RealGM

According to Chicago Tribune columnist Sam Smith, Cleveland and Portland both had offers in with the Memphis Grizzlies in an effort to land 7-footer Pau Gasol, who was traded Friday to the Lakers.

According to Smith, the Lakers initially were offering Kwame Brown and Vladimir Radmanovic; the Cavaliers supposedly were offering Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes; and the Trail Blazers were believed to be offering Raef LaFrentz and Travis Outlaw.

The Grizzlies were chasing expiring contracts, however, which posed the problem.

Smith also writes that Chicago, the team who has been linked with Gasol for over a year, were dangling Andres Nocioni and Tyrus Thomas while the Grizzlies wanted Joakim Noah and Thabo Sefolosha.

While there was no official offer on the table, Smith writes that Memphis insiders believe that Chicago would have accepted the deal because none of their core were included, and the Bulls would have taken back a contract like that of Brian Cardinal.

AB_21 wrote:Thabo, Noah and fillers for Pau.

Why didn't they do it?

mad-mo wrote:i guess it all came down to the jerry west connection

mad-mo wrote:Gooden + Hughes looks temptin', but i don't see why the bulls didn't go with Noah and Thabo, i would have done that in a heartbeat especially after offering Nocioni and Tyrus

The Notic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Gooden + Hughes is horrible. Especially as a young rebuilding team, taking on Hughes' 3 year $36 million dollar contract when he's offering 10 points a game on 35% shooting with lousy defense.

Gooden is an alright complementary player, but again, fits neither of the bills of what you're looking for in a trade for a star (young player, expiring, draft pick).

mad-mo wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



i was lookin more at gooden's name but take a look:

Conley/Lowry
Hughes/Navarro
Gay/Miller
Gooden/Warrick
Darko/Brown

i wouldn't mind building with that, you can move miller now and get a good back up wing

CB4-TJ11-AB7 wrote:For the Nocioni, Thomas package. Memphis gets nothing in that. Nocioni plays the same position as Rudy their star player and would be paid 50 mill to come off the bench. Everyone in the league is starting to doubt Thomas's attitude so they don't get anything good from that package. Better players than LA's package but it doesn't fit, no cap space or young studs to build around

mad-mo wrote:the cleveland deal is temptin if your gonna give up pau for kwame brown and a few fillers

The Notic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



why? so you can paralyze your cap space, not get any picks and take crappy contracts from a team who has been trying to dump them forever? i don't think you have a firm grasp on cap space or the historical trend in trading star players and rebuilding.

mad-mo wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

i won't argue larry's contract but gooden i would consider.. and as for hughes goes, the dude can play.. his contract is horrible and thats the only thing holdin him back..

The Notic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



d00d, Larry Hughes is one of the worst players in the NBA who gets significant minutes.

He's a 35% shooter, a below average passer, rebounder and his defense lately is somewhere between below average and Calderon. Coupled with the fact that he's injury prone, not a hard worker he's a guy you stay away from no matter what.

To put this in perspective for you, Cleveland would gladly welcome anything back from him. He's one of the hardest players in the entire league to trade. That's not an exaggeration at all. He sucks, a lot.

And Gooden isn't enough of a kicker to take his contract/playl.

bill russell wrote:i can't understand why you guys think gasol is so valuable. memphis was headed for the top of the lottery.