passer... for a big man. Not in general. I think he wasn't so much underutilized last season as simply used incorrectly.

Now he'll probably see a limited role again this season, but it'll be a limited role in a system that is more suited to his game. He's going to look good.

Ariza3 · by **Ariza3** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:20 pm

seriously hope the coaches get this new offense implemented well and that EVERY play has a role and is utilized correctly. guys like kobe nash and dwight each can do their own thing and not "get in the way" of each other while Pau is still kind of the odd man out as his skill sets overlap with each of them. i hope hes used right and often bc he's got so much skill that we cant afford to not...we kept him for a reason and that was a huge deal so lets use him right.

lakersStan24 · by **lakersStan24** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:54 pm

Pau so underated it's disgusting to Me the Guy is a beast on both ends and the guy can hit 3's like they jump shots what other player his size can do that

KB24 · by **KB24** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:21 pm

lakersStan24 wrote:Pau so underated it's disgusting to Me the Guy is a beast on both ends and the guy can hit 3's like they jump shots what other player his size can do that

You mean the guy that has been owned in b2b post seasons by Carl Landry, Serge Ibaka, Kenneth Faried and do forth?

Beast on both ends? get real my friend. On the downside of his career, Pau isn't going to "recover". He is more likely to be worse going forward. He never had it but Kobe kept him on his toes for a few years before Pau reverted back to the Memphis version.

gcclaker · by **gcclaker** on Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:42 pm

KB24 wrote:
lakersStan24 wrote:Pau so underated it's disgusting to Me the Guy is a beast on both ends and the guy can hit 3's like they jump shots what other player his size can do that

You mean the guy that has been owned in b2b post seasons by Carl Landry, Serge Ibaka, Kenneth Faried and do forth?

Beast on both ends? get real my friend. On the downside of his career, Pau isn't going to "recover". He is more likely to be worse going forward. He never had it but Kobe kept him on his toes for a few years before Pau reverted back to the Memphis version.

I agree itt will be tough for Gasol to physically and mentally regain that 2008-2010 form that was key for those Finals runs. We'll see how this new offense and Nash's playmaking ability reinvigorates him. The BIG key is for Brown and staff to use him properly, place him in situations to succeed and go from there. Maybe not being the subject of trades will ease him to focus. If not, there is always the February 2013 deadline...

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

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