Pau's LA journey

Let's rewind to two years ago, more or less on this same month and week. Andrew Bynum just busted his knee and was out for the rest of the year. Up to the league's season midpoint, the Lakers had a good run and they need to sustain that momentum but without a big man in the middle, that would turn things backward.

The overrated and underachieving Kwame Brown and his expiring $9.1 million contract was an attractive offer and the Lakers negotiated with Memphis who wanted to do away with Pau Gasol's $49.4 million contract with three years remaining.

During that time, the Lakers have the right to Pau's younger brother Marc, whom they drafted that year in the second round, but was not under contract with them. The team is not willing to deal away any more players aside from rookie Javaris Crittenton, who had been performing below par.

The NBA, in all its intricately ridiculous wisdom, has stiff guidelines as to trades and LA did not exhibit enough moolah to satisfy league rules. To make the complicated story short, the Lakers wheeled and dealt, eventually adding to the previous offer two first-round picks and a 2010 second-round pick for Pau.

This moved caught everyone in the basketball universe off guard. Laker nation was ecstatic, Laker haters went ballistic. Kobe Bryant, who, eight months prior demanded to be traded, pumped his fist and shouted "Yessss!" upon learning of the deal. Showtime is back and 29 other teams are in turmoil.

Gasol spent six and a half seasons with the Grizzlies, survived six coaching changes and was supposed to be the team's anchor. He carried Memphis to 3 consecutive playoff appearances but never went beyond the first round. After saying a year before that he wanted to be traded, fans started to boo him during home games. He left a team where opponents are happy and eager to do battle.

Crittenton never had an impact and was dealt the following year to the Wizards and is now serving suspension for that gun incident with Gilbert Arenas (one of the guns brandished by Arenas was a gold-plated Desert Eagle). As to Brown, he became a footnote, an afterthought to the deal.

Marc, on the other hand, has become a solid inside operator, way much stronger than big brother Pau. He averages 15 point per game and almost 10 rebounds and at 25, he has the makings of another efficient and mobile center.

In a nutshell, Memphis got a good deal. They got multiple draft picks and they could rebuild around Marc and Rudy Gay. Meanwhile, let's see a purple and gold run to a back-to-back NBA title. Trading Sasha Vujacic and Adam Morrison for a Michael Redd or Arenas-type (without the issues) would also do the Lakers good. Yeah, I'm biased...

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Aside from the Chinese New Year, this coming Sunday, February 14 is supposedly for lovers to celebrate. I'm nearing the age where you get discount cards so I'd rather let the younger set do the celebrating. We could get adventurous and I had my fair share. Romantic gymnastics will be the norm and there will be consequences if we let feelings go to our groins instead of our brains. Serious relationship, as in marriage, is a lifetime commitment so if you're not ready, think hard. Remember, babies are also sexually transmitted. Happy Valentines Day!

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