A sacrosanct source refutes last week’s Fox report the Lakers and Timberwolves were discussing a trade involving Pau Gasol for Derrick Williams and two draft picks. I’m informed no conversation between the teams has taken place in two months.
Sure, the subject could be revived as the March 15 trade deadline draws near. But bear in mind Los Angeles’ asking price for Gasol last time was Kevin Love.
Still, Gasol admittedly is disconcerted and Kobe Bryant is vocally displeased. Shortly after sucking cactus in the desert, the team leader put the blame for Sunday’s wire-to-wire washout — L.A.’s 11th loss in 16 road games; 0-10 when trailing after the third quarter — squarely where it belongs.
Bryant chided management to either trade Gasol or not.
“I’d rather them not trade him at all, but if they’re going to do something, I wish they would just … do it,” Bryant stated. “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 … and can invest all of himself into the game. 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.”
How does a Carmelo Anthony-Gasol swap sound?
You can never have enough. Especially established ones! Moreover, have you seen Amar’e Stoudemire lately, like this season, before and after a week off due to his brother’s death?
Stoudemire’s liftoff is lacking.
“He is looking like a 6-10 Mike Bibby,” column curmudgeon Phillip Marmanillo cruelly cracks. “Where is the explosion? He’s not Moses Malone, or Paul Silas. Stat is not a wily player who knows how to use his weight and position. Without explosion he’s Jared Jeffries without the defense. What happened to the 18-foot jump shot?”
In contrast, have you seen Gasol pass? Have you seen his footwork in the post and ability to shoot with either hand? Think anybody would worry about his faculties fitting in with Jeremy Lin?
Kobe would love an Anthony for Gasol trade, that’s for sure. Melo probably wouldn’t mind it all that much, either.
And who doesn’t love Landry Field and Steve Novak at small forward the way things were working — until last night, that is, when the Nets exploited the rusty return of Anthony (4-for-11 in field goals, six assists, six turnovers, 37 minutes), Barren Davis’ docile debut and the payback dynamic for a punishing 100-92 victory.
Deron Williams volunteered afterward the Nets had circled the rematch with the Knicks on their schedule. Not solely because Lin had savaged them (and Williams) for 25 points in his Feb. 4 coming-out cavalcade, but because they took exception that every question asked prior to last night’s game was about Lin.
Eight subsequent opponents, trying assorted tactics, tricks and tag-teams had flat out miserably failed to contain Lin, so Williams adopted another course of action: He attacked from the air (eight trifectas) and by land. By the end of the third quarter, Williams had outscored Lin, 36-11 (he finished with a foul-plagued 38) and the Nets led by 18 … proving the best defense is an all-out offense.
It emphasized how sorely the Knicks require more than just perfunctory backup help from a far-from-fit-and-fully-functioning Davis (9:40, three points, one assist).
Lin cannot continue to average 37.5 minutes as the starting point guard. He finished strong (21 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and a mere three turnovers) before fouling out several minutes after Williams, but having his endurance supremely tested at both ends undeniably humanized him, something future foes will note and attempt to abuse.
By the way, I can’t help but wonder how many more players are, or have been, on the end of Mike D’Antoni’s bench like Lin and Novak?
That reminds me, airheads keep quoting one of their own on Novak. Jeff Van Gundy says the 6-foot-10 sharp-shooter may be the NBA’s best from long range. While that may be true, how would Van Gundy know?
I take that back. Van Gundy knows it now. He knows everything in absolute terms once it becomes obvious. It didn’t seem to dawn on Van Gundy when he coached Novak his rookie season (2006-07). Novak’s stroke of genius was no different as a Marquette senior (32nd pick by the Rockets) as it was Sunday against the Mavericks, when he instinctively flicked his right wrist at the touch of leather and flushed four treys.
Of course, Novak didn’t have the confidence back then (or a few weeks ago, or during rest stops between with the Clippers, Mavs and Spurs) that he’s currently exuding.
No surprise there; how can any player who’s not irrefutably vain and deaf to disapproval maintain self-esteem when it’s one miss and you’re out of the old ball game?
As Red Holzman repeatedly used to say, and I repeatedly regurgitate: “You’re only as good as the confidence your coach shows in you.”
Van Gundy utilized Novak’s smart bomb for all of 191 minutes in 35 games, which, I guess, he felt gave the neophyte plenty of time to refine his rhythm (18-50 from the field, including 13-39 from afar) and average 1.5 points. He shot 100 percent from the line, however, draining both free throws.
Now that I think about it, I’m convinced D’Antoni didn’t even play Lin during that one practice.
Prior to bumping off the Blazers last night, 103-92, in which Gasol totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds, the Lakers released a statement by Mitch Kupchak.
“As general manager of the Lakers, I have a responsibility to ownership, our fans and the players on this team to actively pursue opportunities to improve the team for this season and seasons to come. To say publicly that we would not do this would serve no purpose and put us at a competitive disadvantage…and be a disservice to ownership, the team and our many fans.”
Me and Van Gundy saw this coming a mile away. If Kwame Brown was traded by Jerry and Jim Buss, how can anybody be untouchable!
* Apparently, not everyone is sold on Lin.
“I’d like to see him do it for eight or nine terms, like me,” I think I overheard Mayor Bloomberg say.
Yesterday was Charles Barkley’s 48th birthday. As is custom at these affairs, guests pinned a tail on him.