The LA Lakers just got Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown’s expiring contract, Javaris Crittendon (who I like), 76ers assistant coach Aaron McKie (um, say again) and two future first-round picks.
When I saw this on ESPN — where it read simply Lakers get Gasol for Brown my first reaction was A.) #$%#@ the heck and B.) Didn’t McKie retire a good year or two ago? Turns out the Lakers retained the right’s to re-sign McKie when his contract expired so that’s how they were still able to trade him as his money was on the books. It’s a long list, but the Lakers didn’t give up all that much in the trade. The cap-space from Brown’s contract wasn’t all too desirable since it wouldn’t give them enough to sign an all-star caliber player (which Kobe wants), Crittendon could be very good but they already have and like Jordan Farmar (still a small ?) and the first-rounders weren’t going to be lottery picks anyways.
Now the question is, how good are the Lakers, especially once Bynum comes back. They now boast a starting lineup of Farmar/Fisher (who knows by playoff time), Kobe, Odom, Gasol and Bynum, with Farmar/Fisher, Trevor Ariza, Luke Walton and Ronny Turiaf off the bench. The Blazers fan part of me is pained to say this, but with Phil Jackson working his Phil Jackson magic, this might be the best team in the western conference, and in the entire league.
I still believe the Spurs will still be the Spurs if healthy come playoff time, but now they have to put either Oberto or Francisco Nelson on either Gasol or Bynum, a matchup which works in the Lakers’ favor easily. The Lakers have already proven, without Gasol, they can beat the Suns by owning the paint. There’s the Mavs, who are playing better and but are still a wild card depending on if they get Kidd or not. We don’t know what to truly expect out of the Hornets in the playoffs yet, but they will be around the top. And right now the Lakers just have more firepower than the Blazers, Rockets, Jazz while being able to grind wins out against the Warriors if they need to.
The questions about Gasol’s toughness need to be raised, since it was toughness with Kwame that basically ruined his career getting berated by MJ and Kobe. Will he step up now that he is playing with the Mamba, or will the Mamba get frustrated with him throwing away his best chance at a title since Shaq. I have to believe with Phil at the helm, and with Kobe’s demeanor, this is going to work.
For the Blazers, the road just got much, much tougher for the next couple years, even with Oden. Gasol is only 27 and we know how young Bynum is, so the Lakers are going to have the championship window open for as long as Kobe is an elite player. Lets just say they are going to stay good much longer than the Celtics will — and how much must the media drooling over a potential Lakers – Celtics Finals right now?
Think about Gasol as Aldridge’s man. Who’s got the advantage? They are fairly similar players if you break them down, Gasol having the rebounding edge while Aldridge gets the slight shooting edge (when he’s not tired like he is now) because of his quick-and-high release. Just as Blazers fans have imagined Aldridge and Oden running the high-low game, this is theoretically what Gasol should be able to do with Bynum, just with a different, and I’m guessing somewhat inferior chemistry.
Once again, the Lakers will (or should) be reaching their peak as the Blazers have their’s in sight. Shades of the 1999-2000 seasons with a slightly altered timeline as Portland is still two years away? Maybe.
By the way, I have no clue what the heck the Chicago Bulls are doing sitting in their hot steamy sauna up there. Is Paxon completely oblivious?
UPDATE: The Grizzlies also sent Stromile Swift to New Jersey for center Jason Collins. Clearly they are trying to clear cap space (don’t know how attractive Memphis is as a desitination, though) and this is the way to do it.