Adding Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the offseason was supposed to bolster Los Angels’ roster and put the Lakers on par with the Miami Heat as the most talented teams in the NBA. Mike D’Antoni was expected to right the ship, but that too has been a failed experiment.
According to Rey Moralde of LakersNation.com, Pau Gasol may be the wheel that has to come off, and Gasol himself believes being traded is a “possibility.”
Gasol has been part of nearly every Lakers rumor for the last two years. When a deal is perceived to be in the works or the Lakers simply aren’t performing, Gasol is the first name to be mentioned as a potential trade piece.
And according to Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register, Gasol has a new role with the Lakers:
Pau Gasol is out as Lakers' starter, Mike D'Antoni said. Permanently.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) January 22, 2013 Gasol doesn’t want to be a bench player, though, and he was vocal about that fact. A report by ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin reveals this:
I’ve never come off the bench in my career. (Thursday) was my first game off the bench with the Lakers, maybe a couple other games due to injuries, but that’s it. I’ve been a starter my entire career. I’ve been a star starter my entire career, so I want to continue to be a star starter.
If the Lakers aren’t willing to give Gasol the start every night, it should be time for him to demand a trade. Los Angeles is floundering, and it has become abundantly clear that Gasol is no longer a solution in Los Angeles.
The situation will only continue to get more toxic as it continues, and if the Lakers fail to move Gasol before the trade deadline on Feb. 21, Los Angeles shouldn’t expect the season...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
