Los Angeles Lakers: Replacing Pau Gasol with Chris Paul Won’t Win Championship

After what was thought to be a deal that was done and in the books, the trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers is still being put on hold by NBA commissioner David Stern.

Yet, if Pau Gasol is to remain a Laker and Paul stays in New Orleans, there is no question that is the better situation for this Lakers team.

Before the days Gasol was a member of the Lakers, the team was nothing more than a team that could contend for a playoff spot. The year before Gasol arrived in 2007, the team went just 42-40.

Since Gasol joined the team midway through the 2007-08 season, the Lakers are two-time NBA champions and have made three NBA Finals appearance in four seasons.

Talk about an impressive tenure.

Not to mention, Gasol has been a big-time, consistent producer for the team as well.

He has averaged 18 points per game in each of the last four seasons, while grabbing 10.2 rebounds per contest as well. The 10.2 rebounds per game is the second-best average of Gasol's career.

Aside from a disappointing 2011 NBA playoffs run, Gasol has done nothing but help this team. The disappointing play came from the entire team during that postseason, as it was not just Gasol that contributed to the playoff collapse for the Lakers.

Adding All-Star Chris Paul at the point guard position would seem like a no-brainier. He is arguably the best point guard in basketball, as a Kobe Bryant and Paul backcourt could be lethal.



Yet, in the frontcourt, the team would be destroyed.

With the exception of center Andrew Bynum, the team has no frontcourt player that can produce, as power forward and veteran talent Lamar Odom was included in the trade as well.

Second-year pro Derrick Caracter and small forward Matt Barnes would be the potential replacements as the starter at the power forward spot. There is no question that this takes away any shot for the...

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