Lakers bolster their front court by adding Gasol

The Lakers have completed a blockbuster trade with the Grizzlies, adding Pau Gasol for first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010, center Kwame Brown, rookie point guard Javaris Crittenton and the rights to Gasol's brother, Marc.
The Lakers also receive the Grizzlies' second-round pick in 2010. Memphis gets retired guard Aaron McKie, signed earlier Friday for salary cap purposes.


Pau Gasol and Kwame Brown are trading places. (Getty Images)
L.A. gives up relatively little to get the franchise big man it has coveted since Shaquille O'Neal left town. Pau Gasol is a former All-Star who can fill in at center until Andrew Bynum's knee injury heals, and then switch over to power forward, giving the Lakers a pair of 7-footers up front. Phil Jackson will also have the option of returning Lamar Odom to small forward, a move that would give the Lakers the largest frontcourt in the league.
"We're extremely pleased to be able to make this trade," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. "Pau is a proven player of All-Star caliber in this league who can score and rebound and is still a young player. We feel this strengthens our team in the short term as well as the long term."
Gasol, 27, became disgruntled at the direction Memphis has taken since making three consecutive playoff appearances from 2004-06 and has made no secret of his desire to go elsewhere. Friday afternoon, Memphis granted him that wish, opting for the cap relief Brown affords them and committing to rebuilding with a pair of future first-rounders and the promising Crittenton.
Kupchak landed Gasol without moving Odom, point guard Jordan Farmar or Bynum, who had come into his own before suffering a season-altering kneecap injury on Jan. 13, coincidentally against Memphis.
This could also preface a move to get Kobe Bryant the backcourt mate he's always wanted, New Jersey guard Jason Kidd. Brown's expiring $9 million salary is gone; Odom and Farmar are pieces who have been identified as potential bargaining chips to land future Hall of Famer Kidd, who confirmed a trade demand issued through his agent earlier this week.
In trading Gasol, Memphis appears committed to a long-scale rebuilding effort, sacrificing wins now for picks and cap flexibility later.
"This deal provides us with a significant amount of assets -- two first-round picks, the draft rights to Pau's brother Marc, who has emerged into the top big man in Spain, a talented young point guard in Crittenton and a sizable amount of salary cap room over the next few years," Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement.
As CBSSports.com first reported Thursday afternoon, the Grizzlies are in the process of breaking ties with former No. 2 overall pick Stromile Swift, sending him to New Jersey for Jason Collins in a deal that is expected to be completed Monday.
The Grizzlies struggled through an NBA-worst 22-60 record last season and were hoping to land the No. 1 pick in the draft to select Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, but wound up lottery losers and had to settle for the No. 4 pick, ultimately taking Ohio State point guard Mike Conley.
Despite Rudy Gay's emergence and Conley's improved play lately, the Grizzlies have won just 13 of 46 games and now appear set to compete with Seattle, Minnesota and Miami for the league's worst record and a few more pingpong balls in preparation for a 2008 draft that features Kansas State forward Michael Beasley as the big prize.
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