If Pau Gasol hopes to be traded, he picked the wrong time to get injured. The los Angeles Lakers have been dangling the forward for several months now and the Phoenix Suns are finally biting. While the Suns are looking at Gasol as their final piece to the playoff puzzle, a recent groin injury has them remaining cautious.
The Lakers and Suns began trade discussions around the four-time All-Star on Monday, but will not make anything final until Phoenix sees how Gasol recovers from a recent groin injury. ESPN.com reports Gasol is expected to miss the next three games with the injury while Los Angeles stresses that nothing is serious. The forward wrote on his Instagram page that he received a PRP shot and would be back to work as soon as possible.
If Gasol bounces back just fine, the Suns are the best option for a trade before the Feb. 20 deadline. Phoenix has some options when it comes to making a favorable package for the Lakers. The team can send Emeka Okafor and his expiring contract to Los Angeles. He is owed $14.5 million this season which is far less that Gasol's $19.3 million. The Lakers would save $4.8 million and lower their hit on the luxury-tax threshold.
The Suns also have a ton of draft picks they could offer up including a first-round pick which the Lakers could seriously be interested in. Phoenix earned a first-round pick in 2015 after their trade of Steve Nash, something the team would be willing to part with in order to get Gasol.
Okafor is injured on the season, but the Lakers have options to fill in for him. Considering the team is currently 10.5 games out of a playoff spot, the idea of saving money and earning draft picks might be the best move for the Lakers.
The Phoenix Suns would ideally like to get Gasol and his 20.8 points and 11.9 rebounds he averaged in the month of January. The forward has been the one consistent presence for the Lakers and could help Phoenix reach the playoffs. The Suns have been the surprise of the league, currently fighting for a top spot in the Western Conference.
If Gasol can return healthy in three games, the Suns likely make a move. The Los Angeles Times reports Gasol is very interested in the potential of getting traded to a contending team, so this is certainly a storyline to watch.
