Pau Gasol

[LordBaldric]

We all agree that Pek at $13 >> Pau at $20, right?

I agree but I'm not sure the FO does.

If we trade for Pau I'm going to vomit.

[Worm Guts]

It might make some sense to me if I thought Derozan or Gasol could push us into the playoffs, but they can't unless we get healthy and it might too late even if we do get healthy. I think we have to wait things out, this might be a season we have to write off because of the injuries. Hopefully we can regroup in the offseason.

[Klomp]

It's easy for people to dismiss expensive players because it's not their money, but many of us look at it like that's wasted money that could bring in more production. If we spend $40 mil on Gasol and get $20 mil in production, that's going to mean more losses than wins, longterm.

Pau Gasol is being misused and mismanaged in Los Angeles, and has been the past two seasons. In Minnesota, he would be a perfect fit in Rick Adelman's corner offense. As much as we all love Nikola Pekovic, he is not.

People want to focus solely on the $40 million that Gasol is owed, but seem gloss over the $48 million decision that we will likely need to make on Pekovic in five months. And for all the doubts people here have about Gasol being old and worn down, don't forget that he has missed just 14 of 112 games (12.5%) the past two regular seasons, while Pekovic has missed 26 of 108 games (24.1%). And for as good a rebounder we all consider Pekovic to be, he is averaging 8.7 rpg on a team WITHOUT Kevin Love, while the "soft" Gasol is averaging 7.9 rpg on a team WITH Dwight Howard.

[Worm Guts]

It doesn't matter how many games Gasol misses if he can't play at certain level. At his age you have to consider the possibility that he's not being mismanaged, he's just not a good player anymore. It's a big gamble at his pricetag.

[Krapinsky]

We all agree that Pek at $13 >> Pau at $20, right?

I agree but I'm not sure the FO does.

If we trade for Pau I'm going to vomit.

I think the issue is more Pek at $52/4 or Pau at $20/1.

[Klomp]

It doesn't matter how many games Gasol misses if he can't play at certain level. At his age you have to consider the possibility that he's not being mismanaged, he's just not a good player anymore. It's a big gamble at his pricetag.

Of course it's a possibility, but 99.99% of Wolves fans seem to think its a foregone conclusion.

No he's not going to be a 20/10 player, but he can easily put up Pekovic numbers with better passing

[C.lupus]

It's easy for people to dismiss expensive players because it's not their money, but many of us look at it like that's wasted money that could bring in more production. If we spend $40 mil on Gasol and get $20 mil in production, that's going to mean more losses than wins, longterm.

Pau Gasol is being misused and mismanaged in Los Angeles, and has been the past two seasons. In Minnesota, he would be a perfect fit in Rick Adelman's corner offense. As much as we all love Nikola Pekovic, he is not.

People want to focus solely on the $40 million that Gasol is owed, but seem gloss over the $48 million decision that we will likely need to make on Pekovic in five months. And for all the doubts people here have about Gasol being old and worn down, don't forget that he has missed just 14 of 112 games (12.5%) the past two regular seasons, while Pekovic has missed 26 of 108 games (24.1%). And for as good a rebounder we all consider Pekovic to be, he is averaging 8.7 rpg on a team WITHOUT Kevin Love, while the "soft" Gasol is averaging 7.9 rpg on a team WITH Dwight Howard.

My biggest problem with the salary is what it would take to match $20M. We are right up against the cap and we are shorthanded due to injuries. I don't see any feasible way of matching salaries because it would take 3-4 players to do it.

[Krapinsky]

Bad trades don't move the needle. They just guarantee you'll be bad for longer.

"Bad trade" is subjective. People laughed at Memphis when they traded for Randolph. He moved the needle big time for them. Better players, albeit overpaid better players, can move the needle. We have two years after this one to show Love we're serious or he's going to walk and its back to the drawing board. We can't afford to be as risk adverse as we'd like. We had that opportunity over the last two years and we screwed it up.

[LordBaldric]

We all agree that Pek at $13 >> Pau at $20, right?

I agree but I'm not sure the FO does.

If we trade for Pau I'm going to vomit.

I think the issue is more Pek at $52/4 or Pau at $20/1.

And then what after Pau expires? Are you assuming we can just wave our hands and sign a Pek quality free agent center, or that David Kahn has the where with all to draft one?

Do you realize that every single center this franchise has had before Pek got here has been at best mediocre, and more often completely SUCKED ASS?!?

[Klomp]

And then what after Pau expires? Are you assuming we can just wave our hands and sign a Pek quality free agent center, or that David Kahn has the where with all to draft one?

