Pau Gasol Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Rumors: Buss, Howard, Gasol

January 10th, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Sean Highkin

As the Lakers continue to struggle, rumors are swirling as to which adjustments they will make to adjust for injuries and lack of chemistry. Here's the latest from Los Angeles:

Lakers Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Buss backs head coach Mike D'Antoni and says the team will not make any moves out of panic, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
Ramona Shelburne and Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com debate the likelihood of Dwight Howard re-signing with the Lakers this summer as a free agent. Shelburne believes that Los Angeles is still Howard's best long-term option, while Markazi wouldn't be surprised if the team's struggles this season drive Howard to look elsewhere.
The Orange County Register reports that Pau Gasol is improving after suffering a concussion but still has not been cleared to resume play.

Injury Updates: Rose, Gasol, Varejao, Shumpert

January 8th, 2013 at 11:18pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While injury news may not be part of our main scope at Hoops Rumors, we have a handful of updates to share this evening:

Kevin Love will travel to New York on Wednesday in order to determine whether or not he'll need surgery on his broken right hand, according to Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
Derrick Rose should be cleared for full-contact practice within the next two weeks, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Subscribers only). Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times provided another look at the superstar's return to practice today, noting that Rose looked good in "predictable contact" drills.
Kevin Ding of the OC Register (via Twitter) notes that Dwight Howard's injury is actually a separated shoulder (not a torn labrum) and that he hopes to return after a week of recovery. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets that Dwight's injury will not require surgery.

Western Notes: Lakers, White, Nowitzki, Wolves

January 7th, 2013 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Things aren't getting any easier in Lakerland, where Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Jordan Hill have all been sidelined with injuries. Howard suffered a torn labrum, Gasol has a concussion, and Hill is dealing with a hip issue, meaning the Lakers' frontcourt looks awfully thin in the short-term. While Robert Sacre looks forward to more playing time and we wait to see if the Lakers add another body, let's round up a few more notes out of the Western Conference….

The Lakers haven't reached out to free agent big man Kenyon Martin, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com wonder if the Lakers should consider trading Howard.
The Rockets are prepared to chalk up 2012/13 as a lost season for Royce White and attempt to reach some sort of agreement with the rookie forward in the offseason, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Zillgitt and TNT's David Aldridge have the latest details on White, including his desire for the NBA and the Rockets to sign a document detailing his wishes for the mental health protocol that the team believes would be in violation of the CBA.
Despite recent comments by Dirk Nowitzki questioning the Mavericks' approach to building the roster, owner Mark Cuban tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that Dallas won't be altering that approach. "If you only knew the things [Dirk] has said to me during recent seasons about our team," Cuban joked. "I'm glad I didn't listen."
Nowitzki stressed to reporters today, including Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, that he never said he wanted to be traded.
The Timberwolves have kicked the tires on Sam Young, who was released by the Pacers this weekend, but he's unlikely to land in Minnesota, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Young is currently out with an ankle injury.
It would be a surprise if the Timberwolves don't move Derrick Williams at the trade deadline, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.

Pacific Notes: Cousins, Lakers, Gasol, Suns

January 7th, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Celtics roster moves yesterday led to some speculation that the team was clearing room for a bigger deal, but according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link), Jarvis Varnado and Kris Joseph were destined to be cut regardless, since the C's didn't want to pay the luxury tax on those deals. That means, as we heard yesterday from Sam Amick of USA Today, that the Celtics likely aren't close to any sort of deal for DeMarcus Cousins or anyone else. Here are a few more Monday morning links on Cousins and a handful of other Pacific Division topics:

Bucher notes that it still seems as if Cousins isn't available, but if that stance changes, the Kings may want to try to package him with a bad salary or two.
Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reiterates (via Twitter) that there's "no chance" of Cousins being dealt to the Celtics.
According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard got into a "heated exchange" after a loss on New Year's Day. However, multiple reporters, including Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com (Sulia link) and Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link), say there's nothing to the story.
Whether or not the two Lakers stars were involved in any sort of altercation, Howard believes the team needs to improve its chemistry on and off the court, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes.
Acknowledging that he has been disappointed with the Lakers' performance so far this season, GM Mitch Kupchak suggested that establishing Pau Gasol's role is a top priority. "I think Pau continues to struggle to figure out how he's going to play with his group," Kupchak said, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. "Our coaches are struggling as well. We're not going to succeed as a team until we figure that out."
The Suns have no untouchable players and will likely be very open to participating in trades as February's deadline approaches, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.

Lakers Rumors: Dwight Howard, Trades, Pau Gasol

January 6th, 2013 at 3:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets, whom the Lakers face tonight, possess what L.A. couldn't have imagined wanting when the season began: the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Still, the 15-17 Lakers wouldn't mind trading places with Denver, which is 19-16 and two and a half games in front of L.A. for eighth place in the West. While we continue to await a turnaround for the purple and gold, here's more on the Lakers.

