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

He played 28 minutes last night; I have a feeling his minutes are going to be reduced if Jamison keeps up his play. I like Pau and what he brings to the table; he just doesn't bring it enough. I'll even go as far to say he may be relegated to the bench at some point.

I believe he would fit a lot better playing against the bench unit of opposing teams and integrating him with the starters throughout the game. We'll see how it plays out, obviously.

Over the span of last 2 weeks since MDA took control

Pau Gasol 32 mins: 11 points, 7.7 rebs, 4.1 assists 42% FG 10 shots a game

MWP 36 mins: 13.4 points 5.7 rebs 45% FG 10 shots a game

Jamison 21mins 11.6 points, 5.6 rebs, 53% FG 9 shots a game

Pau is firmly in Lamar territory now. Minutes and responsibilities are reduced. Rebounding and passing is what he'll be counted on night in and night out. Jamison and MWP will take a bigger scoring role

Pau was dominant. Then Bynum got good. Pau started to stink. Then Bynum got All-star level good. Pau stunk alot more than not.

Not we have D12. Pau stinks most of the time.

Ya'll see the trend here?

borri wrote:Pau was dominant. Then Bynum got good. Pau started to stink. Then Bynum got All-star level good. Pau stunk alot more than not.

Not we have D12. Pau stinks most of the time.

Ya'll see the trend here?

Trade D12?

something to keep an eye on...Lamarcus Aldridge might be made available. That franchise is going nowhere just like Memphis was when they had Pau. POR of course doesn't have $ issues like MEM does but POR is still a lottery team and hes owned $13mil this year, $14 mil next year, $15 mil the year after. Mitch needs to get 1 or 2 teams involved and grab Aldridge somehow.

Have a feeling OKC are also keeping an eye on him, OKC has the pieces that a rebuilding team like POR would want...Kevin Martin's expiring contract, picks (Toronto Raptors pick which is lottery bound), Houston's pick (mid teens) and a couple of prospects...Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb

http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingdwight?LaMarcus-Aldridges-biggest-value-to-Blaz=1&blockID=806743&feedID=8351

we all would love to have Pau be a PT starter like whoever starts for Ginobili or like Bynum when Odom was great. but in the end Pau will be unhappy and it will only hurt the team, so he has to be traded

The Rock wrote:something to keep an eye on...Lamarcus Aldridge might be made available. That franchise is going nowhere just like Memphis was when they had Pau. POR of course doesn't have $ issues like MEM does but POR is still a lottery team and hes owned $13mil this year, $14 mil next year, $15 mil the year after. Mitch needs to get 1 or 2 teams involved and grab Aldridge somehow.

Have a feeling OKC are also keeping an eye on him, OKC has the pieces that a rebuilding team like POR would want...Kevin Martin's expiring contract, picks (Toronto Raptors pick which is lottery bound), Houston's pick (mid teens) and a couple of prospects...Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb

http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingdwight?LaMarcus-Aldridges-biggest-value-to-Blaz=1&blockID=806743&feedID=8351

Lamarcus Aldridge is the one Pau trade that i would love to happen

Another team that could use Pau is Golden State

http://nba.si.com/2012/11/29/andrew-bogut-ankle-injury-microfracture-surgery-golden-state-warriors/

That team got a lot of backlash from fans for trading Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut and well looks like hes out indefinitely. Even though they're in 1st place right now this wont last by January they'll be back to the bottom of the Western Conference


So, David Lee for Pau is another Id consider and I think Golden State would oblige because Lee is owed $12.7 mil this year, $13 mil next year, $15 the year after and another $15 mil one more year later. They'd love to get out of that contract. We just need to sweeten the pot and give them a pick (have a 3rd team involved?)

My trade idea...



I know its hard to believe that Portland might help us out but seriously after we got Nash I think this can be done

-We get our stretch 4 who does work with Dwight, hes younger and athletic
-We add a young PG/SG who can be a good bench player. If Nash retires after this year, this is someone we can use as PG for next year


Detroit Pistons

- Havent made the playoffs since 2009. They've been in lottery last 3 years and welp have nothing to show for it. Theyre again being mediocre, Pau is that missing piece that can help them get to the playoffs. If it doesn't work he becomes a giant $20 mil expiring contract next year
- They get rid of Stuckey who has kind a been cancer, they can give more PT to Kyle Singler and Brandon Knight who've looked solid without Stuckey in there...plus they get rid of his somewhat bothersome contract and get Duhon whos a solid backup PG and his 2013/2014 salary is only partially guaranteed...like $1 mil i think


Portland Blazers

- They get out of Aldridge's contract. Get like $15 mil in expiring. A prospect...DJO and a pick, Detroits pick. This team is heading nowhere again, might as well get out of that contract and use the picks to rebuild

^^^^^ Portland will have zero interest in trading LMA for Pau and what you proposed is embarrassingly bad for Portland.

