From Bill Simmons re: the Gasol trade...

[MikeWaters]

Gasol is the 2nd best player on a probable-championship team. Yes, he is worth a lottery pick.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by surfah33

We fleeced the Grizzlies. But they got what they wanted. In terms of what they could have got had they shopped him around? Who knows? I mean, they're not going to get a super star for him. Is he worth a high draft pick? Probably not. Would you trade a lottery pick for him? Maybe. But that's not necessarily what they wanted. They've tried for a few years to build around him as the franchise player and it got them to the playoffs but never helped them win a playoff game. So they blow up the team, get some additional picks and expiring contracts to go after a free agent and rebuild.

And if you think that those 2nd rounds picks from the Lakers were throwaways look at what the Lakers have done with theirs in recent years (Turiaf and Walton). They also got Marc Gasol who in a few years can be as good as Pau and has been playing well in Europe now.

If the Grizzlies actually go after and land a significant player in Free Agency, I'll cut them more slack. I'll even cut them some slack if they make an honest attempt at a marque player in Free Agency, even if they don't sign them. But honestly... can you think of a worse trade in recent history in the NBA?

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Gasol is the 2nd best player on a probable-championship team. Yes, he is worth a lottery pick.

That's the problem. A championship caliber team isn't going to have a lottery pick available for a player like Gasol. Gasol needs to be the 2nd best player on a team, not the first option. And for a team to consider Gasol their second best player, well they're not going to be in the lottery because their first option is going to be good enough to get into the playoffs.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

I don't think it's conspiracy by the NBA. The Grizzlies made the trade, and were stupid for doing so. I don't fault the Lakers, it's Memphis' fault for being so stupid. I also don't buy the 'rebuilding their team' argument either. They can prove me wrong by actually spending the money, but I don't think they will.

The other thing is why not shop Gasol more then they did. I'd bet they could have found a much better offer for Pau than what they got. Agree or disagree?

If I'm a Laker fan and can't admit that we fleeced the Grizzlies on that trade, then you are delusional. It will go down as one of the most lopsided trades in NBA History, if not in pro-sports history.

Did the Grizzlies ever claim they were doing the trade so they could rebuild? I seem to recall that it was clear salary space in a fire sale.

[TripletDaddy]

Here is the link to an interview with the Memphis GM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...ris&id=3226776

In it, the GM explains that they were looking for the largest expiring contract they could get.

Also, the GM takes special care to emphasize that while looking for the largest possible expiring contract, this trade was NOT about making the team more palatable to a potential buyer, even though the team has been for sale for 3 years.....which basically means that is exactly why they made the trade. Coincidentally, even though the trade was "not" a fire sale, their stated strategy is to sign one year deals instead of long-term contracts. Why would that be, unless they wanted to keep their long-term liability to a minimum?

If they Grizzlies took on some superstar contract in lieu of Gasol, there would have been no point trading Gasol because they would still be stuck with a long-term high priced deal. So they took on high draft picks that wont require high salary, including Marc Gasol.

This was a business deal, not a basketball deal.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

This was a business deal, not a basketball deal.

Which is part of the frustration that I have with it. If you aren't trying to put the best team on the floor, what are you doing?

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

Did the Grizzlies ever claim they were doing the trade so they could rebuild? I seem to recall that it was clear salary space in a fire sale.

No. I think this was indeed a fire sale like you said in order to be sell the franchise. However, I do think that the product they had was going nowhere. West did a fine job in luring talent there and getting them to the playoffs in the West the past couple of years which is no small order, however they reached the apex of their potential battling for the 8th seed every year. I think if they were rebuilding that this was the best strategy rather than trying to build around Pau. In reality, this move served their two interests best.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

Which is part of the frustration that I have with it. If you aren't trying to put the best team on the floor, what are you doing?

I think that is why the owner is trying to sell the business. He doesn't know what he is doing and it is harder to own/run an NBA franchise that he and his investors initially thought. Esp when you are doing it in Memphis.

[mpfunk]

Maybe if the Lakers didn't have a history of dirty deals you could maybe argue that this thing was legit. For those saying the Grizzlies got what they wanted, show me one other salary cap dump that was nearly this one sided.

Add in the Lakers history with the Shaq deal and the Fisher deal and it is pretty clear, factor in Jerry West, and there is no doubt this deal was dirty.

However, it is the Lakers so the NBA doesn't give a damn. Everyone in the league knew the Lakers tampered with Shaq but the league just didn't care. They built one dynasty outside the rules why not another.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by mpfunk

Maybe if the Lakers didn't have a history of dirty deals you could maybe argue that this thing was legit. For those saying the Grizzlies got what they wanted, show me one other salary cap dump that was nearly this one sided.

Add in the Lakers history with the Shaq deal and the Fisher deal and it is pretty clear, factor in Jerry West, and there is no doubt this deal was dirty.

However, it is the Lakers so the NBA doesn't give a damn. Everyone in the league knew the Lakers tampered with Shaq but the league just didn't care. They built one dynasty outside the rules why not another.

Sometimes you sound like a sour grapes baby.