You are here: Home / News / Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol Asking to be Traded to the Bulls?

Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol Asking to be Traded to the Bulls?

By | May 29, 2012|

After averaging a career-low 17.4 points per game this past season and having another lackluster performance during the NBA playoffs, the consensus is that Pau Gasol has most likely played his last game for the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only will the Lakers’ front office be fielding offers for the Spanish forward throughout the off-season, but it appears that Gasol has a preferred trade destination.

Apparently, Gasol might be leaning towards playing in the Windy City alongside Derrick Rose and company according to Sam Smith of NBA.com:

“The interesting part, according to Lakers’ insiders, is Gasol would like to play for the Bulls.”

Trade rumors involving Gasol being shipped to the Bulls is nothing new in Los Angeles as those rumors began to heat up before the NBA trade deadline this past March. It was reported that Rose loved the idea of Gasol coming to Chicago, but the Lakers were unwilling to take on Carlos Boozer’s contract ($47 million remaining) in return.

A trade that might make sense for both sides would be the Lakers receiving Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton in return for Gasol. The addition of these two veterans would address to glaring issues for the Lakers at small forward and off the bench.

With 27-year-old Deng, the Lakers would get younger and a huge upgrade on the defensive end of the floor. Along with addressing the void at small forward, the Lakers would also receive the scoring boost off the bench with the addition of Hamilton.

Even though Boozer may not be out of the question, the Lakers will not be looking to ship Gasol out of town in return for practically the same player at the same high price in terms of money left on his contract. Instead, Los Angeles could simply sign Lamar Odom for the veteran’s minimum ($1.4 million) to help fill the void left by Gasol.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not there is any truth to this rumor and if the Lakers can make this deal happen over the summer.

Tags:
← Former Lakers, Bulls Coach Phil Jackson Writing Memoir Lakers Rumors: ESPN Analyst Says Lamar Odom Wants to Return to Lakers →

About the author

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a senior writer for Lakers Nation and Examiner.com with an undying passion writing about the Los Angeles Lakers. Follow Ryan on Twitter: @Lakers_Examiner

Leave A Reply

  • Lakers3324

    Sessions at PG, Kobe at SG, Deng at SF, Odom at PF, Bynum at C  !!!!

  • Ninja_assassin1511

    BYE GASOFT!!!

  • Guest

    Odom can’t sign for LA until December, no way he waits that long to play.

  • ellis_yeo

    don’t just trade, ship out brown!
     

  • http://twitter.com/HedFurst Willie Nailer

    Get Pau out of LA…  ASAP… take your feelings out of it and look at it as a business… you know why he wants to go to Chicago; cause he know Rose is gonna take the shot, he still soft as Butter Cream…

  • KristianP3

    I think that they should get Andre Iguodala or Josh Smith which would be better than Deng and Hamilton. It would be a total upgrade if they get 1 of those 2, but I think that they should focus more on our bench than just to ship out Gasol because they could upgrade our bench like improving Goudelock, Morris, and Ebanks in training camp. and sign a couple of free agents that could come off the bench. Just my opinion

  • Businessf1rst

    Gasol needs to stop making decisions under emotional response.. Man up…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000515455937 Casey Opiela

    Better yet, we trade Pau, Blake, and McBob for Deng, Noah, and Watson. Yes, the salaries do in fact match up. We get a solid starting lineup with a better bench with Watson, who will be demanding more minutes now that people know he is good. This may hurt the Bulls if they don’t ship him off. Plus, if we don’t take back Noah, the Bulls will be unstoppable with two stars and a solid center. You’re talking about the current best NBA coach combined with two superstars. It got the Lakers five championships in 10 years. Blake is a very selfless player who won’t be as vocal and demanding as Watson and will work well alongside Rose, which is positive for the Bulls. The Lakers can also trade the Trade Exception to the Kings for 5-9 million cash, with which they can sign Michael Beasley.
    Lakers new lineup: 
    PG = Ramon Sessions / CJ Watson / Darius Morris
    SG = Kobe Bryant / Andrew Goudelock
    SF = Luol Deng / Michael Beasley / MWP
    PF = Joakim Noah / Troy Murphy
    C = Andrew Bynum / Jordan Hill

    Bulls new linep:
    PG = Derrick Rose 
    SG = Richard Hamilton 
    SF = Kyle Korver
    PF = Carlos Boozer 
    C = Pau Gasol 

  • JknowsLakers

    need to get rid of brown to. His whole coaching staff and throw in Jim Buss to. Trade Gasoft and Blake. Get rid of Murphy and MCnuggets. All the bench was horrible. And to think Kupchek at the begining of season said they had a great supporting cast. Fire him to

  • cheeseMooseso

    Get rid of brown.. get Nash/D-will,Beasley/Iggy/Millsap,Howard

  • Lindasngltn

    I hope that this is just a rumor because the Lakers don’t need to make the mistake with Pau as they did Odom.  Training camp should show what Pau can do and then go from there, but to trade a good player for what the Bulls have to offer would be crazy … let’s hope somebody in management comes to their senses … maybe Mike Brown should speak up for him as he is going to do for Odom.  Now I hear they also may get Ariza back … who should have never been let go in the first place.  I wish management would quit shooting themselves in the foot.

  • http://www.facebook.com/terrence73 Terrence RipDaddy Allen

    I wouldnt trade Gasol at all its not the starting lineup its dat sorry ass bench we had now wat they need to do is sign Lamar Odom back cuz we truly miss him nd he miss the Lakers too more pieces to dat sorry ass bench nd we are a contender again poinr blank period.

  • Nutyghost

    no good.. players like deng and hamilton can easily get through free agency.. i’d rather get a PG in D.Will

  • MzWalker

    I agree with Terrence RipDaddy Allen, they don’t need to mess up the starting 5 just bring back Odom and Ariza and get rid of Murphy and McRoberts and you gd again. Sessions just needs more experience playing with the starting 5. Having Odom takes pressure off of Bynum and Gasol because he can defend and score. He’s a serious threat in the paint.

  • ANDREW BYGON

    TRADE MIKE BROWN TO SHANNON BROWN. BRING THIS GUY BACK AND GET RID OF MIKE BROWN

  • Olskoolhippo

    would address to glaring issues .
    TWO!

Read previous post:
Lakers Rumors: ESPN Analyst Says Lamar Odom Wants to Return to Lakers

After trading Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks before the season for nothing more than a draft pick and a...

Close