As you said, OKC can send an expiring and lottery picks..

Pau is here to stay.. unfortunately

Center Court wrote:^^^^^ Portland will have zero interest in trading LMA for Pau and what you proposed is embarrassingly bad for Portland.

As you said, OKC can send an expiring and lottery picks..

Pau is here to stay.. unfortunately

Detroits pick is the sweetner. That team is so bad it can result in a top 5-8 pick. But what Im saying is that team is not going anywhere. Pau was an all star in MEM and they went nowhere, they dumped him and were able to rebuild quickly 3 yrs later to build a formidable playoff team

The best we could do for Pau is absorb a big ugly contract and get a decent to good player IMO.... no one is absorbing that much money for a year and a half the way he's playing.

The time to trade him will be this offseason IMO.... I agree with Center.... I think we're stuck with him unless the Stat thing has legs.... heaven forbid....

The bad thing about being able to get Nash and Howard is all these wacky ideas start springing up and they all have legs now because we got Nash (or Howard).

GoldenKnight wrote:

borri wrote:Pau was dominant. Then Bynum got good. Pau started to stink. Then Bynum got All-star level good. Pau stunk alot more than not.

Not we have D12. Pau stinks most of the time.

Ya'll see the trend here?

Trade D12?

Yo, is that you Bystander? In disguise?

I keed, I keeeeeeeeed.

starting forwards midrange:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1811645/forwards_midrange.jpg

I think we should relax with all this trade talk. This team is good enough to win as presently constructed. I will be the first to tell you that gasol is not going to be the same player, but he can still contribute. I think the last game against denver was just BRILLIANT rotations by MDA. It had the perfect balance of big frontline dominance, as well as great spacing when jamison came in. And when gasol played with the bench, he dominated in ways unseen on the stat sheet. His passing was brilliant, and the 2nd unit looked like an actual cohesive unit with pau in the middle.

This could be our recipe for success. I just don't think that trading such an integral part of our team in pau, in december/january, is a worthy trade off for whatever mental damage, and continuity issues, it could bring to our team. This season has already been crazy enough. We should only be looking to make the little changes. Not something like this...

How is he shooting 22 percent from 3-9 feet?

Ariza3 wrote:starting forwards midrange:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1811645/forwards_midrange.jpg

The fact that ibaka is better from the mid range than pau is extremely surprising. Someone needs to get into pau's ear with this. He should be practicing those mid range jumpers like none other. Mwp practiced his shooting and came back better, so did kobe. They both knew that this team constructed would give them open perimeter shots. Pau needs to realize this as well.

LOVE the Dwight/Jamison and the Pau/Jamison lineups...limit Pau and Dwight on the floor together as much as possible.

King of Clutch wrote:I think we should relax with all this trade talk. This team is good enough to win as presently constructed. I will be the first to tell you that gasol is not going to be the same player, but he can still contribute. I think the last game against denver was just BRILLIANT rotations by MDA. It had the perfect balance of big frontline dominance, as well as great spacing when jamison came in. And when gasol played with the bench, he dominated in ways unseen on the stat sheet. His passing was brilliant, and the 2nd unit looked like an actual cohesive unit with pau in the middle.

This could be our recipe for success. I just don't think that trading such an integral part of our team in pau, in december/january, is a worthy trade off for whatever mental damage, and continuity issues, it could bring to our team. This season has already been crazy enough. We should only be looking to make the little changes. Not something like this...

Agreed. With all these changes already, the odds are already stacked against us. But I don't know if any championship team has had 3 head coaches along with 2 brand new, marquee starters in the same season much less a major trade on top of all that to one of their core starters. Not say it can't happen for the first time, but usually teams good enough to win don't need this many changes. Let's stick with what we got.

Ariza3 wrote:starting forwards midrange:

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1811645/forwards_midrange.jpg

If we somehow got Gallo for Pau, D'antoni would have us averaging 120 PPG.

King of Clutch wrote:I think we should relax with all this trade talk. This team is good enough to win as presently constructed.

Nothing we've seen so far this season tends to confirm this ... still a lot of B-Ball to be played (plus waiting for Nash return) but we sure need a more mobile 4 and a athletic wing ... we are not winning with Pau at this current level ... unless Jamison average 20 and 10 off the bench but we all know it's not going to happen

I posted a trade idea to acquire Chandler Parsons earlier. A lot of people here shot the idea down because Houston would have to give us a million players and we'd have to send a million out to make it work. I did some quick research on Hoopshype and found that a deal with the Jazz that could be made to work out. I considered the salary/contract situation of all teams and players involved and came up with this trade:



Why do the Jazz make the trade?

