Pau Gasol Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Assessing Stocks: Houston Rockets

February 25th, 2012 at 11:09pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

Portfolio Review: The Houston Rockets have perhaps the best point guard in the NBA that isn't quite a franchise point guard in Kyle Lowry. He is entering the prime of his career just as their second best player, Luis Scola, is exiting his. Scola, coincidentally, is just about as good as you can get at power forward without being an All-Star.

And that, in a nutshell, is the Houston Rockets. A group whose individual talents promise falls just short of stardom, and whose collective talents falls somewhere between the 7th seed and just out of the playoffs in the Western Conference.

The Rockets are a team perfectly built around a superstar that no longer exists on their roster. Over the summer they were able to replace that superstar with Pau Gasol, only to have David Stern veto the trade.

Prime Assets: Kyle Lowry has been deemed untouchable in most trade scenarios, though I would strongly take a look at a Lowry for Rajon Rondo-type deal should it present itself. Lowry is the better all-around player, but like the rest of the Rockets roster, lacks a single elite skill. Rondo has a deficient jump shot that skews his team's spacing, something the Rockets would have no trouble accommodating.

With Lowry off the table, the combination of Luis Scola and Kevin Martin were once worth Pau Gasol with a third team. Perhaps they can be again.

Worthless Stock: The only redeeming value for Hasheem Thabeet right now is a team's ability to write they acquired a former no. 2 overall pick in the press releases. He and Jonny Flynn are not toxic assets, but they're certainly not helpful either.

The Rest: The Rockets do not really do bad contracts or bad players. They just don't have very many really good ones. The question is do the Rockets consolidate some of their depth to improve slightly in talent?

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Gasol, Hornets

February 24th, 2012 at 10:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

After two furious months of nights packed with basketball, the first evening of the All-Star break has given the league a chance to exhale. As usual, the celebrity game provided comic relief, and Kyrie Irving's MVP performance in the Rising Stars game provided the only mildly competitive action of the night. Here's what's up as the All-Star rumor mill gets going:

Celtics team president Danny Ainge, who earlier this year left the door open to a major shakeup in Boston, will "only do things that help us in the long-term," he told Paul Flannery of Sportsradio WEEI. He said he won't make a trade before the March 15th deadline just to bring about change, according to the report. Elrod Enchilada of RealGM outlines a plan for if Ainge does decide to break up the team.
The Lakers would seek significant return for Pau Gasol, and nothing appears in the works, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com rounds up the latest on possible buyers for the Hornets. The group that appears to have the inside track is led by Los Angeles businessman Raj Bhathal and includes former NBA player, coach and executive Mike Dunleavy as well as Larry J. Benson, brother of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.
Tyler Zeller of North Carolina is currently the only college senior projected by NBADraft.net to be a lottery pick this year, but Pacers All-Star Roy Hibbert demonstrates why teams shouldn't overlook four-year college players, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet.
Jason Kidd, who will be a 39-year-old free agent at season's end, is already seeing the least playing time of his career, averaging 28.3 MPG. Dirk Nowitzki tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he doubts Kidd will play in every game during a stretch of nine games in 12 days for the Mavs after the All-Star break.
Mavs guard Delonte West will be out on the market again this summer after signing a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum with Dallas before the season. In a piece by Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News examining West's ups and downs, including his struggle with mental illness, he admits he's been affected by unsubstantiated rumors that he had an affair with LeBron James' mother two years ago. West again denies the claims.
Ryan Anderson, a restricted free agent this summer, was overshadowed in the Vince Carter trade three years ago, is overlooked as Orlando talk centers around Dwight Howard, and is overmatched in the race for Most Improved Player against Jeremy Lin. Still, he continues his sterling play for the Magic this season, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star wonders whether the lockout achieved its purpose, as players are still using their leverage to get to large markets, a culture of haves and have-nots persists, and two franchises remain in flux.

Rose Rejects ‘Trade Blessing’ Claim

February 22nd, 2012 at 7:14pm CST by Daniel Seco

When asked about a report that he gave the Bulls his blessing to pursue a trade for Lakers forward Pau Gasol, Bulls star Derrick Rose vehemently denied any involvement. The initial rumor of Rose approaching the Bulls front office about bolstering the roster for a playoff run came on Sunday from Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com. According to the article, Rose alluded to the fact that he would like to play with Gasol and hoped the organization could acquire him in exchange for Bulls forward Carlos Boozer and another unnamed player.

