Pao Gasol was traded today to the LA Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, some retired guy, Marc Gasol (pao’s brother) and two draft picks.  This was an amazing deal for the Lakers.  Gasol is only 27 years old and is one of the best power forwards in the game.  Kwame Brown has proven that he is not going to be a consistent player in the NBA and Crittenton is very talented but wasn’t going to beat out Jordan Farmar in LA anyway.  The deal hinges on the draft choices.  Memphis gets two draft picks which are firsts in 2008 and 2010.  Since the Lakers will be a very good team, presumably from this trade, the picks simply won’t hold much value because they’ll be in the high 20’s. 

Why did Memphis do the trade?  In my opinion, it was for cap space and to start over.  They aren’t winning with Pao so why not trade him and get something from it.  Kwame’s an expiring 9 million dollar player this year and Crittenton can actually play for the team and do well.  Marc Gasol is a marginal prospect at best but the Griz will have a lotto pick from their season this year teamed with the Lakers pick.  It isn’t terrible because I think both teams got what they wanted out of it.

I won’t say the Lakers are the best team in the western conference right now but, I will say that when Andrew Bynum comes back from injury the Lakers are going to be very good.  They will have a very good frontline and Kobe Bryant.  I don’t think Kobe is going to request a trade anytime soon.  The Lakers will feature Derek Fisher, Kobe, Lamar Odom, Pao and Bynum.  That’s impressive, but not as impressive as who comes off the bench for these guys.  You have to love Turiaf, Walton and Farmar getting big minutes and being able to produce consistently.  Give Bynum and Farmar another year of improvement and the Lakers will be the team in the West.  Phil Jackson will get another shot at beating Red Auerbach’s record of titles won.

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