With how disappointing the Lakers season has been so far, talks continue to swirl about trade possibilities as their playoff hopes continue to fade. Sitting at 17-25, the Lakers are in contention for the worst record in the Western Conference. A slap in the face for many who assumed this team had championship aspirations.
Pau Gasol’s name has come up numerous times in trade talks. So much so that according to Yahoo! Sports, the Lakers big man reportedly expects to be traded at some point this season.
Nevertheless, D’Antoni has marginalized Gasol, leaving him livid and privately expecting to be traded before the February deadline for an athletic forward who fits his coaching designs. Buss believed that Nash had been neutralized in the Princeton offense, sources say, and that he would never flourish with the changes – blessed by the organization over the summer, by the way – that Brown implemented for the season.
It will be interesting to see what the Lakers front office decides to do as the trade deadline nears. Given Gasol’s poor play, one has to think his trade value has significantly diminished.
We’ll have to see if the team thinks they can get a fair offer.