Pau Gasol to Lakers For Kwame Brown

I am so happy I could shout. First off I would like to apologize for all of the bad things I said about Mitch Kupchak. Between the move to get Ariza and now this deal, I am starting to forget the deal that brought us Brown (see: worst trades ever)

Mark Stein of ESPN is reporting that the deal would include Pau Gasol and a future second-round pick to the Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, the unofficially retired Aaron McKie , the draft rights to Pau Gasol's brother Marc and future first-round picks in 2008 and 2010

I am already some what of a Gasol fan, this however will put it through the roof. I think an active center will be a big benefit to the triangle offense. Gasol hasn't really performed up to expectations this season, after a strong finish last year. Hopefully Phil's presence will help that. Another aspect that I think will allow Gasol to flourish is the fact that he doesn't seem to be the leader he was asked to be in Memphis. With veterans like Fisher and Bryant around Gasol can focus on playing basketball.

One interestng dynamic will be how this plays out when Andrew Bynum returns from injury in another month. Will they split time on the court? Is Gasol athletic enough to play the power forward?


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JJ Redick Wants Out, But Who Wants Redick

JJ Redick and his agent are looking into the possibilty of the Magic trading him. He obviously wants to see more time on the court. While Magic GM Otis Smith and Head Coach Stan Van Gundy have both said they love Redick and want to keep him, they are sending that along with a slightly mixed signal of never putting the guy on the floor.

Van Gundy has made it very clear that he needs defense and rebounding from that position and that is why Redick doesn't play. Really!?, you traded away Trevor Ariza and got Mo Evans in return explain to me how that is an upgrade in defense and rebounding.

My feeling is that they probably aren't as enamored with him as they say. I am going to assume that this is some level of gamesmanship. I mean if your guy says he wants out and you come out and say you want to move him (Cough::Jason Kidd::Cough) all of a sudden his value plummets. So that leaves us with where to go.

If they really wanted upgraded defense and rebounding then I would love to see him go to the Lakers for Ariza but somehow I don't see that deal working. (Side note: Thanks James) . Since they just gave him up recently I doubt they are looking to him as a missing piece of thier puzzle. So I am not sure what it would take on the Lakers but I imagine Phil would love to have a Steve Kerr/John Paxson type. Since Vladamir Radmonovich and Sasha Vujacic don't seem to be filling those roles.

Edit:This just got a lot less likely now that the Lakers have already made a huge trade

Another interesting prospect would be the San Antonio Spurs who play an offense that could fit Redick in nicely, and since we are still living the lie that this is about defense. The Spurs might be willing to part ways with Bowen, though I think it would take a bit more than Redick to get him.

Those are just some completely unfounded conjecture. In any case, the Magic can stop living this Lie and might as well get something for him. I honestly think that the only reason they are hanging on to him is because if when Peja goes down they can plug him in for his offense.

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Chris Webber Going Back to The Warriors

Oh, the potential. I have been hoping and pining for the last few weeks to get Chris Webber into Los Angeles to shore up the Bynum-less Lakers. I think he would have fit nicely, though I have developed more questions lately as I considered his resume of going to teams and not helping them win.

It really doesn't matter anyway because the door for his return began to swing shut with the signing fo DJ Mbenga and then slammed tight when it became known that he was retunring to Golden State and Don Nelson.

It turns out what I am getting out of Webber returning is even better than anything I had hoped for. Nelson was the coach who butted heads so frequently with Webber in his former run with the Warriors. This led to Webber leaving town and both sides being that much happier about it. Now though, it's all peace, love, and let's bury the hatchet. Yeah we'll see.

The most exciting part of this for me is the potential for this to become a trend. I mean I am sitting here on pins and needles waiting for the Latrell Sprewell comeback story Starring the Seattle Supersonics and one PJ Carlesimo

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