Bucher: Lakers may amnesty Pau Gasol this summer

[CoachBo]

Celtics fans who turned their noses up at people like Cousins must forget the rap against Dennis Johnson, Charlie Scott, Paul Silas, Jim Loscutoff, etc. Not to mention some of Rondo's own foibles, but why has already been firmly established there, I think.

What's true in Sacramento isn't necessarily true in Boston.

[LarBrd33]

If I was guaranteed that Pau Gasol would play as well as he did in 2009 and 2010, I'd absolutely consider moving Rondo + Bass for him and a 1st. 

I'm totally comfortable in Avery Bradley as a role playing starting PG if it means pairing 2009/10 Pau with KG and Pierce at their current levels.   It would make us a serious contender next season (more so than Rondo + Pierce and KG could make us)... and then the next season, Pierce and KG would likely retire and Pau would expire... cap space for a rebuild. 

And as others have said, Pierce for Pau makes too much sense for both teams.  We already have a starting SF on our bench in Jeff Green.... but the idea of Pierce as a Laker makes me throw up in my mouth. 

EDIT:  Lakers unfortunately don't have a 1st rounder in this draft.  Still... it's worth considering.

To be honest, even with him recovering from knee surgery, I think we have a better chance of seeing 2009/2010 Rondo than we do of seeing 2009/2010 Gasol next season.

Why?  He was basically the same player he's always been last year... averaged 17, 10 and 1.5 with 50% shooting despite sharing the paint with Bynum and sharing scoring with Kobe.  He's been battling issues this year with injuries and his role... but it's not like he's going through major surgery.

In 2010-11, he showed he could still be a 20 point, 12 board, 4 assist, 2 block center when Bynum sat.  Dude is severely underrated right now.  He's 4 years younger than KG and KG has played 6 more seasons than Pau has.  Why is everyone so quick to assume he's washed up?  As an added bonus, he has to absolutely hate Kobe and the Lakers at this point.  I personally think the franchise has been dead to him since they tried trading him to Houston.  Kobe continues to disrespect him and blame all the failure on Pau.  Dude is hungry for some payback.  He probably mailed in that 17, 10 and 1.4 last year.  I'd love to have him.

[LooseCannon]

Celtics fans who turned their noses up at people like Cousins must forget the rap against Dennis Johnson, Charlie Scott, Paul Silas, Jim Loscutoff, etc. Not to mention some of Rondo's own foibles, but why has already been firmly established there, I think.

There's a bit of difference when you have word-of-mouth reputations back then vs being able to see every stupid thing a modern player does on Youtube.  Some of those players have undeserved reputations, but Cousins often demonstrates that he deserves his.

[LooseCannon]

Another point on Pau... I know his stock is at an all-time low (hence why we can even discuss this), but the dude is 4 years younger than KG and KG has remained pretty darn capable.  I am in the camp that believes Pau is still an elite big man in this league and has actually been held back in LA the last couple years due to Bynum/Howard.  He's one of the best post players in the league and a very capable inside defender.  I'd really enjoy seeing him and KG play together.   

I am open to the idea that the Gasol is a guy who might have enough in the tank to be worth going after as a free agent if KG retires after next season and the Celtics have some cap space to play with.

[LarBrd33]

Celtics fans who turned their noses up at people like Cousins must forget the rap against Dennis Johnson, Charlie Scott, Paul Silas, Jim Loscutoff, etc. Not to mention some of Rondo's own foibles, but why has already been firmly established there, I think.

There's a bit of difference when you have word-of-mouth reputations back then vs being able to see every stupid thing a modern player does on Youtube.  Some of those players have undeserved reputations, but Cousins often demonstrates that he deserves his.

There's also a big difference between what players could get away with in the 80s and today.  By today's standards, Cousins is a nutcase whackjob.  By 80s standards he's a level-headed teddybear.

[RebusRankin]

Can you imagine the Net existing when Marvin Barnes played?

Put me down in the Cousin/Evans for Rondo camp.

