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Chris Paul does not like to be touched, sir. He doesn’t like to lose, either.

He was 0 for 2 tonight as the Clippers lost and Pau fondled his head.

@Suga_Shane

I don’t think Dwight Howard is that much more talented than me and Andrew in the post.

Pau Gasol (via nbaquotes)

Pau is absolutely right. 1000% spot on. In fact, I’d say that Dwight’s not even as talented in the post as Pau or Andrew. In fact, it’s not even close.

Good call Pau. Scratch that. GREAT call, Pau…

…Now on the other end of the floor, that’s a completely different story. 

Mr. Paul, the evidence please: Pau. Andrew.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case. 

@Suga_Shane

Commissioner,

It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.

This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.

Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.

I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make a trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).

I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.

I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.

When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?

Please advise….

Dan G.

— Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert in an email to NBA Commissioner David Stern regarding the proposed trade that would send PG Chris Paul to the LA Lakers.

(Source: Yahoo!)

As a Lakers fan, well, perhaps, I should state, as a Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom fan, I was a bit weary of the Chris Paul trade. Yes, the addition of Paul would have added speed and athleticism to the aging Lakers roster, but at what cost? Yes, Gasol became Mr. Cellophane during the playoffs and Odom may have been distracted by the E! camera crew, but how exactly do you replace them? Gasol is/was the starting power forward and back up center while Odom was/is a jack of all trades and capable of playing at any position. Without Gasol & Odom, who starts at center when Andrew Bynum eventually gets injured during the season? Who’s the starting power forward? I felt the deal was like using a piece of gum to fill a hole in the sinking Titanic. 

As for the rest of the deal, the Rockets would’ve gotten a solid big man in Gasol to replace Yao Ming and the Hornets would’ve probably benefited from having Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, and some draft picks to help rebuild. 

Yet, David Stern canceled the deal and in a way, put a really awful and sour taste in my mouth. I’m struggling to understand what exactly the lock out and the subsequent agreement accomplished? 

If David Stern killed this trade because he didn’t want players to dictate where they wanted to be traded, that’s absolutely bonkers. So, Chris Paul will most likely play out the 2011-12 season as a Hornet and at the end of the season, he’s free to sign whenever he wants and the Hornets get nothing in return. With the deal, it helps the Hornets rebuilds. Stern might’ve been upset with the Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks saga of last season, but that traded benefited both teams. The Nuggets had a great playoff run last season and the Knicks became a good team. This sets an extremely bad precedent from the future of the NBA. If a couple of owners object to a trade, what’s going to stop David Stern from nixing it again? 

The NBA will never be the same again. 

“I guess that means I’m a Laker if the trade didn’t go through. I don’t know what to do for the Lakers. I’m even weirded out by the league doing what they did. I don’t know what to do. 
Imagine how Pau [Gasol] feels. Pau came to the Lakers and played here for four years, went to the Finals and lost, won two NBA championships and then got swept [by the Dallas Mavericks this year]. Wow! Imagine how he must feel. 
Man, I’m just in total disbelief about all of this. They don’t want my services, for whatever reason. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I was proud to be a Laker, so I’ll try to help them in the process as much as possible.”
- Lamar Odom on the current trade/non-trade situation between the Lakers & Hornets.

“I guess that means I’m a Laker if the trade didn’t go through. I don’t know what to do for the Lakers. I’m even weirded out by the league doing what they did. I don’t know what to do.

Imagine how Pau [Gasol] feels. Pau came to the Lakers and played here for four years, went to the Finals and lost, won two NBA championships and then got swept [by the Dallas Mavericks this year]. Wow! Imagine how he must feel.

Man, I’m just in total disbelief about all of this. They don’t want my services, for whatever reason. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I was proud to be a Laker, so I’ll try to help them in the process as much as possible.”

- Lamar Odom on the current trade/non-trade situation between the Lakers & Hornets.

latimes:

Magic Johnson inspired Lakers’ Pau Gasol in more ways than one: Long before he became an NBA star, Gasol wanted to be a doctor. He was 11, and Johnson had just announced he had the AIDS virus. Though basketball is his life, Gasol’s interest in medicine hasn’t waned.
Photo:  Lakers forward Pau Gasol observes a surgery by Dr. David Skaggs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Credit: Lori Shepler

latimes:

Magic Johnson inspired Lakers’ Pau Gasol in more ways than one: Long before he became an NBA star, Gasol wanted to be a doctor. He was 11, and Johnson had just announced he had the AIDS virus. Though basketball is his life, Gasol’s interest in medicine hasn’t waned.

Photo: Lakers forward Pau Gasol observes a surgery by Dr. David Skaggs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Credit: Lori Shepler

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

latimes:

It ain’t easy being a Pau Gasol look-alike these days.
Photo: Michael Fanter is trying to make money as a Pau Gasol look-alike, an occupation that has gotten more difficult in the wake of the Lakers’ early exit from the postseason. Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

latimes:

It ain’t easy being a Pau Gasol look-alike these days.

Photo: Michael Fanter is trying to make money as a Pau Gasol look-alike, an occupation that has gotten more difficult in the wake of the Lakers’ early exit from the postseason. Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

Spanish H.A.M. you hang out to dry, and tastes so light and airy it melts on your tongue. German H.A.M. is cold smoked in the Black Forest. It will sustain you under any hardship.
-SlapClap

Spanish H.A.M. you hang out to dry, and tastes so light and airy it melts on your tongue. German H.A.M. is cold smoked in the Black Forest. It will sustain you under any hardship.

-SlapClap

Is Pau Gasol sad because Kobe’s wife made his fiancee leave him? Have the lakers officially gone TMZ on us?

Is Pau Gasol sad because Kobe’s wife made his fiancee leave him? Have the lakers officially gone TMZ on us?

Not a stellar final minute of Game One by Pau Gasol. Meanwhile, J. Kidd treated Kobe like he tried to steal Toni Braxton away from him.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Not a stellar final minute of Game One by Pau Gasol. Meanwhile, J. Kidd treated Kobe like he tried to steal Toni Braxton away from him.

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Lakers fans, are you okay with Pau Gasol’s performance in game three against the Hornets? He had 17 points (7-13, made a 3 and was perfect from the charity stripe) and 10 rebounds and 4 assists! Or are you guys still going to bag on him?
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Lakers fans, are you okay with Pau Gasol’s performance in game three against the Hornets? He had 17 points (7-13, made a 3 and was perfect from the charity stripe) and 10 rebounds and 4 assists! Or are you guys still going to bag on him?

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

via The Onion Sportsdome

via The Onion Sportsdome

(Source: bit.ly)

Marc? Pau? It’s time to come in for din-din now. Mom made tapas… again. Marc? Pau?
[slapclap]

Marc? Pau? It’s time to come in for din-din now. Mom made tapas… again. Marc? Pau?

[slapclap]

O&A: E-Rule & The Lakers (1.28.2011)

Song: E-Rule “The Real Me (Instrumental)”

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