The Utah Jazz have a crowded front court. Derrick Favors, the 3rd pick in the 2011 NBA Draft has seen steady improvement with increased minutes. Meanwhile, Paul Millsap is in the last year of his contract and the Jazz risk letting him walk for nothing. By making this trade, they will acquire Patrick Patterson, who can be a young cheap replacement for Millsap. They can hand the starting power forward spot to Favors while Patterson can be a backup.

Utah also saves a lot of money from this trade. In 2012-2013, they owe $19,658,700.00 to Millsap, Williams, Tinsley, Caroll, and Murphy. If they make the trade for Duhon, Aldrich, Patterson, Jones, Clark, and Smith, they would only owe $11,462,200.00. They would save $8,196,500.00 this year if they make the trade.

In 2013-2014, they owe a guaranteed $8,300,000.00 to Marvin Williams. If they make the trade, they would owe $3,600,000.00 guaranteed to Patterson and Jones. By making, this trade, they would save $12,896,500.00 total. They would have more flexibility to make future deals with the extra cap space they get from this deal.

I'm not sure if saving money and getting some young players, with a decent looking one in Patterson, would be enough. They might want picks. The Lakers have none. I'm not sure how willing Houston would be to give up picks.

Why do the Rockets make the trade?

They get the coveted Pau Gasol without giving up their core of Asik, Lin, and Harden. Kevin McHale, who admires Pau Gasol, will properly utilize his low post skills. They also get rid of Royce White so they won't have to deal with his issues.

Why do the Lakers make the trade

By trading Pau Gasol's contract, they're projected to save money on this deal. In 2012-2013, the Lakers owe Gasol, Duhon, Clark, Sacre, and DJO $24,647,200.00. If they make the trade, they would owe $23,088,300.00 to Millsap, Williams, White, Douglas, Montejunas, and Parsons. They would save $1,558,900.00 in guaranteed money plus another $1,558,900.00 from the luxury tax.

In 2013-2014, they owe 19,000,000 guaranteed to Pau Gasol. If they made the trade, they would owe $11,500,000.00 to Williams, White and Montejunas. They would save $7,500,000.00 in 2013-2014 in guaranteed deals (if they let Millsap walk) and a projected $11,250,000.00 in repeater tax (I multiplied by 1.5 because I believe those are the new tax rules starting next year). In total, they would save about $12,047,200.00 in guaranteed money, not counting the luxry tax. I didn't count Chandler Parsons because his deal is unguaranteed but he's only making like $800,000 so it's not a big deal.

Not only do they save money on the deal, they would get back a true stretch 4 in Paul Millsap. Even though he's undersized, he has more heart than Pau Gasol does at this point. They'd have to take on Marvin Williams' ridiculous contract but I'd rather his contract + Millsap + Parsons + crap over Pau Gasol's albatross contract. Williams' contract expires in 2 years so it won't interefere with the 2014 plan.

They'd have to decide on re-signing Paul Millsap. If they let him walk, they can shift Ron Artest to the 4 and play Parsons at the 3.

This deal would leave the Lakers with 16 players on the roster so they'd have to cut someone like Ebanks or Morris. If I were Mitch, I'd cut a check to Royce White to make him go away if he has any more outbursts.

In addition to saving money on this deal, the Lakers would also receive Chandler Parsons. This guy has the potential to be a stud, especially in D'Antoni's offense. The Lakers should insist on getting Parsons. Houston would essentially be trading Parsons + Patterson for Pau Gasol.


I just realized the Jazz would have 16 players as well. They'd need to waive someone. The Lakers would have to throw in some cash to pay the waivee.

I found a second deal that would leave the Lakers and Jazz with 15 players this season.



Instead of getting White and Montejunas, the Lakers get Cook. They save even more than the last deal. In 2012-2013, they'd save $1,658,900.00. In 2013- 2014, they'd save $10,700,000.00. In total, they'd save $13,247,200.00 in guaranteed money, not counting luxury tax.

The Utah Jazz also save more in this deal. In 2012-2013, they'd save $8,958,700.00. In 2013-2014, they'd save $4,700,000.00. In total, they'd save $13,658,700.00.

In conclusion, I believe this is a fair deal for all parties involved. Chandler Parsons would be awesome in D'Antoni's offense and Millsap would be a good stopgap for this year and they can still possibly re-sign him to a favorable deal. I love Pau Gasol for helping the Lakers win back to back titles, but he's getting paid way too much to be relied on like he is.

The perfect 4 for this team would be Bosh ... he doesn't seem to miss on long 2s ..

Aldridge is overrated as a midrange to long 2 shooter ( his career average is at 40%) ... plus he's taking too many of them ...

Of course there is no way we get Bosh

Finwë wrote:How is he shooting 22 percent from 3-9 feet?

You need to elevate to finish around the basket