This has yet to be confirmed by either team, but…
The Commercial Appeal has learned that the Grizzlies have traded Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers for center Kwame Brown, rookie guard Javaris Crittenton and first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010.
Wow.
At first glance, this looks like a terrific deal for the Lakers, who get an All-Star caliber post player at the expense of Kwame Brown’s expiring contract, a nice young point guard prospect in Crittenton (who is expendable because of Jordan Farmar) and a couple of (probable) late first round picks.
Gasol is dinged up with a back injury, but it must not be too serious for this trade to go through. He could be going through the physical process, which may be the reason for the delay in the announcement.
Assuming this goes through, Gasol can play center until Andrew Bynum comes back, and then he is capable of moving to power forward with Lamar Odom sliding to small forward, giving the Lakers a potent lineup that will include Farmar/Derek Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol and Bynum. If that group gels, the Lakers are suddenly a serious contender in the West.
Gasol will provide the Lakers with their first true back-to-the-basket post threat since Shaq left in 2004.
Kobe isn’t going anywhere, folks.
