Some teams have all the luck. The Lakers' blockbuster trade for Pau Gasol was a no brainer. Any trade in which you rid yourself of Kwamie Brown is a good one! Oh and you get an all star player to boot!
But I don't think the trade drastically changes the balance of power in the western conference. Yes, I think Gasol is a great player ... Yes I know any team would kill to have two all stars .... yea I know what a relief it is to Kobe ... blah ... blah ... blah
Gasol is not in impact player. He cannot defend Stodimire or Nowitzki, or Duncan. We don't even know if he can learn the famed triangle offense!
Memphis could not build a team around him. It looks like they are going to totally rebuild. Tanking like they did last year didn't help. So they're going the fire sale route. Shedding contracts and grabbing for draft picks. They have a long road to travel.
In the nice things happen to nice people department - I could not believe that Sixers assistant coach Aaron McKie was part of the Gasol trade. McKie has retired and started his coaching career as we always knew he would. Then he gets a license to steal money. He is signed by the Lakers the night before and traded to Memphis. Who is expected to release him. Just to make the dollars even out. But Aaron gets paid! His contract is guaranteed for the remainder of the season.
How lucky can you be? Just because he's a nice guy and well liked by the Lakers organization. Any doubt he will be behind the Sixers bench by the end of next week?
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