After three years of trade speculation, Pau Gasol has avoided being traded elsewhere and will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers for the rest of the season according to Ken Berger of CBS Sports:
For those wondering, there is no deal pending for Pau Gasol at deadline, league source says. Lakers set to keep him, and his Bird rights.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) February 20, 2014
Although it seemed inevitable that Gasol would be moved before the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers decided to hold on to the two-time NBA champion thus retaining his Bird rights. Gasol may ultimately headed elsewhere this summer in free agency, but for the time being he’ll remain in Los Angeles until his contract expires.
Gasol may have been able to dodge the bullet in terms of being dealt by the Lakers, but the same can’t be said for Steve Blake or Chris Kaman. Blake was traded to the Golden State Warriors right before the Lakers played host to Dwight Howard’s Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at the Staples Center.
As for Kaman, the veteran center was thought to possibly be on his way to the Philadelphia 76ers replacing the recently traded Spencer Hawes. Despite putting up solid numbers went given the time on the floor, Kaman never really fit into head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system and therefore was deemed expendable. A trade may still go down involving Kaman, but nothing was announced at the deadline.
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Lakers Trade Steve Blake To Golden State Warriors For Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks