ByeBye Gasol & Swift

You can't say they're afraid to try something new.

I'm not sad to see Gasol leave, though I think he's a great player. Instead, I'm sad that I'm not excited about what we're getting in return.

If I was the Lakers, I'd be excited about getting Gasol. Gasol can immediately help the Lakers compete with the best teams in the league. Wouldn't it be great to have a game changing player coming to join our squad?

Any benefit to the Grizzlies won't be realized until next season at the earliest. The Grizzlies are betting on being able to sign a big name free agent during the summer with the cap space they've freed up. However, there's no guarantee that any big name free agent will want to sign with the Grizzlies.

If no star is signed, then the Grizzlies come away with a better bottom line and a late first round draft pick. That pick could turn into a good player, but not a good player that is likely to increase wins next season. In other words, we could be waiting years for this trade to return any benefit, and there's no guarantee this trade will ever benefit the team.

On the other hand, the Lakers, barring a career ending injury or the unlikely event that Gasol is unable to integrate, will receive immediate returns.

Let's just hope Wallace is ready for the months ahead. He and Iavaroni have created the flexibility to go their own direction. They've bet the franchise that they'll be able to make their vision work. If they don't it will look like a terrible trade. If they do, I'll be thankful that they had the balls to put everything on the line.

Finally, perhaps this deal makes the franchise more affordable or more desirable for someone looking buy the team. That's the type of change that may make this deal worth it. If we can bring a visionary owner on that will turn the team around, no one will remember that 2008 was the year we collected disappointing top 3 draft picks.

PS I would've made the Lakers take Cardinal, even if it meant bringing in a third team to make the salaries work.