D'Antoni: Gasol Needs To Play Harder, Worry Less

[RealGM Wiretap]

Mike D'Antoni believes Pau Gasol needs to play harder and be less concerned with his role in the Los Angeles Lakers' offense that has him further away from the basket.

"Everybody, to a man, we've just got to play harder and worry about things less," said Mike D'Antoni. "That's one thing, if they just don't want to do it that way. Then you have to accept it or not. But there's no reason to not play hard."

D'Antoni believes Gasol's rationale of being less aggressive is an excuse.

"That's a classic, 'Well, I don't know what I'm supposed to do,'" D'Antoni said. "Well, you don't have trouble getting up to the pay-stub line. They know what to do there to get the check. So obviously you know what to do. They will."

Via Mike Bresnahan/Los Angeles Times

[Fresh360Waves]

People have to stop blaming D'Antoni because at the end of the day Gasol is just aging and at the same time his game is declining too. The Lakers made a mistake by not trading him last season when there were teams such as Minnesota who were interested in trading for him.

[Robbo]

These two need to sit down and iron out their differences because this is taking a turn for the ugly.

[DangerG]

Regardless of everything that happens thats not Dantonis fault... I **** hate that guy. He is not an nba level coach his coaching history is pathetic. Only success hes seen is riding Nash and Amare, other than that hes a miserable failure in the NBA that gets no respect from players because hes a dumb ****. Hes not even high school worthy coach he should be coaching elementary school if he HAS to coach.. he should definitely just give it up altogether hes a **** poison will never win anything I hate him. Love lakers, need him gone.

[giantkiller]

Gasol: wahhhhhwahhhhwahhhh!!!!

Just play within the system. You are getting paid millions.

[Lapinski]

Regardless of everything that happens thats not Dantonis fault... I **** hate that guy. He is not an nba level coach his coaching history is pathetic. Only success hes seen is riding Nash and Amare, other than that hes a miserable failure in the NBA that gets no respect from players because hes a dumb ****. Hes not even high school worthy coach he should be coaching elementary school if he HAS to coach.. he should definitely just give it up altogether hes a **** poison will never win anything I hate him. Love lakers, need him gone.

And Phil Jackson is just an idiot that rode Michael Jordanb's, and Kobe's jock. D'Antoni has forgotten more about coaching than you'll never know.

[Cicero]

What a way to treat a player of his caliber, and from such a loser of a coach whose real problem is an inability to adapt HIS coaching systems to the players and resources he has available so he instead tries to cram square pegs in round holes. I'm sure Gasol is declining as the years pass by but you better believe there are a lot of teams that would love to have him and put him to far better and more efficient and productive use than the Lakers and D'Antoni. He doesn't need this unprofessional bull public humiliation on a team that isn't planning (or able) on going anywhere relevant success-wise anytime soon anyway.
He was an INTEGRAL part of the Laker championships he participated in and for years he's been dealing with Laker fans (one of the greatest black holes of current relevant non-retarded non-delusional basketball knowledge other than Miami Heat fans and all the people whose interest in the NBA begins and ends with "JEREMY LIN HAPPENS TO BE THE SAME RACE I AM WOW" and people who regurgitate stupid ESPN non-stories about how X or Y superstar is totally coming to Los Angeles or New York or how LeBron's going back to Cleveland, just look at the All-Star votes this year, given to throwing around stupid concepts and drama created by sportswriters and talking about who's "soft") giving him **** and members of the organization publicly berating him, I wouldn't stick around on that sinking ship.
I mean you might think about it if they treated you with some respect but it seems every Pau Gasol story is D'Antoni unprofessionally calling him out because Mr. Seven Seconds or Less lacks adaptability and ability as a coach or about how his best buddy Kobe thinks he's fat or a total pussy or how the organization is just itching to trade him to X or Y team. Get the **** out of there man, just wait and see how he'll look on a team that actually makes use of him correctly and doesn't just go "BUY INTO THE SYSTEM" with such a skilled piece.

[kenwood3333]

Its clear that Gasol is giving up on the coach. Trade him when he still has some value.

[Cicero]

Its clear that Gasol is giving up on the coach.

