an article I found on Gasol:
Memphis Needs To Move In A New Direction: Deal Gasol
Authored by Patrick J. Austin - January 3, 2008 - 6:09 pm
Change is never easy. It’s always a scary and unpredictable proposition, but one that is ever present in life. People cling to what they know for fear of what’s “new and unknown.”
The Memphis Grizzlies are currently facing this grim reality.
They are a franchise in flux mired in another disappointing season and cellar dwellers in the most difficult division in the NBA.
Change has already taken place in numerous areas of the franchise including a new coach in Marc Iavaroni, and a new general manager in the form of Chris Wallace.
But the roster itself is relatively similar to last season, minus a few additions and subtractions, which could explain the continued mediocrity. It’s clear change is needed on the court and that means making some bold trades to take the team is a brand new direction.
The first step in this endeavor is trading supposed franchise star Pau Gasol.
I know what you’re thinking, “Why trade a talented, relatively young 7-footer in Gasol?” You’re right, dealing Gasol would be a risky proposition, especially in a league where 20/10 big men certainly do not grow on trees. Of course, Gasol has taken a step back statistically and isn’t even averaging 20/10 but rather a respectable 17/7.
However, the cold hard fact of the matter is that Gasol has not elevated the Grizzlies to a competitive level, despite the team emphasizing his talents and making him the focus of the offense for the majority of his career in Memphis. The organization saw flashes of a superstar player in Gasol’s earlier years and tried to make him the face of the franchise and go-to guy on the court. He repaid them by demanding a trade this past off-season and is nagged by various injuries. Moves were made to try and appease Gasol including using a chunk of cap space to sign a complimentary big man in Darko Milicic and dealing away a first round pick for Gasol’s good friend, Juan Carlos Navarro. Neither move has made the team markedly better and Gasol has not put up better numbers.
It’s become clear Gasol is not the player this team should be building around. That honor belongs to a young, versatile forward by the name of Rudy Gay. He is currently leading the team in scoring and has displayed a willingness to be that No.1 option and take the high pressure, clutch shots. With Gay inserting himself as the new focal point of Iavaroni’s offense, Gasol should be moved in order to prevent the inevitable squabbling that will take place between R.G. and P.G.
The looming trade deadline will be the perfect time to move Gasol since numerous teams would be willing to part with some attractive young talent in order to acquire a scoring big man.
The team with the most pieces to part with and the best destination for the Gasol is the Chicago Bulls. They too are having a disappointing season and their GM, John Paxson definitely needs to make a bold move at the deadline in an attempt to right the ship. He’s drawn criticism for not being more aggressive during the summer’s Kevin Garnett sweepstakes, so trading for a talented forward like Gasol would silence the critics. He already fired the coach and a major trade would send a clear signal his desire to get the Bulls back into a competitive situation. And, most obvious of all, they need a low-post presence which Gasol could provide.
I believe the trade below would be perfect for both teams…
Grizzlies acquire:
Tyrus Thomas
Ben Gordon
Joe Smith
Chris Duhon
Bulls acquire:
Pau Gasol
Brian Cardinal
Juan Carlos Navarro
This trade would accomplish two things for the Grizzlies: (1) infuse the team with some very promising young talent to compliment the current young core of Gay and rookie point guard, Mike Conley, Jr. (2) improve the financial situation by removing Brian Cardinal’s useless contract and Gasol’s max salary.
Tyrus Thomas would be a fantastic fit in the Iavaroni’s high-octane offense. T2 loves to get up and down the court, which is the style Iavaroni is accustomed to emphasizing. I think Thomas would blossom into a high force in Memphis considering his athletic ability and shot blocking talents would truly shine through. He could certainly help improve Memphis’ porous defense, which is allowing opponents to score 104 points per game, second worst in the NBA.
Ben Gordon would improve the team’s backcourt and provide another 20 point scorer to aid Gay on the perimeter. Yes, Gordon is an impending free agent, but even if he doesn’t desire to stay in Memphis long-term, the Grizz could fetch additional young pieces or draft choices via a sign and trade in the off-season. Either way, Gordon would be a welcome addition to the team.
Joe Smith and Chris Duhon are both quality role players with short contracts, Duhon’s is expiring while Smith has one more year left. They will provide some stability while the franchise is in transition and the new foundation of Conley, Gay, Thomas and Gordon gel.
Will this trade actually happen? No one knows for sure, but it’s certainly a plausible scenario to throw out there. Gasol has been connected to Chicago in previous trade rumors so it would make sense for him to eventually wind up in the Windy City.
But the most important question that needs to be answered is, “Are the Grizzlies ready to enter the unknown and bring about change?” It’s a question they’ll need to answer sooner rather than later.