In a press conference before Wednesday's game against the Bucks, Rose said he would never go out of his way to try get rid of a teammate. Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times says Rose met with Boozer to discuss the report and said that his teammate understood that the rumors were untrue. "I'm good with the teammates I have," Rose said. "I've been saying that. We've been winning games. We're not in position to trade anyone right now."

A former Blue Devil, Boozer is in his second season with the Bulls and has started in all of the team's games this season. After missing time in his first year with Chicago, Boozer's improved health has led to steady production from the 10th-year veteran as he's averaging 15.6 PPG and 8.3 APG. Signed as free agent after spending time with the Cavaliers and Jazz, Boozer has $47.1MM remaining on his contract over the next three seasons.

Magic: Kobe Needs To Talk With Buss

February 22nd, 2012 at 5:36pm CST by Daniel Seco

During a conference call on Wednesday to promote his new ESPN film, "The Announcement," former Lakers great Magic Johnson addressed the need for Kobe Bryant to meet with Lakers management to discuss a series of unresolved issues. Johnson made it clear that Bryant must speak with Jim Buss, the Lakers' vice president of player personnel, rather than general manager Mitch Kupchak as the chain of command has shifted within the organization. Kupchak and Bryant have been bantering back and forth through the media regarding Pau Gasol's future as a Laker.

According to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin, Johnson believes any decisions related to trades or free agency run through Buss rather than Kupchak. The goal of a conversation between Buss and Bryant would be to keep the star informed on key issues that surround the team with hopes of keeping in-house bantering out of the media. Buss' father, Dr. Jerry Buss, was known to have taken Bryant out for meals to keep him up to speed on any important decisions that would affect the team.

When questioned by the media about Johnson's recommendation for a meeting between Bryant and Buss, Bryant responded by saying, "perhaps." Amidst all of the trade rumors surrounding the Lakers, Bryant has supported Gasol and said that he would like him to remain on the team along with Andrew Bynum. Regardless of his supporting cast, Bryant has stated on multiple occasions that his lone focus remains on securing a sixth NBA championship, which would tie him with Michael Jordan.

Pau Gasol Rumors: Wednesday

February 22nd, 2012 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite a public plea from Kobe Bryant, GM Mitch Kupchak doesn't intend to take Pau Gasol off the trade block yet. Just under 58% of Hoops Rumors readers who responded to yesterday's poll expect the Lakers to deal Gasol, but with just over three weeks until the trade deadline, Gasol figures to be the subject of trade rumors and speculation right up until March 15th. Yesterday's Gasol updates can be found here, while today's items are rounded up below, with the latest on top:

A Western Conference executive tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that the Lakers are seeking too large a return for Gasol: "I doubt Pau goes anywhere…. I love Pau, but the Lakers are asking for way too much."
The most logical trade rumors involving Gasol are the ones that involve point guards, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, who names Rajon Rondo and Kyle Lowry as two trade targets that make sense for L.A. Whether or not the Celtics or Rockets would part ways with their point guards to acquire Gasol is another issue. As much as the Rockets are said to like Gasol, they don't seem inclined to make Lowry available.
No moves involving Gasol are imminent, adds Deveney.
The Lakers are receiving below-average production from so many players in their rotation that trading Gasol may be the only logical way to fill their holes, says John Hollinger in an Insider-only ESPN.com piece.
Lee Jenkins of SI.com notes that it was a public tirade from Kobe that ultimately led to the Lakers acquiring Gasol, and explores what Kobe's latest rant could mean for the team.

Poll: Will The Lakers Trade Pau Gasol?

February 21st, 2012 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Player-only meetings often happen as the result of a lengthy losing streak or a particularly embarrassing defeat, but this wasn't the case for the Lakers, who called a players-only meeting after a resounding win over the Trail Blazers yesterday. According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant gathered the team to try to set the tone for the rest of the season, making sure no one was distracted by trade rumors.

Many of those trade rumors have involved Pau Gasol, who has been linked to the Rockets, Timberwolves, Magic, and Celtics, among other teams. While we continue to follow today's Pau-related updates here, today's poll question is simple: Will Gasol be traded? Whether or not the Lakers should trade the Spaniard is another discussion altogether, one which you can weigh in on in the comments section. But will the Lakers trade Gasol before this season's trade deadline?

Pau Gasol Rumors: Tuesday

February 21st, 2012 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

While Pau Gasol appeared a little more at ease last night with the trade rumors swirling around Los Angeles, relations between Kobe Bryant and GM Mitch Kupchak still seem tense. After Kupchak released a statement that essentially said he wasn't going to give in to Kobe's request for the team to make a decision quickly on Gasol, Bryant told reporters, "I already said what I had to say. I'm done."