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel implores Dwight Howard to commit to the Lakers rather than further tarnish his image with more waffling about his next destination. Schmitz, who believes the extra year the Lakers can add to his deal will ultimately motivate Howard to stay, thinks the Mavericks could be in play for him this summer, but isn't sold on the idea that the big man would consider the Hawks.
"It seems inevitable" the Lakers will make a trade, tweets HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler. Still, no Pau Gasol deal is jumping out there for the team, as all the offers for Gasol that Kyler has heard would represent a downgrade for L.A. (Twitter links). In any case, the team isn't as panicked as the media portrays, Kyler tweets.
Kyler believes the Raptors and Rockets are the teams most willing to make a worthwhile offer for Gasol, with the Celtics a close third.
Kobe Bryant tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times that the Lakers would be best served by having the ball in the hands of Gasol and Steve Nash.

Pau Gasol Won’t Ask For Trade

January 5th, 2013 at 8:47am CST by Zachary Links

Lakers forward Pau Gasol has been involved in heavy trade speculation for the bulk of the season, but the big man says that he won't encourage the Lakers to deal him. After being left on the bench for most of the fourth quarter in last night's loss to the Clippers, Gasol told reporters that he plans to stick things out with his team.

"No that's radical," said Gasol when asked if he'd request a trade, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (on Twitter). "I still believe and have faith here and I still have faith I can play a big part in helping this team succeed. Right now, I'm not able to do that very often."

Gasol added that while it was difficult for him to sit out most of the final frame, he understands coach Mike D'Antoni's reluctance to change the lineup while things are clicking. While the Lakers' comeback ultimately fell short, they did outscore the Clippers 31-20 in the final quarter.

For their part, the Lakers say they're not looking to trade the Spaniard and word is that they're not looking at deals at all. Even if they have a change of heart, it's hard to imagine them getting a strong return for Gasol given his troubles and bloated contract. Gasol is set to earn $19MM this season and $19.3MM in the final year of the deal next year.

Kyler On Bargnani, Gasol, Jamison, Hamilton

December 31st, 2012 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

In this morning’s column, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld looks at the top trade candidates in the league. Let’s dive in..

League sources say it would be almost impossible for the Raptors to move Andrea Bargnani and the three years and $32.25MM remaining on his deal until he returns and proves his elbow isn’t going to be a problem. Toronto hopes that he can return sometime in early February so teams can get a good look at him before the February 21st trade deadline and won’t seek much in return. However, club sources say they don’t want a ton of long-term salary unless they’re getting exactly the right player.
The stance from the Lakers is that they are not looking at deals for Pau Gasol and word is that they’re not looking at deals at all. The Lakers have taken stock of the marketplace for the big man and have found it to be somewhat disappointing. There are deals for Gasol, but all of them either have the Lakers taking back multiple assets, which they cannot do without eating some contracts or taking on bad deals. Team sources say the goal is to compete for a championship this year and that Gasol, at this point, gives them the best chance for that.
On January 7th, the Lakers will need to decide on guaranteeing the non-guaranteed contracts of rookies Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom. The Lakers could opt to cut one or both and open roster spots for free agents, other cut players with non-guaranteed deals, or 10-day contracts (which begin on January 10th).
There has been speculation that Antawn Jamison wants off of the Lakers because of his decreased playing time, but the forward and sources close to him say that’s not the case.
League sources say Anderson Varejao is one of the more talked about trade targets in the league, but the Cavs are asking the moon for the big man. If they cling to their evaluation of Varejao as an All-Star type talent, they may not find many buyers.
League sources openly question if there is a marketplace for Richard Hamilton, who has had a lot of injuries since joining the Bulls and question whether or not he’ll be anything more than a role player on another team.

Pacific Notes: Jamison, Petrie, Stan Van Gundy

December 29th, 2012 at 10:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

After a turbulent start to their season, the Lakers have won six of their last seven games as they look to climb back into the Western Conference playoff picture. For most, the recent hot streak could only have brightened the mood for the organization and their fans alike. Antawn Jamison, however, doesn't seem to share the same change in sentiment. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times delves into the puzzling situation that the 15th-year veteran has found himself in, going from nearly 30 minutes per game to not being in the rotation at all. Here are more Pacific Division notes:

Sam Amick of USA Today writes that some people close to both Kings GM Geoff Petrie and the Maloof brothers do not think that Petrie's 19-year run with the organization will extend beyond this season. Going further, Amick also writes about how the unilateral decision by ownership to reinstate DeMarcus Cousins went against the wishes of the front office, and that Petrie was not part of the reinstatement process.
Stan Van Gundy says that Dwight Howard has not "looked himself" this season, specifically noting the lack of explosiveness and quickness that he had shown before, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. However, the former Magic head coach believes that Howard is more than capable of adjusting to his situation and insists that the two are in good standing with each other.
Pau Gasol has seemingly found his rhythm within Mike D'Antoni's offense, and the addition of a potent three-point shot has certainly helped expedite that process, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times believes that the Clippers and their 16-game winning streak face a tough test ahead of them, with four of the next five games against above .500 opponents.

