Pau Gasol on staying focused after Chris Paul trade veto in 2011

Pau Gasol opened up on how he dealt with his feelings after he was nearly traded for Chris Paul back in 2011.

In the 2010-11 season, the Los Angeles Lakers’ bid for a third straight NBA championship failed when they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. Their roster was getting long in the tooth, and an infusion of talent and energy was needed to get them back into the league’s upper echelon.

After a lockout was lifted in late autumn, executive Mitch Kupchak struck a trade agreement with the then-New Orleans Hornets that would’ve landed them Chris Paul in return for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

That deal would’ve radically changed the complexion of the Lakers and likely made them title contenders again. But it was vetoed by NBA commissioner David Stern, as the league had recently taken over ownership of the Hornets.

While Odom was reportedly inconsolable upon hearing the team tried to trade him, Gasol said on the “LADE Show with Odom and Aron Cohen” that he found a way to stay focused on his craft and his team.

“From my perspective, I went in and had a meeting with Mitch (Kupchak) and Mike Brown who was the coach and I said to myself: I love this city, I love this team, I understand why you guys might’ve decided to go that route. Would I agree with it or not obviously I’m not gonna get into that, but I’m gonna control what I can control and I’m gonna still be grateful and thankful to be here and I’m gonna do my best to help this team as I have done in the past.

“But it was difficult, because you can’t shake that off that easily as much as I tried in many ways. Because now its like this can happen. This can happen yesterday, this can happen tomorrow.”

Because of his hurt feelings, Odom was traded days later to the Mavs for a first-round draft pick, while Gasol ended up playing three more seasons with the Purple and Gold. During that time, the Hall of Fame big man was subjected to at least one other trade rumor, not to mention criticism from Lakers fans who accused him of being soft, but he kept his head up during that time and did his job well.

9 star-studded PGA Tour pro and celebrity pairings at the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

These pairs are going to be fun to watch.

The second signature event of the PGA Tour’s 2024 season is here as a loaded field of 80 pros has descended upon Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey Peninsula.

The amateurs in the field will play alongside their partners for the first two rounds — one at Pebble Beach, one at Spyglass Hill — before it’s just the pros at Pebble Beach over the weekend.

Among the world’s best in the field are Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa.

Pebble Pro-Am: Picks to win, odds | Sleepers

As for the amateurs, here are nine star-studded pairings for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

10 greatest Lakers teams that didn’t win the NBA championship: No. 5

A look at one of the greatest Lakers teams that didn’t win the NBA championship.

The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the NBA’s most storied franchise by virtue of their 17 world championships. They’ve been so successful over the decades that even when they haven’t won it all, they have had some impressive squads that were memorable, not to mention talented, star-studded and very competitive.

Heading into the 2007-08 season, the Lakers were stuck in mediocrity, and it looked like there was no way out for them. But general manager Mitch Kupchak waved his magic wand and made them into title contenders once again, and his moves were enough to get them back into the upper echelon of the NBA right away.

Richard Sherman makes outlandish Christian Wood comparison

Former NFL star Richard Sherman thinks new Lakers big man Christian Wood is worthy of being compared to one of the team’s Hall of Famers.

Big man Christian Wood is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and although it is a gamble, it could pay off big if he accepts his new role.

Over the last few years, Wood had been a featured player, first with the Houston Rockets and then with the Dallas Mavericks last season. He averaged 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds a game while shooting 50.9% from the field and 38.1% from 3-point range during that span, which are certainly excellent numbers.

But former NFL star cornerback and current “Undisputed” commentator Richard Sherman, who is a long-time Lakers fan, went overboard when he compared Wood to a former Hall of Fame Lakers big man (h/t The Cold Wire).

“Pau Gasol, a Lakers great, jersey just went in the rafters — during his Lakers career averaged 18 (points) and nine (rebounds), or 18 and 10. This boy coming in is averaging 18 and nine over the last three years — 38 percent shooting from three — I feel like he’s going to be a great asset. I don’t understand why we got him for this price.”

The price the Lakers signed Wood for is reportedly $5.7 million over two years, which seems like an incredible bargain for such a potent offensive player. However, he has a reputation for being an abysmal defender and for an attitude of self-entitlement, which is why he was available for the NBA equivalent of crumpled-up $1 bills found under one’s couch cushions.

Wood is a very good NBA player, at least offensively. But he is certainly no Gasol, who had 1,001 ways to score, especially in the post, and had numerous big games in the playoffs to help L.A. win back-to-back world championships in 2009 and 2010.

Stephen A. Smith regrets criticizing Kwame Brown after Pau Gasol trade

Stephen A. Smith regrets going on his infamous rant about Kwame Brown just after the big man was traded for Lakers Hall of Famer Pau Gasol.

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Former Los Angeles Lakers star big man Pau Gasol is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and it was a well-deserved honor.

While the Lakers and the late Kobe Bryant helped unleash Gasol’s full potential, Gasol also rescued the organization from the grim mediocrity it was stuck in.

It traded for him in February 2008. At the time, it had gone through three and a half years of being stuck between a rock and a hard place following Shaquille O’Neal’s departure. The one player who perhaps symbolized this purgatory more than anyone else was Kwame Brown.

