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I think the Lakers will explore trade parties prior to amnesty decision. In case no one bids for Pau, we pay him 19M to get rid of 85M in penalties. As is the lineup, just add back Jordan Hill, possibly Jamison too, a guard or 2, with more time together and a healthier Dwight will mean a very good team.

5: Howard - Hill
4: Clark - Jamison
3: MWP - ?
2: Bryant - Meeks
1: Nash - Blake

The value of an expiring contract is dependant on wheter or not you take salary back. If you want salary relief, you're likely not going to find it. because what's the point of trading your expiring contracts for another expiring contract? If you're trying to get instant cap space from a team under the cap, you can expect to have to give up something as incentive. Its going to be a hard sell to have a team eat 20 million dollars for Gasol. Given that the Lakers have no picks, I don't know what team will take him.

The Lakers have boxed themselves in by holding onto Gasol for too long. I'm thinking they'll probably have to amnesty him unless Howard walks.

LarsV8 wrote:Rockets will happily take him once you amnesty him.

I agree. I don't think that a trade is at all likely, but if he hits the wire you know Morey is putting in a bid!

Bargani will still be available.

Kupchak9 wrote:If the Rockets miss on Howard this offseason

I can see LA offering Gasol for TRob.

Then when Gasol expires then go after the 2014 free agents.

Lol and there is no way Houston takes that.

Jajwanda wrote:Looking for as much as salary cap savings as possible in addition to a late lottery first.

Amnesty

Kupchak9 wrote:If the Rockets miss on Howard this offseason

I can see LA offering Gasol for TRob.

Then when Gasol expires then go after the 2014 free agents.

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the trade. Ammo for a Pau trade if D12 re-signs with LAL. I think it will be CLE or HOU. Both will have plenty of cap space and only a one-year commitment. Dark horse is MIL with a need at low post scoring and potential cap space.

LAL will be looking to return players on deals with team options (depending on when option must be exercised) and un-guaranteed contracts in order to shave the commitment from 19M+ to somewhere around 8-9M if possible.

warren weel im wrote:I think the Lakers will explore trade parties prior to amnesty decision. In case no one bids for Pau, we pay him 19M to get rid of 85M in penalties. As is the lineup, just add back Jordan Hill, possibly Jamison too, a guard or 2, with more time together and a healthier Dwight will mean a very good team.

5: Howard - Hill
4: Clark - Jamison
3: MWP - ?
2: Bryant - Meeks
1: Nash - Blake

I don't think Pau will be waived via the amnesty provision. Too many teams with cap space and need of low post scoring. IMO MWP will be waived via amnesty and Blake will be waived via stretch provision. that alone will shave about 11M off. I doubt Pau will be moved right away, but rather after D12 re-signs and the marquis FA are taken.

If David West leaves Indiana, Gasol for Granger makes a ton of sense.

tviper wrote:

Kupchak9 wrote:If the Rockets miss on Howard this offseason

I can see LA offering Gasol for TRob.

Then when Gasol expires then go after the 2014 free agents.

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the trade. Ammo for a Pau trade if D12 re-signs with LAL.

I guarantee you that wasn't even a remote consideration when Morey made that trade. You guys are in for some disappointment if you think a $20M Pau with declining play and nagging injuries is worth much more than a salary dump and maybe some paltry filler.

LarsV8 wrote:Rockets will happily take him once you amnesty him.

Gonna be an exciting summer for the Rockets: with the very same ~$18million, they're going to take Gasol, give a max contract to Dwight Howard and give a max contract to Josh Smith.

Brandon-Clyde wrote:Yeah,good luck with that

+1.....who has a late lotto first and can eat salary? Well....teams a bit below .500. Now...why does such a team want to pay a 33 yr old Pau for a single year...about $20 mill? Consider Pau can mope a bit if not happy,that he's had a variety of relevant injuries on top of losing a step..and generally had an off year even when rather healthy.

The value can be that having Bird rights...he may later extend a few years at less $ and if he holds up physically...could then be a decent value. That said...He still appeals mostly to a team that's been above 500, and I doubt such a team is under cap enough to give LAL some cap savings.

This has basically been the problem all year...as it appeared that if LAL made ANY move...trading Pau seemed to bee it. However...his age and $ hit don't fit for 2/3 of the teams and the others...the better teams...mostly don't have the need or don't have the trade chips the Lakers figure to desire.

After next season...much of LAL's older,big $ guys expire and the Lakers have always done well at bagging top free agents if able. They may look to the window where they can get a quality FA then re-up Kobe and ? at a twilight price tag with Bird rights.

ClubLakers KB8 wrote:If David West leaves Indiana, Gasol for Granger makes a ton of sense.

Maybe for the Lakers...not for Indy.

Pau still has value because he can play both 4/5 positions and even though he's got some problems with injuries this season, he doesn't rely on athleticism to play.

You guys are flat out wrong if you believe he has no value. In a league that absolutely lacks skilled/high bbiq Centers, Pau still has good value.

Obviously it's not an easy task to match salaries considering Pau's salary, but LA won't use the amnesty clause on him and if they trade him, they will be able to get value for him.

I do not want Gasol in Cleveland next season. With Varejao healthy, Gasol would simply be eating up minutes that should go to Thompson, Zeller, and possibly a third young big depending on this summer's draft. When you factor in the amount Gasol is set to make next season, I think LA is the party that will need to be adding an asset to any deal that provides pure savings.

parson wrote:

LarsV8 wrote:Rockets will happily take him once you amnesty him.

Gonna be an exciting summer for the Rockets: with the very same ~$18million, they're going to take Gasol, give a max contract to Dwight Howard and give a max contract to Josh Smith.

....come back to reality, you'll end up giving Smith max and regretting it the very 1st game he plays.