That depends on what happens with the Kevin Love situation. That is the summer before his opt out, meaning we'll know where the direction of the franchise is heading, and may have a decision made.

[Worm Guts]

It doesn't matter how many games Gasol misses if he can't play at certain level. At his age you have to consider the possibility that he's not being mismanaged, he's just not a good player anymore. It's a big gamble at his pricetag.

Of course it's a possibility, but 99.99% of Wolves fans seem to think its a foregone conclusion.

No he's not going to be a 20/10 player, but he can easily put up Pekovic numbers with better passing

He might be able to put up similar raw numbers, but he can't score nearly as efficiently as Pek and Pek's been the better rebounder this year and has the higher PER. Then you factor in that Pek is younger and costs less...

[Krapinsky]

I agree but I'm not sure the FO does.

If we trade for Pau I'm going to vomit.

I think the issue is more Pek at $52/4 or Pau at $20/1.

And then what after Pau expires? Are you assuming we can just wave our hands and sign a Pek quality free agent center, or that David Kahn has the where with all to draft one?

Do you realize that every single center this franchise has had before Pek got here has been at best mediocre, and more often completely SUCKED ASS?!?

I think the most realistic scenario is that then we are able to sign Pau to a reasonable contract at like $8-9M year.

Say we give Pau a $27/3 year deal after next year. Then it's $47/4 for Pau compared to $52/4 for Pek.

We'd have Pau's bird rights so we could sign him above the cap.

[The J Rocka]

What do we do with the front-court?

Pek & Love aren't a great fit next to each other and durability is somewhat of a concern with both players. If we pay Pek and keep Love, we're going to have a ton of money tied up to them and we'll still have the same issues (durability, lack of interior defense, lack of athleticism, etc.) Not saying Pek is on Love's level in terms of defense but he's certainly nothing to brag about.

Not sure Gasol is our answer, but we need to do something with Pek or Love. I don't believe we'll be very successful moving forward just standing pat for the next 2/3 years with those two paired up. We should be shopping one of them for a SG + big package.

[Klomp]

He might be able to put up similar raw numbers, but he can't score nearly as efficiently as Pek and Pek's been the better rebounder this year and has the higher PER. Then you factor in that Pek is younger and costs less...

That's where the mismanagement comes in, and is 0.8 more rebounds really that much of a difference?

[Worm Guts]

What do we do with the front-court?

Pek & Love aren't a great fit next to each other and durability is somewhat of a concern with both players. If we pay Pek and keep Love, we're going to have a ton of money tied up to them and we'll still have the same issues (durability, lack of interior defense, lack of athleticism, etc.) Not saying Pek is on Love's level in terms of defense but he's certainly nothing to brag about.

Not sure Gasol is our answer, but we need to do something with Pek or Love. I don't believe we'll be very successful moving forward just standing pat for the next 2/3 years with those two paired up. We should be shopping one of them for a SG + big package.

I guess I'm only concerned about the durability right now. If they can stay healthy Pek and Love easily good enough to the starting frontcourt for a playoff team.

[Worm Guts]

He might be able to put up similar raw numbers, but he can't score nearly as efficiently as Pek and Pek's been the better rebounder this year and has the higher PER. Then you factor in that Pek is younger and costs less...

That's where the mismanagement comes in, and is 0.8 more rebounds really that much of a difference?

I think Pek is going to be the more efficient scorer from this point forward regardless of management. As far as rebounds Pek has 15.6 TRB% compared to Gasol's 13.3 and Gasols has steadily declined over the past few seasons.

[Krapinsky]

He might be able to put up similar raw numbers, but he can't score nearly as efficiently as Pek and Pek's been the better rebounder this year and has the higher PER. Then you factor in that Pek is younger and costs less...

That's where the mismanagement comes in, and is 0.8 more rebounds really that much of a difference?

I think Pek is going to be the more efficient scorer from this point forward regardless of management. As far as rebounds Pek has 15.6 TRB% compared to Gasol's 13.3 and Gasols has steadily declined over the past few seasons.

I don't think anyone can refute that, but the pro-Pau arguement is that he'll improve the efficiency of everyone else on the team with his passing, spacing, and BBIQ.

[Klomp]

“@JoanNiesen: D'Antoni on Rubio's comments about Lakers misusing Pau Gasol: “When he gets a team that he can coach, then he can make that decision.””

[Worm Guts]

Ricky should probably be quiet, that could be considered tampering.

[Klomp]

Ricky should probably be quiet, that could be considered tampering.

If that's the case, Kobe tampered too (see quote in TIT thread)