Arguably the biggest bust in NBA history, Brown was an albatross keeping the Lakers down. His lack of an offensive game, lack of heart and inability to catch simple passes frustrated many fans on a nightly basis.

When Brown was traded in the Gasol deal, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith gave a scathing criticism of his game. Although some claim it was hyperbolic, it’s hard to argue with what Smith said.

In the years since, Smith has had more harsh but true things to say about Brown, and eventually Brown fired back at the commentator.

While on “Podcast P with Paul George,” Smith actually pulled back a bit and regretted going off on the former Laker (h/t Lakers Nation).

“Kwame Brown, I wish I could do that over. I wouldn’t do it. I know what I said, I did mean it. I ain’t gonna sit here and tell you I ain’t mean the (expletive) I said. But I didn’t know it was gonna be like this. (…) Remember I said it before Twitter, Facebook. I didn’t know, 15 years later they gonna have memes and videos and when I see what he says I realize how hurt he is. I mean it was a sound bite, they had just traded for Pau Gasol, they asked me this question and I’m psssh, what?

“One time I had to address it cause I felt like he was coming at me like I was scared. I can’t even tell you when I did that, the stars who called. I ain’t gonna mention no names, practically all of them was Hall of Famers and they’re like ‘nah’ and I was like where were y’all when he was saying all of this stuff for weeks, you know I didn’t say anything. (…) And as I see some of the clips now and some of the stuff that he says I just be like go ahead bro, say what you gotta say.”

While Gasol went on to greater heights and won back-to-back NBA championships following his trade to the Lakers, Brown played for five teams over the next five-and-a-half years. He was out of the league following the 2012-13 season.

Today, it seems he is more well-known for his social media presence and rants than he is for being a former NBA player.

Pau Gasol’s Hall of Fame jacket honors Kobe Bryant’s memory

The jacket former Lakers star Pau Gasol received this weekend at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame pays tribute to Kobe Bryant.

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On Saturday, former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol earned the ultimate athletic honor when he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The day before, the festivities began with the big man receiving his Hall of Fame jacket.

It was the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. Gasol endured some frustrating early years with the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Lakers, and that trade ended up saving both parties.

Gasol instantly made the Lakers championship contenders, and he developed a chemistry and bond with Kobe Bryant that has stood the test of time.

Even three years after Bryant’s tragic death, the Spaniard still has a special place in his heart for the legendary guard. His Hall of Fame jacket featured pictures that honored the memory of the Black Mamba.

Together, Gasol and Bryant reached the NBA Finals in each of their first three seasons together and captured back-to-back world championships in 2009 and 2010.

Watch: Pau Gasol’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony and speech

Former Lakers star Pau Gasol is now officially a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Former Los Angeles Lakers star big man Pau Gasol is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, and the ceremony served as the ultimate validation of a long and successful basketball career.

Gasol won back-to-back NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and was chosen to be in the All-Star game six times. He has an impressive international resume, which includes 11 medals, three of which came in the Olympics.

The Spaniard gave a speech that was full of gratitude, and he thanked many people for helping him to get to Springfield, Massachusetts.

Gasol spent six seasons and change with the Lakers, and he played his final NBA game in 2019. The impact he left on the Purple and Gold was unmistakable, and it will never be forgotten.

Phil Jackson was initially reluctant to support Pau Gasol trade

Although former Lakers coach Phil Jackson became an admirer of Pau Gasol, he initially wasn’t sure the Spaniard was what the team needed.

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In the mid-2000s, the Los Angeles Lakers were floundering after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal. They had the NBA’s top player, Kobe Bryant, but little else around him, and by 2007 it looked like there was no way for them to improve.

Bryant demanded a trade that summer, and it looked like the beginning of the end for the Lakers as millions had come to know them for decades.

Then came the miraculous Pau Gasol trade in February 2008. Suddenly, happy days were back again for the Purple and Gold and their fans.

Gasol was a seamless fit in head coach Phil Jackson’s triangle offense, and Jackson became an admirer of the big man’s game. However, the “Zen Master” had initial reservations about whether Gasol was what the Lakers needed to resurrect their dynasty.

Via Sportskeeda:

“We had discussed the trade for Pau a season before. My reluctance was that he wasn’t a defensive center and protecting the lane was a priority. However, Andrew Bynum was an important member of the team and allowed Pau to play both positions when the Lakers won back-to-back titles. Pau’s ability to play both positions really made the Lakers a potent offensive team.”

As it turned out, Bynum provided the brawn and defense, while Gasol was the skilled, savvy and versatile second scorer L.A. needed alongside Bryant. Once the Spanish native arrived, the Lakers were suddenly back in the business of winning championships, and that winning got him inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Watch: Pau Gasol gets jacket and ring at Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame festivities began on Friday, as Pau Gasol got ready to be officially inducted.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

It will be the ultimate validation of a sensational basketball resume that includes six All-Star selections, back-to-back NBA championships and two Olympic silver medals.

Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2008, and he transformed them into instant title contenders. He spent six-and-a-half seasons there and formed an outstanding star combo with Kobe Bryant.

On Friday, the Hall of Fame festivities began, and the Spaniard received a jacket and ring commemorating his induction.

Saturday is sure to be an emotional day and night for the Lakers great.