NBA Los Angeles Lakers

Pau Gasol Showed Los Angeles Lakers What They Are Missing Out On

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Dennis Wierzbicki - USA TODAY Sports

Dennis Wierzbicki – USA TODAY Sports

Pau Gasol had an extremely successful run with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his last couple of years left the organization wanting more. Gasol was the ultimate professional while on the team, playing his secondary scoring role to perfection and always sacrificing for his teammates. It was unfair to him that the Lakers constantly used him as trade bait, although they were acting on what they thought was the best for the organization. After Thursday’s victory for Gasol and the Chicago Bulls, it is clear that he has found himself a much better situation.

Gasol was the perfect teammate for Kobe Bryant. He was extremely unselfish, looked out for his teammates and was one of the few players who could operate off of Bryant. They were able to win two championships together, and Gasol’s attitude meshed well with the more dominant Bryant. When changes were made to bring in Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, Gasol was the one who sacrificed his game in order to try to fit in. The offense was not suited for him, and his offensive game suffered as a result.

When the Lakers started to lose, it was easy to point at Gasol and see a decline in his game. His point totals and field goal percentages were down, and there were times on the court where he just did not seem to care. Last year he was forced to lead a depleted group after the departure of Howard and injuries to Nash and Bryant, which did not end well. As a result, he decided to leave for the Bulls during the offseason.

Gasol has blossomed on the Bulls, showing that he still has a lot of game left. He has the right teammates who can cover his weaknesses on defense while playing off of him on offense. He has such a high skill level that he can create from anywhere on the floor and knows how to keep his teammates involved. He is showing the effort and passion that made him one of the top power forwards in the league and showed the Lakers on Thursday night just what they are missing.

There was little reason for Gasol to stay in Los Angeles, as the constant trade rumors surely weighed on him. It was clearly going to be a young, rebuilding team, and he was in high demand. It seems that he made the right choice by going to a contender that has great pieces around him to make his game better. The Lakers definitely took Gasol for granted and miss him now that he is gone.

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