After the Los Angeles Lakers were again ushered out of the playoffs, the talk of offseason moves began in earnest. It is not in the nature of Laker Nation to think about rebuilding over a period of years. Rather, fans want to reload and make another run while Kobe Bryant is still able to perform at a high level. Since the Lakers are generally lacking in draft picks, they may only be able to improve through a big trade. Pau Gasol has been a part of trade rumors before, and he is being discussed in rumors again. Unfortunately, trading Gasol may not actually be the answer.
What will you get?
When you look at some of these trade scenarios, you have to look at what you are actually getting. In some ways, Gasol is really taken for granted. He is an extremely versatile player, and while he may not be as productive as he once was, it is hard to find a big man with his talent. In addition, he has maintained excellent professionalism throughout all of these rumors. As a fan, it is sometimes a little hard to be objective about trades since they often look better from the standpoint of the receiving team. Some people want to get rid of Gasol, but will other teams give up more than one piece in order to get him?
Bynum
Before sending Gasol away, the Lakers have to think long and hard about the future of Andrew Bynum. The talent and productivity is obviously there, but more questions emerged this season about attitude and dedication. A focused Bynum may be the future of the franchise, but after this many seasons in the league Andrew may have reached his peak in terms of maturity. This isn't to say that Bynum should go, but there should be some sort of long-term plan beyond sending Pau away.
The post-Kobe era
The trade talk surrounding Pau Gasol is only part of a bigger question. What is the next couple of seasons going to look like with Kobe Bryant continuing to get older? As Kobe said, he doesn't expect to just fade away into the sunset. Things could get a bit awkward if the Lakers make moves that are geared toward preparing for the post-Kobe era. Most teams are forced to rebuild through the draft while struggling through some lesser seasons. Bryant is not going to like that. Therefore, any trade involving Pau Gasol will send an interesting message about the plan for the future.
Sources:
The author grew up in Seattle and now lives in Los Angeles, where he enjoys the rivalry between the Lakers and the Clippers, and all the drama that goes with being in the Southland. You can follow him on Twitter @tpheifer.
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