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Where to, Pau Gasol?
Posted February 1st ago via True Hoop
The following is a portion of the full post
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Pau Gasol is something of a mystery.

He's a former All-Star and a World Champion. He's the engine of one of the best national teams in recent memory. He is beloved by many of his teammates, and revered by his countrymen. Even in Memphis he's a proven scorer in the post, off the dribble, jump shooting, and finishing every which way around the hoop. Remember when he younger and was an easy pick for rookie of the year?

He has been a winner. And he's only 27 now, an age when most big men are reaching their peak.

Despite battling various injuries, Gasol has always put up good numbers. At the moment he's in the NBA's top 30 overall in terms of PER, ahead of Josh Howard, Josh Smith, Shawn Marion, Richard Hamilton, Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Roy, and others.

But in Memphis it just has not been working. Not even Jerry West could figure out exactly why the Grizzlies aren't winning with Gasol.

In the meantime, the Grizzlies are a team that needs to watch its pennies, and Gasols do not come cheap. His contract -- by far the biggest on the Memphis books -- calls for big money all the way into 2011.

So it's no wonder that Pau Gasol's name is in almost every trade rumor. (It's a minor miracle his name wasn't part of that Kidd-to-Dallas package we have been discussing.)

Memphis would presumably like the best thing a rebuilding team could possibly have: a young superstar. But they're not going to get that. The next best thing is an expiring contract, which could come with the future cap room, and more touches for Rudy Gay to continue his development. (And teams always ask for cheap young talent a...

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