Rose Wants to play with LOL Gasol?

[FirstTimer]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/rumors-scoop-du-jour/bulls-coveting-lakers-pau-gasol-132633201.html

The Chicago Bulls have been informed by star point guard Derrick Rose "that he wants to play with Pau Gasol if Chicago is able to swing a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for the veteran power forward," according to SheridanHoops.com. "He hasn't said so publicly, but he has made that known privately," a source tells the site.

The Bulls would send Carlos Boozer and another player to L.A. in the deal, the site reports.

Gasol nearly went to the Houston Rockets before the season got started as part of the three-team deal that would have had Chris Paul moving to the Lakers, but then Commissioner David Stern nixed that deal. Since then, folks have wondered if and when Gasol would be dealt.

However, Sports Illustrated has it that Lakers GM Milt Kupchak is saying that he may not make any deals before the trading deadline.

"Of course we'll talk to a lot of teams [about trades], like everybody else does, leading up until the trade deadline to see if there is a way to improve the team," Kupchak said, according to the site. "But the likelihood is that this is the team that's going to finish into the playoffs. That's just the way it normally works, but we'll see."

[FirstTimer]

Kobe's response:

With the Lakers sort of slouching, as evidenced by Sunday’s 102-90 loss at Phoenix, the attendant hand-wringing has been inspiring rumors of roster upheaval starring Pau Gasol.
But the Laker with a trade chip on his shoulder is superstar Kobe Bryant, who lashed out at management, saying, ''If they're going to do something, I wish they would just fucking do it.''

''He's been the consummate professional,'' Bryant said after the Lakers’ three-game win streak ended. ''He's going out and he's trying to do what he can. But let's be real. If you didn't know you were going to be here tomorrow, if your head's on the chopping block and you feel like you're just waiting, it's tough to put all of yourself in the game.''

Gasol trade rumors began before the season when the Lakers thought they had shipped him to New Orleans in deal that would have brought them Chris Paul. Commissioner David Stern blocked the trade.

“It's hard for Pau because of all this trade talk and stuff,'' Bryant said, bringing up the subject without any prompting. ''It's hard for him to kind of invest himself completely or immerse himself completely into games when he's hearing trade talk every other day. I wish management would either come out and either trade him or not trade him.''


''It obviously starts with myself and Pau and the emergency of Andrew (Bynum),'' Bryant said, ''but you can't have one of our pillars not knowing if he's going to be here or not. Do something. One way or another, do something. If they trade him, at least you have some type of closure.''

Bryant, as usual, was the last player to speak to reporters Sunday night. Gasol already had left after talking about the game but mentioning nothing about a potential trade.

''I talked to him a little bit about it,'' Bryant said. ''It's just tough for a player to give his all when you don't know if you're going to be here tomorrow. So I'd rather them not trade him at all. If they were going to do something, I wish they would just (expletive) do it. If they're not going to do it, come out and say you're not going to do it. This way he can be comfortable, he can go out and perform and he can play and he can invest all of himself in the game.''

[nwfisch]

Boozer and Watson for Gasol yes please.

[G-men]

[FirstTimer]

Any deal that helps move Boozer out of town would be great.

[Rudi]

[FedEx227]

Don't see it ever happening, no clue why the hell would want Boozer who has an extra year on his deal despite $5 million less annually.

[EmpireWF]

Report: Rose Told Bulls He'd Like to Play w/ Gasol

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/02/20/source-derrick-rose-wants-to-play-with-pau-gasol/

Derrick Rose has let it be known to Bulls management that we wants to play with Pau Gasol if Chicago is able to swing a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers for the veteran power forward from Spain, a source close to Rose told SheridanHoops.com on Sunday.

The Spanish news outlet Marca was the first to report Sunday that Rose has given his blessing for the Bulls to go after Gasol with a package that would be centered around Carlos Boozer and another player.

“He hasn’t said so publicly, but he has made that known privately,” said the source, who spoke to SheridanHoops.com on condition of anonymity.

Gasol has been the subject of trade speculation all season after the Lakers were ready to ship him to the Houston Rockets in the three-way trade vetoed by commissioner David Stern that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers.

Gasol has acknowledged that is impossible to ignore the rumors, especially given the fact that Los Angeles had already deemed him expendable.

Boozer has three years and $46 million remaining on his contract, while Gasol is due to make $38 million over the next two seasons.

The Lakers have an $8.9 million trade exception from the Lamar Odom trade that they could use to acquire a player making up to that amount without surrendering much (it could be as little as a conditional second-round pick) in return, which gives general manager Mitch Kupchak enormous flexibility in trying to improve a Lakers team that has struggled offensively all season.

If the Bulls were willing to surrender backup point guard C.J. Watson in a Boozer-Gasol deal, it would address the Lakers’ need for a young, steady point guard to buttress their current rotation of Derek Fisher and Steve Blake.

But Chicago has been leaning heavily on Watson as Rose has missed five consecutive games with back spasms (he is listed questionable for Monday, coach Tom Thibodeau said after practice Sunday), and journeyman Mike James is their only other playmaker.

I can't see them being able to offer a package to LA they'd move Gasol for.

[ralaw]

it would address the Lakers’ need for a young, steady point guard to buttress their current rotation of Derek Fisher and Steve Blake.

Willing? LOL....who writes this stuff? Who in the hell would trade Gasol for Boozer? Oh, you're willing to give up CJ Watson too? Oh WOW!!! Give me a break. Unless the Bulls are "willing" to give up more than a declining Boozer and a backup in Watson this thread belongs in FT's stupid comments thread. Derrick Rose can want whoever he wants, but the Bulls don't have the pieces to get most of any deal done.

[NAHSTE]

Nice of Derrick Rose to volunteer to play with other great players. Not enough superstars in the NBA are expressing their desire to play with other great players these days. Refreshing to see.

[FedEx227]

I doubt he said that. Lot of rumors coming out that Gasol's agent (also Rose's) pushed the story.

Rose was vocal about NOT wanting to recruiting during The Decision offseason. I doubt he all of a sudden decided this year and with Pau Gasol to finally become vocal about it.

[FirstTimer]

I doubt he said that. Lot of rumors coming out that Gasol's agent pushed the story.

Rose was vocal about NOT wanting to recruiting during The Decision offseason. I doubt he all of a sudden decided this year and with Pau Gasol to finally become vocal about it.

This.

I don't buy the story at all but it's interesting anyways.

[ralaw]

Yeah, right now Rose seems to be of the thinking that he's not going to involve himself in managment issues, because that doesn't seem to be his personality. However, he might want to change that way of thinking. In today's NBA superstars have to put pressure on managment, because many of the franchises will just sit back.

[FedEx227]

This franchise will sit back anyway, they've proven that over the last 5 years. They'd rather stay the course and keep their guys than make aggressive drives towards free agents or potential trades.

[FirstTimer]

This franchise will sit back anyway, they've proven that over the last 5 years. They'd rather stay the course and keep their guys than make aggressive drives towards free agents or potential trades.

Gasol
Kobe
Garnett
Gasol again

Makes me sick.

All to hold on to Luol friggin Deng