[Celtics18]

If I was guaranteed that Pau Gasol would play as well as he did in 2009 and 2010, I'd absolutely consider moving Rondo + Bass for him and a 1st. 

I'm totally comfortable in Avery Bradley as a role playing starting PG if it means pairing 2009/10 Pau with KG and Pierce at their current levels.   It would make us a serious contender next season (more so than Rondo + Pierce and KG could make us)... and then the next season, Pierce and KG would likely retire and Pau would expire... cap space for a rebuild. 

And as others have said, Pierce for Pau makes too much sense for both teams.  We already have a starting SF on our bench in Jeff Green.... but the idea of Pierce as a Laker makes me throw up in my mouth. 

EDIT:  Lakers unfortunately don't have a 1st rounder in this draft.  Still... it's worth considering.

To be honest, even with him recovering from knee surgery, I think we have a better chance of seeing 2009/2010 Rondo than we do of seeing 2009/2010 Gasol next season.

Why?  He was basically the same player he's always been last year... averaged 17, 10 and 1.5 with 50% shooting despite sharing the paint with Bynum and sharing scoring with Kobe.  He's been battling issues this year with injuries and his role... but it's not like he's going through major surgery.

In 2010-11, he showed he could still be a 20 point, 12 board, 4 assist, 2 block center when Bynum sat.  Dude is severely underrated right now.  He's 4 years younger than KG and KG has played 6 more seasons than Pau has.  Why is everyone so quick to assume he's washed up?  As an added bonus, he has to absolutely hate Kobe and the Lakers at this point.  I personally think the franchise has been dead to him since they tried trading him to Houston.  Kobe continues to disrespect him and blame all the failure on Pau.  Dude is hungry for some payback.  He probably mailed in that 17, 10 and 1.4 last year.  I'd love to have him.

I mean no disrespect to Pau Gasol.  I think the guy gets a lot of undue criticism and might have been the best player on the 2010 team that beat us in the Finals.

Having said that, 32 is still a risky age to trade a player who is 27 and just entering his prime for.  You point to Garnett, and again no disrespect to Pau, but KG, I think, is truly a rare bird.  The way he pushes his body night in and night out is nothing short of what I consider to be an amazing feat of pure will.  As good as Pau has been, I'm not sure he has a KG-like run in him into his mid to late thirties. 

[Moranis]

If I was guaranteed that Pau Gasol would play as well as he did in 2009 and 2010, I'd absolutely consider moving Rondo + Bass for him and a 1st. 

I'm totally comfortable in Avery Bradley as a role playing starting PG if it means pairing 2009/10 Pau with KG and Pierce at their current levels.   It would make us a serious contender next season (more so than Rondo + Pierce and KG could make us)... and then the next season, Pierce and KG would likely retire and Pau would expire... cap space for a rebuild. 

And as others have said, Pierce for Pau makes too much sense for both teams.  We already have a starting SF on our bench in Jeff Green.... but the idea of Pierce as a Laker makes me throw up in my mouth. 

EDIT:  Lakers unfortunately don't have a 1st rounder in this draft.  Still... it's worth considering.

To be honest, even with him recovering from knee surgery, I think we have a better chance of seeing 2009/2010 Rondo than we do of seeing 2009/2010 Gasol next season.

Why?  He was basically the same player he's always been last year... averaged 17, 10 and 1.5 with 50% shooting despite sharing the paint with Bynum and sharing scoring with Kobe.  He's been battling issues this year with injuries and his role... but it's not like he's going through major surgery.

In 2010-11, he showed he could still be a 20 point, 12 board, 4 assist, 2 block center when Bynum sat.  Dude is severely underrated right now.  He's 4 years younger than KG and KG has played 6 more seasons than Pau has.  Why is everyone so quick to assume he's washed up?  As an added bonus, he has to absolutely hate Kobe and the Lakers at this point.  I personally think the franchise has been dead to him since they tried trading him to Houston.  Kobe continues to disrespect him and blame all the failure on Pau.  Dude is hungry for some payback.  He probably mailed in that 17, 10 and 1.4 last year.  I'd love to have him.

