"[Gasol] proved to the league he is one of the best," Rubio told reporters in Minneapolis. "He can pass. He can shoot. He can rebound. He can do a lot of things. I think if you use him in the right way, he is a top player in this league. If they don't want him, we are more than welcome to get him."
Though acquiring Gasol would cost 'Wolves GM David Kahn a pretty penny, having a veteran with Gasol's championship experience could definitely be a great benefit to a squad as young as Minnesota. The team entered 2012-13 with such high expectations, only to see them derailed thanks to countless injuries.
Seeing as how the Minnesota fans were guaranteed that their team would make the playoffs and with the Timberwolves currently standing 17-25, five games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, a spark is needed. Gasol can be that spark, but Kahn should think long and hard before making a deal.
Not only is Gasol set to earn $19 million this season, but he also carries a price tag of just under $19.3 million for 2013-14. Moreover, the Lakers would likely require a package of Derrick Williams, Luke Ridnour, draft picks and possibly Nikola Pekovic in exchange for their power forward's services.
To make the money work out, a third team would definitely need to get involved.
There is also the fact that Gasol is having the worst season of his career after failing to fully adjust to head coach Mike D'Antoni's system. Working as a stretch 4 instead of a low post presence, Gasol is averaging just 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while shooti...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
