Lakers offering Gasol for a top 10 pick & a player.

[brownmamba00]

I hope these memphis talks are true

zbo+allen>bargs+8th>smith+20th

[LA_Showtime]

Nothing is ever that black and white in sports, particularly roster management.

Like I said in one of my posts, Gasol and Bynum, aside from their individual talent, have a synergy together on the court that is admirable. The tandem is not the reason the Lakers have been left home watching the finals for the lady two years (though, they certainly didn't help the cause either, in both the Dallas series in 2011 and OKC series this year.)

HOWEVER. With that said. A team with no cap room, and only 3 legit pieces to trade - one being the franchise player and the common denominator to all of the organizations last 7 Finals appearances - has to make tough decisions in order to improve. Meaning, it's either stay stagnant with that Top 5 PF, or move him for pieces that otherwise would be unattainable.

Still, even more dumb than staying pat with their roster would be making lateral moves in the spirit of, making lateral moves. If the Lakers want to assemble a team worthy of Top 3 status next year, they have to develop a comprehensive plan. One or two moved isn't going to cut it, this isn't 2008. They need to be committed to acquiring a mix of star, moderate, and cheap talent, in a highly efficient way, if they want to be in the WCF next year.

Also, all things considered. Bargnani and Calderon very well might be better for the Lakers than Gasol and Sessions. Gasol (not sure about Sessions after this past postseaon) is better than Bargs, but for the team? Bynum needs a stretch 4 that is a threat from the outside to succeed. Turning Gasol into a jumpshooter only hurt him this past season. They should focus on a player whose naturally habitat IS the outside perimeter, and that's why Bargnani makes sense, and I've been saying it for months.

I'll say this. As much as you Lakers fans catch flack around here, it truly must be a trying time. You guys are so close, yet so far away. If Buss Sr. was still calling the shots then I'd see reason to be more confident. But Jim Buss is a stubborn idiot. The only thing worst than an idiot is a stubborn idiot. All of his moves thusfar have reeked of mediocrity, including hiring the offensively challenged Mike Brown. It's not too late to turn the ship around, but this team's forseeable future as champions again lay with Kobe, whether the ISH maniacs claiming he's "not even top 30 All Time" claim (that poster deserved to have his account deactivated : ). When Kobe slips out of the Top 10 current players list, so too will the Lakers chances of winning. So, the front office has 2, MAYBE 3 summers at best to put something together.

And trading for a rookie isn't exactly going to help the cause.

No they don't. Bynum and Gasol don't make each other better. Bynum definitely makes Gasol less effective.