Adding Pau Gasol in a trade for some spare parts makes the Los Angeles Lakers an instant contender in the Western Conference.
I think the U.S. Congress should investigate this trade. After all, they decided to delve into the world of MLB and have now chosen to check into the happenings of the NFL to try and get to the bottom of the New England Patriots and the "spygate" issue. So what the heck, check to see if Chris Wallace, the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, was under the influence of illicit drugs, alcohol or had a gun put to his head when he gave away, er, traded Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.
When I first learned of the trade, I thought that it was just some crazy fantasy trade that someone had made up. Then I wondered if they had allowed Ted Stepien - for those of you not familiar with him, just look it up and you'll realize the NBA modified rules associated with trading draft picks because of Stepien's foolhardy dealings back in the 80's - into the Grizzlies front office after winning some sort of "be an owner for a day" contest.
Bottom line is the Lakers are that much stronger and head coach Phil Jackson now has more options. When Andrew Bynum returns to the line up some time in March, Los Angeles will have the ability to put out a front line that will be a match up nightmare for opponents. Lamar Odom, who is 6'10" and can handle the basketball on the perimeter, will have more freedom while Gasol has his own strengths.
"He's a post up presence, he's a good scorer, he's a talented passer who sees the floor," said Jackson when asked about what Gasol would bring to the team.
Interesting, following the trade, how Kobe Bryant has officially changed his tune. Give Bryant credit, he has played hard this season even though he announced he would rather wear another uniform at the beginning of the campaign. Kobe has played like an MVP and has made his team better putting all the preseason drama behind him. He admitted in the visitor's locker room before suiting up against the Raptors that he now has what he wants, a legitimate chance to win a championship.
"I think now it's a matter of just jelling and putting it together," said Bryant when asked about the acquisition of Gasol. "We've got a great bench and we have a lot of length and versatility. Now it's time to walk the walk."
After all the alleged hard feelings between Bryant and the Laker front office, owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak, he now is giving them credit.
"This shows a level of commitment that I had questioned over the summer," remarked Bryant. "I have to tip my hat to Buss and Mitch for going for it with this and now it's on us to go out there and work."
How long will Gasol take to fit in to the Laker system? Not as long as some might think. In speaking with coaches there is a notion that the vaunted triple post offence (a.k.a. the triangle offence) is difficult to learn. That couldn't be further from the truth. In actuality if you truly understand how to play, the offence has many options, so many in fact that the defence can't take all of them away and as players mature they like the offence more and more from a read and react standpoint.
What system is more difficult to learn, the triangle or the Princeton style motion offence employed by the likes of Byron Scott (New Orleans) Eddie Jordan (Washington) and Lawrence Frank (New Jersey)? People that have been involved with both point to the subtle intricacies of the Princeton offence and how much more demanding they are to master.
Not coincidentally, Bryant has stopped decrying the "limitations" of the triangle. Is it because he is the focus of the offence? Perhaps so, but more likely he has matured as a player and has a better read on how defences are playing him and is now able to use Jackson's offence to get the shots he wants.
There is one other scenario that may be at work with this trade. For over a year now there have been rumblings of an ownership change in Memphis. Remember, former Duke running mates Christian Laettner and Brian Davis looked into buying the team but couldn't come up with the money by the designated deadline last season. Now the thought is that owner Michael Hiesley is trying to dump salary to make it more attractive for a local buyer since the lease agreement makes it difficult for outside interests to buy the team and then relocate.
In the end, the Lakers are a major player again after the trade and as the adage goes, "what's new is old and what's old is new". So could it be the Lakers and Pistons, or the Lakers and Celtics in the Finals the way it was back in the day? If it is and they turn the clock back and produce the epic battles that were witnessed in the late 80's it would be pretty entertaining basketball.
