LA Lakers Trade Rumors: Shannon Brown and Pau Gasol Are LA’s Best Trade Options
No matter what they say, the Lakers will not be able to overcome the travesty that their fans endured at the close of an already questionable season.
It was a slightly humorous that Andrew Bynum ripped off his jersey as he walked off of the court, signifying something similar to LeBron James as he played his last game as a Cavalier.
No worry Staples Center faithfuls. There is nothing surrounding Bynum that screams and shouts trade–at least not for the 2011-12 seasons.
Shannon Brown, on the other hand, is proving to be more and more of a liability. Brown is responsible for the indiscretions that caused Gasol’s playoff collapse. There is and will never be an excuse for not showing up when your team needs your star effort the most.
The rumors are spinning out of control as the blame shifted from Kobe Bryant’s wife, to Steve Blake’s wife and ultimately landed on Brown’s married doorstep. That still will not be the major reason for a trade involving him from the Los Angeles Lakers.
The potential Brown showed in the D-League was monstrous compared to what he has accomplished this past season as a Lakers player. His jumpshot needs much improvement. His dunks are more explosive than ever but rarely come at a time when his team desperately needs a morale boost.
He has not adjusted to backing up Kobe Bryant at the two spot shooting guard, and fails to make an impact at pivotal moments. He is a forerunner of the youth trend that the Lakers are going to employ in the near future. However, his present skill level won’t secure a spot on future rosters.
Speaking statistically, Brown is a bit trigger happy when it comes to the three-point jumper—he only shot 28 percent in the postseason. I suspect he’s looking for recognition as more than just a great finisher at the rim.
If you are an excellent dunker and have the ability to follow through even after taking contact, you consistently push the pace towards that area of your game. Later in his career, when his body cannot handle the contact, he should develop his outside game.
During his exit interview he apologized to former Lakers’ head coach for his poor shot selection and allowing Jackson to exit with such an embarrassing end.
Maybe that realization should have come at the start of the Dallas series instead of as the Mavericks prepare for the Western Conference Finals. Shannon Brown is beginning to appear like the player who refuses to use his strongest suit to his advantage.
Regardless of the advice LA’s coaching staff provided him with during the season, he maintained an approach that left him with unrewarding defensive and unfocused offensive efforts.
Shannon Brown has to either accept the fact that he is not a strong shooter and improve beyond belief in the offseason. Otherwise he will fail to live up to expectations. Refusing to adapt will turn Brown into a journeyman.
Teams overlooked his poor coach-ability because of his athleticism. At 25 years old, he has the ability to change his temperament.
Pau Gasol, on the other hand, was not expected to prove himself this season. He was only looked to for his usual performances that led the Lakers to victory.
It was surprising when he failed to do so over and over again. I am not sure what was more embarrassing: the 13.1 points per game in the postseason or his All-NBA 2nd Team berth despite his lack of accomplishments.
I was one of many people who felt as if a pep talk from the almighty Black Mamba himself, publicly, would give Gasol an incentive on the court. It was sure to make him reboot in a way that would please the coaching staff, players and fans at once. Apparently he is not a fan of proving the world wrong or digging himself out of a hole.
Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom gave a wholehearted effort as Gasol sat back and watched a beautiful post-All Star Break comeback turn into a disaster. Off-court issues may have influenced him greatly on the court, but they should not have affected his play so greatly.
He has become a candidate for removal simply because of the fact that he was not able to stand on his own two feet regardless of the pressures he faced towards the end of the season.
It may have even paid off for him to show a little spark with a hard foul as Odom and Bynum did in the last game. At least the world would have thought he cared.
Now, he has the offseason to convince those who matter most in the franchise that he will never let the organization down again.
Is it too late for redemption?
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