I agree completely that it wasn't a terrible trade for Memphis. But, it was bad for the Western conference in the sense it made the L*kers what they are the last three years. Without Pau there's no way they make the finals three years running and a favorite going for four.
With LMA we already have a big man who has to be forced to go down on the block. Why get another guy even less likely to do so? Besides, LMA is getting better this year. Portland doesn't need a Bosh, they need someone who can beast up in the paint. Like say, Joel or Greg.
A mediocre 7 or so games does not diminish a players value. He's still a 6 time AS and a top 5 big in the league. All it shows is he doesn't fit like a glove in every offense.
He put up numbers on a bad team, and played in an era where the east had so few big men that Magliore and Big Z made the team.
He's made the playoffs a couple of those season despite having a garbage roster around him. Look at his PER for those years in Toronto. Its too bad they let go of Carter before Bosh started to blossom, otherwise they would have had a pretty good team.
Yeah, he's definitely not a scrub, but I do think making the playoffs in the east over the last 10 years is barely an accomplishment
