For years now, the Los Angeles Lakers forward has been the subject of endless trade rumors. Before that, he was accused of being soft when it was popular among certain NBA fans to accuse European players of lacking fortitude.
And now, he's the guy who has to go in L.A. He's the guy who doesn't fit. He's the guy who is going to throw a wrench in the Lakers team for the ages.
Frankly, it's all been pretty absurd.
It's not Gasol's fault that he is at his best on the block, and the Lakers have chosen to build around centers like Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard, who need to be the main option down low. Even Kobe Bryant has admitted Gasol needs to be utilized more in the post.
It's not Gasol's fault that Mike D'Antoni's offensive system works better with a stretch 4, a player capable of hitting shots from the perimeter and forcing the defense to expand. That's simply not Gasol's game.
And it's not Gasol's fault that he's easily the best trade chip the Lakers had. If things don't work out, he's the right combination of being valuable enough to ensure a solid return and expendable enough in this system to ensure the Lakers won't be seriously affecting team chemistry or productivity.
See, I don't have a problem with people speculating that Gasol might be moved. I get it. I just have an issue with how Gasol has seemingly been devalued in people's eyes, as though he suddenly isn't an elite power forward in this league.
Put him in the right system, and you'll get the player that has averaged 18.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in his career, not the player averaging 12.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest (when he's healthy) this season.
Even Magic Johnson has said as much (via Ramona Shelburne of ESPN):
"When Gasol was on that (low) block, he averaged 18 points, he shot 53 percent from the field and he s...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
