Lakers Reportedly Turning Down Pau Gasol Trade Proposals

According to media reports, the Los Angeles Lakers have spoken to Pau Gasol about a possible trade if he can’t adjust to coach Mike D’Antoni’s system. However, they don’t appear ready to pull the trigger anytime soon. Per ESPN: “The Los Angeles Lakers, largely at the behest of general manager Mitch Kupchak, have rebuffed trade inquiries from at least two teams for Pau Gasol, according to sources with knowledge of the Lakers’ thinking. The Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves have both recently tried to engage the Lakers in trade discussions for Gasol, sources said, but the Lakers continue to tell teams that call that they will not consider dealing the Spaniard until L.A. can fully assess its roster after the return of injured point guard Steve Nash. […] Sources said Wednesday that, along with the strong support that Gasol continues to get publicly and behind Lakers doors from star guard Kobe Bryant, Kupchak has been adamant that L.A. should wait until Nash’s return before making any further judgments about how the team’s parts mesh. D’Antoni took the job Nov. 11, knowing he wouldn’t have the benefit of training camp, when the Lakers made the third-fastest coaching change in NBA history by firing Mike Brown five games into the season. Stretch power forward Andrea Bargnani, veteran point guard Jose Calderon and fellow vet Linas Kleiza are among the players, sources say, that the Raptors have discussed making available to the Lakers in a deal for Gasol. It’s an open secret around the league, meanwhile, that Timberwolves general manager David Kahn has been trying since last season to acquire Gasol to join fellow Spaniard Ricky Rubio in a three-man core with All-Star forward Kevin Love, but sources say that the Lakers continue to resist Minnesota’s attempts to build a trade offer around 2011’s No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and center Nikola Pekovic. […] It is widely presumed around the league that Howard’s former Orlando teammate Ryan Anderson, now in New Orleans, is the Lakers’ No. 1 trade target if they were to consent to dealing Gasol. But sources said on Wednesday that Anderson is regarded as a virtual untouchable by the Hornets, given that the 24-year-old is not only a highly competent stretch power forward signed to a comparatively reasonable four-year contract but also because Anderson has proven to be an underrated rebounder.”