Is Pau Gasol a winner?

[Zoom]

Do you guys think Pau Gasol can help the Grizzlies win?

He's a leader and all but I just don't know why I don't see him being able to lead the Grizzlies to win in a playoff series... I just get this feeling that he won't be able to do it.

That's why I also think the Grizzlies should trade for AI in the middle of this season... a probable short term solution to make them contend?

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If the Grizzlies traded Gasol for AI in the middle of the season, they would be a wannabe-knicks. AI, Stoudamire, Gay, Miller, Jones - All starting caliber players, all G/SFs... They would either have to start Tsakalidis at C or slide Stromile Swift out of position. As good as AI is, I wouldn't do this trade at all. Trading a quality big for a very good yet undersized guard, when all the quality players you have are either guards or big men is plain stupid.

[Klayface]

I don't think he meant AI for Gasol. But anyway, Pau can get them to the second round. Its not like they've gone to the playoffs for the last 8 years and only gotten out of the first round once.

[Zoom]

Nah, I wasn't saying trading AI for Gasol, I meant trading away maybe a package of say Swift, Stoudamire and Mike Miller or soemthing lol... not sure if Sixers would want that but somehting like that to team up Pau and AI.

[---]

Yeah my bad, but I seriously doubt the Sixers would take any package that didn't involve Gasol

[Zoom]

You never know... if a team can package say a few young dudes and/or expiring contracts, then they may take it. That's of course depending on what direction they are willing to move in.

Anyways, this ain't a AI trade thread... it's bout Pau.

So back on topic, I don't think Pau can take the Grizzlies to the second round... I just don't see it in him.

[Klayface]

If not this year then next year, Pau and Gay will be a good combination. The rookie was out there looking like a vet vs the Knicks tonight. I think this year could be the year but you can't really tell til he gets back. The West is such a tough conference you can't really blame a player for not getting out of the 1st round. I mean KG has only had a real team around him once in his career and that was the only time. Pau lacks the supporting cast in my opinion. The Grizz have a nice squad, but I dunno if its a team that can go deep into the playoffs.

[maes]

He's only 1 guy, he's done as well as anyone else. List of players who without another supporting star player could only lead their teams to early playoff exits:

- Michael Jordan (pre Pippen)
- Kevin Garnett (without Spre & Sam)
- Elton Brand
- LeBron James (so far)
- Paul Pierce
- Tracy McGrady

The rest of the Grizzlies are average at best. Mike Miller is probably the 2nd best player on the team, and he's not exactly Scottie Pippen or Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

[Fitzy]

what if gasol was traded and became a supporting player to someone else like kobe?

[CERVANTES]

Gasol would be a winner in the NBA in an important team, but Grizzlies roster really sucks. Nobody knows how to play basketball in there, except for Mike and Damon (and well, Pau).

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Eddie Jones and Rudy Gay are good. Hakim Warrick is on the rise. The Grizzlies wil probably win their first playoff game this year.

[Cornerthree]

I believe Grizzlies won't be going far in the playoffs this year, well of course Gay is there with Jones to lead the team, but I think they aren't ready yet. In a few years, they might reach the conf. finals, I think...

[Klayface]

They have a great group of young guys with Gay, Warrick, and D Jones (who graduated from the same HS as me). The futures looking bright for the Grizz, and the present isn't looking too bad either. You can't really say hes a loser, but can't say hes a winner. Only in time will we be able to tell.

[Indy]

I think the Grizzlies are one of the worst teams in the NBA. Gasol is terrible defending the post, and they don't have anyones else that can do it. Lorenzen Wright is one of the worst post defenders in the NBA, so losing him was addition by subtraction for them, but they need a big body to defend the post. Gay is a nice addition, and he will help them score the ball this year, but he's another terrible defender. Stoudamire has always been a matador defender, and Eddie Jones at this point of his career is average at best. The fact of the matter for Memphis this season is that they are going to give up about 96 ppg, and they won't be able to make it up on the other side.

I think they'll win less then 30 games.

[Tupik]

I think they'll win less then 30 games.

I think they're not gonna win a lot of games too, specially because of Gasol's injury, and if they get to the playoffs, they might win 1 or 2 games, but not much more...

The other probem of the Grizz this season is that they will have to deal with the departure of Battier, who was there best defender last year, and it will take them some time to accustom to the "new" team...