LeBron Considering Cleveland Return, Cavs Inquired On Love?

December 24th, 2012 at 10:57am CST by Sean Highkin

According to a new report from Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, LeBron James is open to the possibility of returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers if he chooses to opt out of his contract with the Miami Heat after the 2013/14 season. Lloyd writes that James is friends with Cavs players Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, and his new agent, Rich Paul, has local ties.

Lloyd adds, however, that Cavs GM Chris Grant is aware that the team must improve considerably in order to be considered a viable option for James. Grant is reportedly aggressively exploring options to add another impact player. Lloyd reports that Grant asked about trading an Anderson Varejao-based package for Kevin Love following Love's recent comments critical of the Timberwolves, but was rebuffed. He has also inquired on the possibility of trading for the Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge, the Grizzlies' Marc Gasol, and the Lakers' Pau Gasol.

Lloyd writes that although the Cavs are still open to moving Varejao, who is having an outstanding season, it doesn't seem likely because his recent play has raised their asking price and no team thus far has been willing to meet their demands. A trade of Varejao to the Thunder for Perry Jones III, Jeremy Lamb, and Toronto's protected 2013 first-round draft pick has been discussed, but both sides have concerns about the players they would get back.

Trade Candidate: Pau Gasol

December 22nd, 2012 at 2:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Over the next two months as the trade deadline approaches, Hoops Rumors will be examining several players rumored to be on the block, and we'll begin with the most prominent name in discussions. Pau Gasol is off to a career-worst start in terms of scoring and shooting percentage, and his poor fit alongside Dwight Howard in the up-tempo offense of new Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has many believing he'll soon be gone from L.A.

The Lakers are about a year removed from the short-circuited deal to acquire Chris Paul, a trade that appeared to send Gasol to the Rockets. Houston would have given up Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola and a 2012 first-round pick. No one's going to offer nearly as much to acquire Gasol these days. The Rockets, for their part, are reportedly no longer interested, and the Lakers are apparently coming up empty in their search for a package of two players on cheaper contracts who would fit better in D'Antoni's offense. L.A. wants to wait until Gasol and Nash have played together under the new coach before making any moves, and the point guard has made it clear he wants to play with Gasol. Yet with Nash nearing a return, the Lakers will soon come to a point of reckoning, when they realize their team as constituted is either capable of winning a title or not.

For as much trouble as Gasol is having putting the ball in the basket, the rest of his game appears intact. He's averaging only 8.8 rebounds per game this season after grabbing 10.4 a year ago, but Gasol notched just 7.8 RPG with the Lakers in 2007/08 after coming over from the Grizzlies. This season's decline is less significant in terms of rebounds per 36 minutes, where Gasol's average of 9.2 is off from last year's 10.0 mark. Gasol's assists and blocks per game are in line with last year's numbers. Even so, his 15.1 PER and .096 win shares per 48 minutes are career lows by a long shot, so that could deflate his value with teams that put a great deal of stock in advanced metrics.

The greatest impediment to a Gasol trade is likely his inflated contract, which pays him $19MM this season and close to $19.3MM in its final season next year. It also includes a 15% trade kicker, but because Gasol already bumps up against the maximum salary, a team that trades for Gasol would only have to give him another $136K. Regardless, Gasol's deal would occupy 35% of the salary cap for whichever team acquires him, quite an investment no matter who the player is, and the money wouldn't come off the books until 2014.

A team that's targeting players in the free agent market next summer wouldn't make sense for Gasol, which would seem to eliminate the Hawks, who don't appear to have any interest. The Wolves might be a more intriguing possibility, since their commitments for next season have them close to the salary cap anyway. Minnesota denies interest, but rumors persist. The Lakers supposedly haven't been moved by offers built around Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, perhaps in part because Pekovic, a restricted free agent at season's end, doesn't seem like a fit for D'Antoni's offense, either. The Wolves would have to include much more than just Williams and Pekovic to make the salaries match anyway, and I suspect Andrei Kirilenko would have to be a part of that deal. He's a versatile, athletic forward of the sort that makes D'Antoni smile, and his contract, like Gasol's, ends in 2014, when the Lakers want to have cap space to pursue free agents.

The Raptors look like they're in the mix for Gasol, too, with Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza among the players who could wind up in L.A. Just like the Lakers, the Raptors need to get healthy before making a deal. When that happens, it might just come down to whether the Lakers are sold on Bargnani, whose trade value is at an all-time low, much in the same way Gasol has taken a hit in the eyes of executives around the league. Some teams are apparently higher on Bargnani than others and willing to take a risk to bring him on board, so perhaps the Lakers are among the teams more inclined to take him.

In recent years, the most prominent trade candidate has been dealt at or near the deadline, but if the Lakers continue to struggle once Nash is back in the lineup, I don't think they'll wait to make a move. As many of his numbers show, Gasol is still a productive player, and even if he isn't the star he used to be, he can help a team. He's probably of greater value to another team than he is to the Lakers in D'Antoni's scheme, so I think at some point a team will step forward with a deal that L.A. will take.