Breaking News: Gasol to LA

Man sometimes i truly feel that the breaks go to every team but the Suns.  This trade has the potential of bringing the Lakers right back into the thick of things.  
Man...when things dont get easier they sure as hell get a lot more damned difficult!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely awesome deal for the Lakers. It keeps them afloat while Bynum is recovering, and once he's back (on paper at least), look out. At first glance, I think this greatly helps the Lakers in their attempts to leapfrog us this year.

Then again, there's always a chance they'll self-combust over roles and playing time once everyone is healthy again. Won't this mean they'll either have to bring one of Gasol, Odom, or Bynum off the bench or else bump Odom down to the SF spot?  Regardless, the Lakers obviously got the sweet end of this deal if for no other reason than unloading Kwame.

This is a spectacular trade for the Lakers and very bad news for Phoenix.  Here in Lakerland they are ecstatic and with good reason.  Couple this with last night's hideous game and the Suns margin for error just got a lot smaller.

I'm really not sure if this makes the Lakers a legitimate title contender, seeing as how Gasol has never won a playoff series, and is a spotty player much of the time(although talented).  The ball sharing will certainly be an issue too, with Bynum, Kobe, and now Gasol needing touches.  Although the rest of the teams have a little to fear, I think this move hurts the Suns the most.  In the 05 playoffs the Lakers did significant damage using just klutzy Kwame Brow(only big was Diaw and TT back then) down low, and bigs are the Suns consistent problem on any team.  It may be time to reconsider some of the trade options, particularly for some athletic power forwards or centers.    

I don't know why the fact that the Grizzlies never won any of their three playoff series is relevant to the Lakers' success with Gasol. First, the Grizzlies lost those series not Gasol; basketball is a team sport. Second, even if it did reflect on Gasol individually, they lost to the Spurs, Suns, and Mavericks (not much shame in that), and he played very well in each series. Last, he also helped Spain win a world championship, so he obviously has big game experience.

The Lakers were a legit title contender before Gasol. They now have a chance, if they can smooth out the chemistry in the next month and a half, to be the favorite. That is a big "if" though. Next year, however: forget about it.

Gssol has to prove he can play second fiddle, something he has never done, and to play third fiddle (Bynum was their second option, and will be again, since he is much more agressive)  Remember the first round playoff series in 05?  Amare absolutely torched Gasol.

They can start all three, since Odom is really a small forward.  Laker fans have to be disagusted about losing Crittenden and the draft picks.  Unless Gasol fits like a glove, LA will end up trading him the closer they get to extension time for Bynum.

Any cap exerts out there?  How long must you have a player before they get Bird rights on a new team?

Also, remember how everyone lamented Iavarroni's departure because we no longer has a 'big man' coach for Amare?  Now we are really going to find out if he truly is this vaunted 'big man' coach, since he has the mother of all challenges - make Kwame Brown into a basketball player.

This has to make Kobe happy - the Lakers really went out on a limb, and it could pay off handsomely.  If Gasol can play a subordinate role and become a power forward a la Hakeem and Ralph, Duncan and Robinson - LA could pass us.  I just am not sure about those ifs.

Didn't he have a broken leg during the championship game? Also, not only has he not won a playoff series, he hasn't won a playoff game(I agree this isn't indicative of a players value, but it should certainly be considered).  But perhaps my statement was misleading, what I really meant was that although they have a very good team, and could certainly win the title, I wouldn't predict them to win in a 7 game series against the Spurs, Mavericks, or Suns.  

I think it may be the sound of a window closing at US Airways Center.

I hope I am wrong but things are not looking good.  I haven't felt this crappy since the end of last season when the disgust of a cheap loss to the Spurs was only topped by the feeling of helplessnes as I watched Atlanta pull out the third pick and relegate the Suns to another mediocre draft.  

With the way we have been playing against teams with any inside presence at all and our inability to maintain offensive dominance against the premier teams I don't like the look of this.  Is there any move the Suns can make to counter this trade?  

Dear Mr. Sarver and Mr. Kerr,
Please do something!  

and honestly, the lakers have been playing better than us this year (at least in head to head games), and now you take away a problem and add gasol! In my opinion, this makes the celtics and lakers the top 2 teams in the league,

I'm sick with envy, why couldn't we pull off something like this, oh wait, i know, he wouldn't fit into the system (b.s.),

The offensive collapse we had at the end of the spurs game was just ugly,

Here's a question, what the Hell happened to Marion against the spurs, during the first half, he was playing like our mvp, steals, dunks, hustle, double teaming, it was just awesome to watch, then he pulls his normal disappearing act.
Was it he simply burned off that extra anger of not being picked on the all star team in the first half.

Everyone here should be very concerned about one thing, above all others

Amare and Marion have quarters and flashes of playing incredible basketball, but they rarely to sometimes have complete games. And here's the part that bothers me, and I'm sure it bothers Nash. It's all mental. If all it took for Marion to play like the best player was for him to get angry, then we're looking at some serious motivation/desire problems for both amare and marion. Also, hearing Amare say (If I'm correct on the az republic quote) missing those free throws...was "no biggie" tell that to the 20,000 in the stands who felt like throwing up after each of his misses!

Also, on another thing, around here in Dallas, with Dirk, to me, it's kind of sad that you have a 7 footer who gets pushed around and out rebounded because of lack of toughness. He needs to go navy seal training for 2 years then come back. Why can't someone like Amare rebound?

I was never a fan of Barkley back in the 90's, I don't like him. But as a suns player, he was great, we desperately need someone like that, someone who can rebound 10-15 a game consistently and score 20+. I'd give Marion or Amare away for a carlos boozer type, or barkley type.

Also, it apparently hasn't sunken in over in the suns manager camp, but if your missing shots, maybe, just maybe we should try rebounding, its this new strategy where on a missed shot, you actually have your players try to get the ball instead of running back. Are there 2 basketballs on the court? Are the Suns confused? What frustrates me the most, is the suns had many moments where it looked like they'd be up on the spurs by 25 within a few more possessions,

I think I was more upset about the 2 Nash turnovers at the end than Amare's free throws. I like Nash, he's probably my favorite player, but it seems teams can turn up their defense at the end and make him lose the ball....2 thoughts in response to this

1. Lebron is so strong a ball handler, and physically, that Bowen, etc can't slow him down
   
2. Nash probably needs to go to the doctor to repair all the scratching and hitting of his hands and wrists that Bowen was doing!

With number 2 in mind, I think either Boris or Hill should be the main ball handler at the end in close games, take advantage of Nash's shooting...
and Diaw / Hill's size...haven't the suns learned from last yr? Watching the end was like a bad replay, why didn't the ball run through someone other than Nash?