While the Lakers’ front office has made it clear that the team has no intention of trading Gasol until the impact of Steve Nash’s return to the team is felt in the coming weeks, news surfaced of Nash’s three-year deal with the Lakers being contingent on Gasol staying in Los Angeles.
Apparently, Nash was promised that he’d be able to play alongside Gasol once officially a Laker. Nash was told that Gasol will not be dealt by the team in order for the two veterans to play together.
At the time, Nash’s major concern may have been the team going all-out to bring in Dwight Howard via trade. With Gasol and Andrew Bynum being the team’s best trade assets, it was highly likely Gasol would be dealt in order to make the deal happen. Obviously, that never happened with GM Mitch Kupchak pulling off a bright trade that only sacrificed Bynum as the major piece leaving Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, things have changed in Los Angeles with Gasol struggling under D’Antoni and Nash injured. Once Nash returns, the team is hoping everything will turn around with the two-time NBA MVP being the missing piece to the championship puzzle, but if he isn’t and the team continues to struggle, Gasol will almost certainly be sent elsewhere in exchange for the right player that fits the mold of D’Antoni’s system.
Lakers Nation News
Kobe Bryant On Kevin Durant Reaching 30K Points: ‘It Seems Possible’
Lakers News: Woman Files Lawsuit Against Devin Ebanks For Sexual Assault
NBA News: Kobe Bryant Cannot See Himself As A NBA Owner
Kobe Bryant, Lionel Messi Star In Turkish Airlines Commercial
Report: Steve Nash Was Promised Pau Gasol Will Not Be Traded
Kobe Bryant Hosting Nike Kobe 8 System Event At Venice Beach
David Stern Wants To Get Rid Of ‘Hack-A-Howard’ Strategy
Lakers Rumors: Lakers Resisting Trade Offers From Timberwolves For Pau Gasol
Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol Trade To Toronto Raptors Being Discussed?
Mike Brown Believes He Will One Day Return To Coaching
Mike D’Antoni Will Not Substitute Howard Despite Shooting Woes
David Stern Compares Kobe Bryant To Michael Jordan
Lakers News
Ding: Will Lakers’ Spat Be A Turning Point [OC Register]
Mike Brown: ‘No Hard Feelings’ Toward Lakers [OC Register]
Bryant Is Youngest to Hit 30,000 As Lakers Win [OC Register]
Bryant, Howard Do A Little Jawing At Each Other [OC Register]
Steve Blake (Abdomen) Out Unit Mid-To-Late January [OC Register]
Lakers At Thunder, Scars From A Lost Battle [Silver Screen and Roll]
Beast Of Burden: Hitting The Milestones [Silver Screen and Roll]
Drew’s Views: Just Say No To “BLARGHnani” [Silver Screen and Roll]
Video: Dwight’s New Foot Locker/Adidas Commerical [Silver Screen and Roll]
Timberwolves President David Kahn Denies Pau Gasol Trade [LA Times]
Dwight Howard Moonlighting As ‘Ghost Hunter’ [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant Jokes That The Lakers Were Surprised Abe Lincoln Died [LA Times]
Pau Gasol Not Playing For Lakers Tonight [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant Can Identify With Kevin Durant And Russell Westbrook [LA Times]
Lakers’ Ex-Coach Mike Brown Has Lost His Job But Not His Joy [LA Times]
LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Kobe Bryant Passes On Love Of History [LA Daily News]
Lakers Forward Metta World Peace: We Can Still Tie Chicago Bulls’ All-Time Win-Loss Record [LA Daily News]
NBA News
NBA Morning Recap: Knicks Blow Out The Heat; Mavs Edge Out Suns [Sports City]
Kendrick Perkins Is Problem-Solver In The Thunder Locker Room [Sports City]
Thunder’s Kevin Durant Evolving His Game And Marketability [Sports City]
Clippers’ Billups May Be Out For Two Weeks With Foot Injury [Sports City]
Video: Lob City Special With Jamal Crawford And Eric Bledsoe [Sports City]
Is Dwyane Wade Having A Slow Start Or Is It Something Bigger? [Pro Basketball Talk]
Will Slap Across The Face From Knicks Finally Wake Heat Up? [Pro Basketball Talk]
Stern Slams New Jersey Governer Christie Over Sports Betting [Pro Basketball Talk]
Video: Byron Scott Answers Reporter’s Phone During Press Conference [Pro Basketball Talk]
Melo Questionable For Saturday At Chicago [ESPN]
Rodman In Contempt Of Court, Must Pay $500K [ESPN]
Pro Leagues, NCAA File Brief Against N.J. Betting [ESPN]
Stern: Spurs Fine Justified [ESPN]
God Bless The Knicks [SB Nation]
Why No One Scores 50 Any More [SB Nation]
How The Knicks Shredded The Heat [SB Nation]
Video Breakdown: Damian Lillard’s Game [SB Nation]