2014 Off-Season Thread

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

When is the last time you seen Gasol play with that type of energy / determination for the Lakers? 2010? When is the last time you seen him DRIVE from the top of the 3pt line to the basket? LOL It has nothing to do with it being summer games. He just no longer had any passion for playing for the purple & gold.

Pau has been declining ever since 2010. That has nothing to do with passion for playing for the Lakers. He loved playing in LA(he obviously didn't like D'antoni) but it isn't like he wouldn't have stayed if the team was better.
People seem to forget the Lakers were going for a 3 peat in 2011 and flamed out against Dallas(you know the series where the great Phil Jackson pushed Pau in the chest). He's been visibly not himself for years and it only got progressively worse as he started having lower body injuries(knees, plantar fasciitis, etc.). He can still pick and pop but he doesn't shoot nearly as good as he once did and he has a hard time finishing as effectively as he did years ago(again as expected since he's 34).

None of that has to do with passion. In 2012 and 2014 playing for Spain, he plays against true NBA bigs in only one game against the US, otherwise he and Spain play against subpar competition. That also isn't even factoring in this is a max 2-3 week event vs playing an 82 game season. Anyways, you'll see soon enough. Pau's still good, but he looks amazing in the summer and people say he's gonna have a great year, then people wonder what happened to him once the season is in full swing.

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Not sure why Pau would have passion playing for mediocre or downright poor Lakers teams with the way he was treated in his time there.

I know your a Dallas fan so Idw get into it here lol, but lets be honest here. Wouldn't you have traded him on the downside of his career for a chance to get CP3 in his prime and then the chance to bring in Dwight Howard?
I don't think any logical person would say they wouldn't and Pau understood that. The D'antoni crap I can understand but he understood the trade rumors since he was their most valuable asset outside of Bynum. And btw, Pau would've stayed if the team was contending so he did love playing in LA(if Melo would've signed he would have too).

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

That Pau pumpfake drive from the 3pt line in the wolrd championship was crazy to see though. Didn't think he had that in him.

Anyway he's known for looking phenomenal with Spain and then the NBA routine gets to him it seems.

Although I think both him and Boozer will look better this season. At least for a while.

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Yeah he definitely still has it in his game, but it will be once every blue moon since he has to do that consistently for 8 months vs a few weeks. He's fresh and whenever he's fresh he looks like himself, but he's been breaking down for a few years now. I LOVE Pau(obvious reasons) and didn't want him to go, but I knew it was time for him to leave(for our sake and his), but he isn't the same Pau.

[iLLosophy]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

And you dont think Pau's collapse has nothing to do in the slightest bit with the collapse of the Lakers and Jim Buss taking over? His implosion in 2011 playoffs he admitted was due to personal reasons but AFTER that, it just so happens the Jim Buss cluster**** train started leaving the station. And that train is still going full speed. You said Pau was going to stay if Melo signed - but Melo (or any othe player worth a damn) was never going to go play for Jim Buss in the first place. If were saying NBA is a "job" then the lakers went from this great place to work with great leadership and co workers...to sharing a desk with Swaggy P and a series of crappy bosses that come and ago about once a year and a new CEO making it obvious he doesn't know wtf hes doing.

And btw, Pau would've stayed if Dr Jerry Buss were still alive and healthy.

Corrected that for you.

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

And you dont think Pau's collapse has nothing to do in the slightest bit with the collapse of the Lakers and Jim Buss taking over? His implosion in 2011 playoffs he admitted was due to personal reasons but AFTER that, it just so happens the Jim Buss cluster**** train started leaving the station. And that train is still going full speed. You said Pau was going to stay if Melo signed - but Melo (or any othe player worth a damn) was never going to go play for Jim Buss in the first place. If were saying NBA is a "job" then the lakers went from this great place to work with great leadership and co workers...to sharing a desk with Swaggy P and a series of crappy bosses that come and ago about once a year and a new CEO making it obvious he doesn't know wtf hes doing.



Corrected that for you.