Kobe's public frustration may be a result of the team's lack of private communication with him, says Ken Berger of CBS Sports.

"Kobe's exploding, and he should," a source with ties to the Lakers told Berger. "Your lead player, you should always have communication with him let him know what's going on. There's no communication, and that's ridiculous."

As drama continues to surround the Lakers, here are today's updates on Gasol, with the newest items up top:

Los Angeles won't send Gasol to Minnesota if Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio are off-limits, according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Pincus says the Lakers may have trouble finding a two-team deal for Gasol, though the Rockets and Timberwolves make some sense in three-team deals.
The Lakers have resolved not to trade Gasol unless they get a "young star" in return, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Peter Vecsey of the New York Post explains why the Knicks should deal Carmelo Anthony for Pau Gasol. Not sure I can get behind that argument.
Vecsey also hears that the Timberwolves and Lakers haven't discussed any deals in two months, including anything involving Gasol and Derrick Williams.
Bryant's public rant hurts the Lakers and Gasol, says T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times.

Lakers Rumors: Kupchak, Beasley, Gasol

February 20th, 2012 at 7:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Amidst Kobe's plea to management to make a decision on teammate Pau Gasol, here are some other things we've scavenged as the Lakers prepare for their game against the Trail Blazers tonight at the Staples Center.

GM Mitch Kupchack addressed the media in response to Kobe as well as his stance on the Lakers being in trade talks.
Chris Broussard of ESPN.com writes that the Lakers have spoken to the Timberwolves regarding their interest in forward Michael Beasley.
Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that while there isn't too much progress in the ongoing trade talk involving Gasol, he also tweets that the stalled talks are due to the Lakers' specific asking price.
SI.com's Chris Mannix tweets that the Rockets are not interested in trading point guard Kyle Lowry in a deal for Pau.
Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that although coach Mike Brown does not want to get involved between Kobe and Mitch Kupchack, he admits that the rumors could be bothering Gasol.
Earlier today, we reported other rumors surrounding the Lakers forward.

Latest On Pau Gasol

February 20th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Within the last week, Dwight Howard has taken a backseat to Pau Gasol as the NBA's most-discussed trade target. It may not last long, as the Howard talk figures to roar back to life after the All-Star break. For now though, Gasol is dominating the headlines. Kobe Bryant called upon the Lakers' brass to either trade Pau as soon as possible or pull him off the trade block, but I'd be surprised to see any resolution quite yet. Gasol is one of the Lakers' strongest trade assets, and the quality of offers they'll get for him will likely increase as the deadline approaches.

With plenty of discussion focusing on whether the Lakers will trade Gasol, and where the Spaniard may land, let's round up a few Pau-related links….

Using ESPN.com's Trade Machine, Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles runs through a few conceivable Gasol trade scenarios.
SI.com's Zach Lowe acknowledges that the Lakers' current roster doesn't look like a real championship contender, but says the Gasol rumors he's heard so far haven't made a ton of sense. I agree with Lowe on both points. In particular, the reports linking Gasol to the Bulls and Timberwolves didn't seem all that logical from L.A.'s perspective.
The Rockets are rooting for a messy breakup between Gasol and the Lakers, since it could allow them to swoop in and acquire Pau, writes Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle.
Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles explores how the constant trade rumors are affecting not just Gasol but the Lakers as a whole.
Gasol is "there for the taking" for the Magic, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Of course, Schmitz is referring to a Dwight Howard deal here, in which case the Magic would want more than Gasol.

Kyler On Rose, Gasol, Martin, Gordon

February 20th, 2012 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

As we covered this morning, Steve Kyler shared a few Dwight Howard rumors in his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld. Here's the latest from Kyler on a few more topics:

Bulls sources vehemently denied having contact with the Lakers regarding Pau Gasol, and said Chris Sheridan's report about Derrick Rose giving his blessing for the Bulls to pursue Gasol didn't originate from Rose. Kyler himself is skeptical about the rumor, noting that it would be out of character for Rose, who has avoided recruiting players.
Replying to a question about the Rockets trading Kevin Martin, perhaps to the Timberwolves, Kyler tweets that there is "real interest." It's unclear whether he's referring to the Rockets being interested in dealing Martin or the T-Wolves being interested in acquiring him, but you could make an argument that both teams would be motivated to pursue such a deal.
The Hornets are open to moving Eric Gordon, but only if he could bring back a "legit star," tweets Kyler.