Post#580 » by tlifeset » Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:17 am
I want to take a moment and talk about revisionist history and how it might help us going forward.
What has always made the Lakers great was their willingness to be bold. And regardless of how you remember the deal, the trade for Pau Gasol was a bold move.
First of all, Gasol was a player making max salary as the leader of a team that we swept THREE TIMES in the playoffs. He would never go back to look, but in his annual "trade value column", Bill Simmons had Pau Gasol in the 40s because of his inflated contract and his label as "soft". When that trade was made, there wasn't one single pundit (not even Kobe himself) who would have foreseen the success they had. Kobe seemed to mesh better with a foreign player who was more than willing to be his second banana.
I bring this up because I think I see an opportunity to be bold once again without a huge commitment - or at least it's worth looking into it...
Danilo Gallinari was the centerpiece of the Melo trade from NYC. He had a good first year in Denver - sort of reminded me of a bigger/stronger Manu, but then suffered an ACL injury that has knocked him out of the league for the last year and a half. He is drastically overpaid now, making nearly over 22 mill for the next 2 years. I'm not sure if Denver is looking to cut salary, but they do have a pretty inflated payroll between Ty Lawson, Danilo, Javale McGee and Afflalo... their payroll is around 70 mill.
I'm fairly certain that Steve Nash would elect to retire if he was traded to Denver or at least agree to a buy out - but I'm not sure. We don't really have much except both Houston picks (1st and 2nd) that we could package with the contract. But that maybe all it takes?
I'm sure the Denver board would disagree because fans overvalue their own players, but he is an interesting target. Seems like he would mesh well with Kobe - he is foreign, has a relentless style and seems like he would be a good match for LA (city) as well.
Again, next year when Kobe, Galo and Randle team up with Rondo and they win it all ... the world can look back and say that it was a one-sided trade (ala Pau), but the truth is that is was a big risk. It was bold. And that's when the Lakers are at their best.