Wouldn't you? Consider the coach, roster, and system. I thought even most Laker fans had the sense to give up on Coach Pringles ages ago. The guy's toxic, melodramatic, and pretty much fixed in his methods (which despite some success and press still haven't gotten him anywhere that counts). I wish Gasol could be a team like the Spurs or Pacers or the Mavs, etc., find out what a real coach is like.

To any Laker fans giving Pau ****, just ask yourself who's brought your team more glory and "RINGZ" (since that's the language you guys speak basketball-wise). You guys are so ready to be loyal to Kobe regardless of what he's got left or what contract he wants or what impact his decisions will have on the team's future but throw Pau (who obviously isn't to the Lakers what Kobe was but those championship teams wouldn't have won without him) under the bus of some coach whose direction has helped lead your team into irrelevant mediocrity. Mike D'Antoni will never contribute to a championship anywhere.

[inquisitive]

Zbo for Pau is probably under consideration by both teams.

[truthiness]

Gasol: wahhhhhwahhhhwahhhh!!!!

Just play within the system. You are getting paid millions.

He's getting paid because he's worth it, not because the Lakers are charitable.
He did help them get 2 titles.

I am pretty sure you have complaints about your job, even if you're paid to do it.
Oh, you're not being paid millions ?
That's because your skills (flipping burgers or whatever) are not that rare or sought after as are his skills.

It's not like he gets extra money but he has to give up the right to complain about his job.
And I think he's right, too.

[alienpick]

can't wait until Gasol is off this goofball's team. hiring D'Antoni was a huge mistake

[ryguy3711]

D'Antoni is a bully. Whoever he doesn't like gets kicked to the curb. Stephon Marbury? Nate Robinson? Gasol? Seriously, D'Antoni is the catalyst to all of these "player problems." When are people going to start blaming him for ruining every situation?

[BallerTalk]

And the D'Antoni pattern continues.

He sure seems to do a lot of public trashing of present and former players for a coach who has never really won anything in the NBA.

[panarama]

Kobo and Mr. Pringles are a match made in haeven.
They both are dramatic bitches!!!
Its a bitch move to critiquing one of his player's behavior in such dramatic ways to the media.
Kobo and Mr. Pringles deserve each other.

[giantkiller]

"I am pretty sure you have complaints about your job, even if you're paid to do it.
Oh, you're not being paid millions ?
That's because your skills (flipping burgers or whatever) are not that rare or sought after as are his skills."

You're right! it's a job so pick up your paycheck every 2 weeks and do your job! shut your mouth and play within the system. Yeah Pau helped them win a ring, so did andrew bynum and Phil Jackson who is a cornerstone in their championship run.

Phil Jackson delivered 3 rings without Pau. He only had Kobe and Shaq. Obviously the system worked to bring 5 titles. Pau is not that valuable You laker loving ****.

There were 5 or 6 pf/c that were better than Pau.

Only reason Pau is mentioned often is because he is in LA. MEDIA DUMB$$

[Donnyxc]

Signing D'Antoni was such a bad move.

[Sam195]

The gasol trade rumors are a big hint that the lakers maybe readying themselves to tank the season for a high pick. The lakers front office may change from morons to geniuses if that massive Kobe extension was an excuse to tank cause now Kobe ain't going anywhere and I highly doubt any contender would trade let alone give up assets for his albatross deal. Mike D'antoni is also a perfect lameduck coach that can assist in the losing intiative. As long as Kobe the laker's golden goose is on the roster, the franchise will remain profitable. Kobe is likely going to lose endorsements to durant, lebron, cp3 and others if the lakers stink and don't look like title contenders so it makes sense that the lakers had to overpay him on his contract to make up the difference.

[PDX_DL0]

D'Antoni is a bully. Whoever he doesn't like gets kicked to the curb. Stephon Marbury? Nate Robinson? Gasol? Seriously, D'Antoni is the catalyst to all of these "player problems." When are people going to start blaming him for ruining every situation?

He's right on this front. Pau has ALWAYS been mentally weak and a push over. He gets worse every season and doesn't fit in D'Antoni's system. He should've been traded 3 years ago when he had substantial value.