I mean no disrespect to Pau Gasol.  I think the guy gets a lot of undue criticism and might have been the best player on the 2010 team that beat us in the Finals.

Having said that, 32 is still a risky age to trade a player who is 27 and just entering his prime for.  You point to Garnett, and again no disrespect to Pau, but KG, I think, is truly a rare bird.  The way he pushes his body night in and night out is nothing short of what I consider to be an amazing feat of pure will.  As good as Pau has been, I'm not sure he has a KG-like run in him into his mid to late thirties.

Pau also has a lot of international games played.  I mean a ton.  I don't think he has missed an international competition since he has been in the league.  That year round stuff wears on the body a lot.

[CelticConcourse]

If I was guaranteed that Pau Gasol would play as well as he did in 2009 and 2010, I'd absolutely consider moving Rondo + Bass for him and a 1st. 

I'm totally comfortable in Avery Bradley as a role playing starting PG if it means pairing 2009/10 Pau with KG and Pierce at their current levels.   It would make us a serious contender next season (more so than Rondo + Pierce and KG could make us)... and then the next season, Pierce and KG would likely retire and Pau would expire... cap space for a rebuild. 

And as others have said, Pierce for Pau makes too much sense for both teams.  We already have a starting SF on our bench in Jeff Green.... but the idea of Pierce as a Laker makes me throw up in my mouth. 

EDIT:  Lakers unfortunately don't have a 1st rounder in this draft.  Still... it's worth considering.

To be honest, even with him recovering from knee surgery, I think we have a better chance of seeing 2009/2010 Rondo than we do of seeing 2009/2010 Gasol next season.

Why?  He was basically the same player he's always been last year... averaged 17, 10 and 1.5 with 50% shooting despite sharing the paint with Bynum and sharing scoring with Kobe.  He's been battling issues this year with injuries and his role... but it's not like he's going through major surgery.

In 2010-11, he showed he could still be a 20 point, 12 board, 4 assist, 2 block center when Bynum sat.  Dude is severely underrated right now.  He's 4 years younger than KG and KG has played 6 more seasons than Pau has.  Why is everyone so quick to assume he's washed up?  As an added bonus, he has to absolutely hate Kobe and the Lakers at this point.  I personally think the franchise has been dead to him since they tried trading him to Houston.  Kobe continues to disrespect him and blame all the failure on Pau.  Dude is hungry for some payback.  He probably mailed in that 17, 10 and 1.4 last year.  I'd love to have him.

I mean no disrespect to Pau Gasol.  I think the guy gets a lot of undue criticism and might have been the best player on the 2010 team that beat us in the Finals.

Having said that, 32 is still a risky age to trade a player who is 27 and just entering his prime for.  You point to Garnett, and again no disrespect to Pau, but KG, I think, is truly a rare bird.  The way he pushes his body night in and night out is nothing short of what I consider to be an amazing feat of pure will.  As good as Pau has been, I'm not sure he has a KG-like run in him into his mid to late thirties.

Pau also has a lot of international games played.  I mean a ton.  I don't think he has missed an international competition since he has been in the league.  That year round stuff wears on the body a lot.

Even Vince Carter can still ball!

[LEHGOCELTICS]

This dude can still ball. Inept pringles just doesn't understand how to use him. But as much as I want him, I thought teams like us can't even bid for him even if he were to be amnestied...?

[saltlover]

This dude can still ball. Inept pringles just doesn't understand how to use him. But as much as I want him, I thought teams like us can't even bid for him even if he were to be amnestied...?

Pretty much.  You have to either be under the cap (not happening unless there are multiple retirements) or have a trade exception.  We don't have one of those either, but maybe we can create one during the draft.

Still, I can't see the Laker's amnestying Gasol.  Yes, it saves them tons of luxury tax money, but they can only sign a player to the minimum to replace him.  Their team is mediocre at best right now this year, and has no draft picks -- how are they going to be a better team without him?