Oh lord your one of those people. Please this isn't a Jerry vs Jim thing. Firstly, Jerry Buss didn't pass until 2013 so you just skipped 2 years.....Secondly, he was going to stay if Melo signed and yes Melo considered it just like he considered Chicago, but Melo wanted to stay in NY obviously. Please stop with that Jim Buss crap because it's media drivel. Yeah the guy hired Mike Brown and ever since he's all of a sudden Jim Dolan(oh yeah who btw still owns the Knicks but I guess Melo doesn't want to play there too right...).
I don't understand you people at all. Y'all pick and choose what fits your argument, but sit there and forget the trades that have been made since he was on day-to-day duties in the FO(Pau trade, Ariza trade, Paul trade even though it was blocked, Howard trade, Nash trade which at the time was a solid move, etc.).
Just because some of them didn't pan out doesn't mean he and Mitch aren't good at what they do. You can buy into w.e you want to believe, but I know what i'm talking about as I've followed this franchise ever since the Cedric Ceballos years. He isn't his father granted, but no one can be and he needs to be his own man. The last few years haven't gone as planned but it isn't for lack of trying. Sometimes things don't work out it happens just like the Bulls were bad for years after Jordan but it isn't like they didn't try for T-mac and draft some really good players. Just didn't work out.

The Bulls are contenders the Lakers aren't. Period. He's in the twilight of his career and he wants to win, that's why he left. Everything else you're saying isn't relevant because if the Lakers were a contender he would've stayed. Point blank. I get it, your a Bulls fan and you want to bash my team and stick up for Pau. Ok, that's cool, but I'm just trying to tell you that he's not going to have any renascence at age 34. Like I said in my previous post, I love Pau and think he's one of the most skilled big men in the NBA, but he won't be Olympics/WC on a consistent basis and has been prone to injury for a few years now.

But I digress.

[iLLosophy]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Agree to disagree bro. Lakers best player in franchise history (who knows a thing or two about how to build & a business) has put jim buss on blast many times. Forgive me if I'm more inclined give his opinion more credibility than someone on this board

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Agree to disagree bro. Lakers best player in franchise history (who knows a thing or two about how to build & a business) has put jim buss on blast many times. Forgive me if I'm more inclined give his opinion more credibility than someone on this board

Well Magic also spouts a bunch of BS too so excuse me if I take what he says with a grain of salt

[SteelersFreak]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I know your a Dallas fan so Idw get into it here lol, but lets be honest here. Wouldn't you have traded him on the downside of his career for a chance to get CP3 in his prime and then the chance to bring in Dwight Howard?
I don't think any logical person would say they wouldn't and Pau understood that. The D'antoni crap I can understand but he understood the trade rumors since he was their most valuable asset outside of Bynum. And btw, Pau would've stayed if the team was contending so he did love playing in LA(if Melo would've signed he would have too).

None of which you typed even responds to my point which was questioning why Pau Gasol would bother showing passion for an LA team that clearly doesn't care about him any longer, clearly wants to cut ties with him and uses him out of his natural position? I never said he didn't love LA, I'm sure he loves LA, I'm sure he hasn't forgotten the glory days when they were winning championships, but why would he have passion playing with bums like Nick Young, Robert Sacre and Shawne Williams?

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

He is now... He's gonna miss 8 weeks, he sprained his thumb.

[lakers24]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

None of which you typed even responds to my point which was questioning why Pau Gasol would bother showing passion for an LA team that clearly doesn't care about him any longer, clearly wants to cut ties with him and uses him out of his natural position? I never said he didn't love LA, I'm sure he loves LA, I'm sure he hasn't forgotten the glory days when they were winning championships, but why would he have passion playing with bums like Nick Young, Robert Sacre and Shawne Williams?

How is it not answering it when I just told you Pau loved playing in LA. Like I said he wanted to contend since he's on the downside of his career. How tf is that "not caring about him" lol. If that's the case Mark Cuban didn't care about Dirk either when he broke up the team right after a title right? Come on, thats a lame excuse bro. Players leave rebuilding situations all the time, especially on the backside of their careers. SMH, I really can't believe I'm getting this much flak for saying Pau won't be summer Pau in the league smh

He is now... He's gonna miss 8 weeks, he sprained his thumb.

lol

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I agree with you overall but I woudn't be surprised to see pau be really good his first season. Being in the East, playing for a contender, playing for thibs... It's a new challenge for him.

[iLLosophy]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I agree with you overall but I woudn't be surprised to see pau be really good his first season. Being in the East, playing for a contender, playing for thibs... It's a new challenge for him.

I do hope thibs puts him as a 6th man type - basically Taj's old rotation with 28-30 mpg. If he gives Pau 36 minutes a game, lakers24 is gonna be right about him physically collapsing before our eyes during the season. No 34 year old 7 footer should be playing those type of minutes

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Yeah Pau would be best as a 6th men I agree.

[jpshua15]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Pau is going to start games Taj will finish them. Since the bulls are a defensive team having taj off the bench over pau helps them keep that identity at all times and its kinda unique