<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DENVER -- Grizzlies president Jerry West privately rolled his eyes at the notion. His boss, the team's majority owner Michael Heisley, has a more difficult time sitting back and digesting frivolous trade rumors. Three-day-old conjecture that All-Star Pau Gasol is available for a trade compelled Heisley to issue a public service announcement to the rest of the NBA. From Heisley, with disdain: Don't bother calling. "There's no damn way that anybody is going to trade Pau Gasol," Heisley said, his voice booming through the telephone. "I'm telling you that ain't going to happen. That's out the window." Heisley reacted Tuesday to growing speculation generated first by a New York report that said the Boston Celtics had inquired about Gasol. While that is true, the Celtics were rebuffed just like any team would be barring an offer that included one of the league's megastars (i.e. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, etc). Even that sounds nonsensical, which was Heisley's point. But that didn't stop a Chicago columnist from proposing a swap with the Chicago Bulls. "Here's a scoop," Heisley said. "I'm going to contact Cleveland to try and get LeBron James. So put in the paper that Cleveland's interested in getting rid of LeBron James. "Why would we trade our franchise player? Just like why would the Lakers trade Kobe Bryant? Why would Cleveland trade LeBron James? That's not going to happen. We're not trading Pau." Heisley said he's confident Gasol would remain a Grizzly for a long time, even with the team's pending sale. </div> Source
Why would he want to trade a guy making large money and has never lead his team past the first round of the playoffs.....beats me.
<div class="quote_poster">norespect Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why would he want to trade a guy making large money and has never lead his team past the first round of the playoffs.....beats me.</div> look at his supporting cast Einstein. It makes what KG had to deal with look like an all-star team.
<div class="quote_poster">phunDamentalz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">look at his supporting cast Einstein. It makes what KG had to deal with look like an all-star team.</div> You are crazy....Gasol has had a deep team many years, sure there hasen't been much in the form of another bonafide all star, but he has had much more to work with then KG...
<div class="quote_poster">norespect Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">You are crazy....Gasol has had a deep team many years, sure there hasen't been much in the form of another bonafide all star, but he has had much more to work with then KG...</div> Pound for pound, Gasol has probably had slightly more talented group of people supporting him BUT there has been even more disruptions to team chemistry to Memphis than Minnesota. Their starting line-up has changed a ridiculous amount over the last few years. Also Gasol wasn't really the leader of the team til the last couple of years. Prior to that, nobody really stood out - and Gasol averaged 30 minutes at best. It was more of a team effort. By contrast KG has been supposed to be the savior since he got to Minnesota. Gasol has also never had a truly great point guard to play with, KG has when he had Cassell. I don't blame either player for not getting to the Finals yet, but you can't hate Gasol the guy plays hard every night and defends pretty well. I think the whole "superstar who failed to get his team past the whatever round" is unfair in just about every case. it's unfair against Kobe last year, and KG every year.
<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Gasol has not had the supporting cast during his prime years yet.</div> He hasn't even reached him prime years yet. The guy last played at age 25, and was a late starter to the game. He had a solid bunch (if very unspectacular) around him over the past two years, but he was only 24-25. If Gay and Warrick come on and he still hasn't got past the first round by the time he's 30, then lambast him, but until then it's moronic.
<div class="quote_poster">Jerry West Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">He hasn't even reached him prime years yet. The guy last played at age 25, and was a late starter to the game. He had a solid bunch (if very unspectacular) around him over the past two years, but he was only 24-25. If Gay and Warrick come on and he still hasn't got past the first round by the time he's 30, then lambast him, but until then it's moronic.</div> Don't get me wrong, I agree with you. The criticism Gasol receives for not advancing past the 1st round and winning a playoff game is unwarranted. Gasol has just started coming into his own the last two seasons, and once the Grizzlies find a consistent big man to play alongside Gasol, they'll have more success in the post season. Gasol has a lot of productive seasons ahead of him and we have yet to see the best from Pau. Nice to have you back posting Jerry West!
Gasol has had way better teams than KG has had. Much deeper. There is no reason at all for them to be 0-12 in the playoffs. It is 100% inexcusable. When is Pau coming back, by the way? I was just reading that Pau Gasol thinks that one day he'll actually become a medical doctor... HAHAHAHAHAH!
