The Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, two of the most prestigious franchises in all of sports, are surprisingly on two opposite sides of the basketball spectrum to kick off the 2012 season.
Out in Los Angeles, the Lakers are still trying to grasp an identity. The front office ousted head coach Mike Brown after five games, turned down a franchise icon in Phil Jackson and ended up bringing in the offensive guru and Mr. Pringles impressionist Mike D'Antoni. As they sit under .500 through their first eight games, there certainly has some work to be done in order to retool this squad into a viable contender.
But as we head east to New York, there's a bit of a different story. Although they're not the most talented in the league, the Knicks are currently the last remaining unbeaten. They've bested some NBA powerhouses in Miami and San Antonio and look to be clicking in all the right places under the direction of Mike Woodson.
So how can the Lakers turn it back on and how can the Knicks maintain their exciting success?
Simple, swap power forwards.
The two general managers of each team, Mitch Kupchak and Glen Grunwald, should be on the phone with each other right now in hopes of exchanging each other's starting power forwards-- Pau Gasol and Amar'e Stoudemire.
Although a trade of that proportion may be a tad unlikely, there's no denying the incredible amount of sense this makes for both teams.
From the Knicks' perspective, adding Gasol would be very similar to when the Lakers grabbed him a few years back. Just like the Lakers, the Knicks are currently viewed as a solid—but not overwhelming—force in their conference. But the addition of Gasol could throw them right atop the con...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
