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Los Angeles Lakers: Top 30 greatest players of all-time

By Ben Beecken

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts in the first half while taking on the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts in the first half while taking on the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol
(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

20. . Forward/Center. Los Angeles Lakers. Pau Gasol. 11. player

  • 7 seasons with Lakers (2008-14)
  • Averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds per game
  • 3x All-Star, 2x NBA champion with Lakers

On the one hand, it seems as though Pau Gasol was a Laker forever. Then again, he came into L.A., won a pair of titles of Kobe’s frustrated-looking sidekick, and then was gone as soon as it had all happened.

The Lakers landed Gasol in what appeared to be an absolute steal of a deal at the time. Pau Gasol, a recent All-Star in his age-27 season, was shipped to the Lakers in exchange for zero proven, NBA-level talent and a pair of first-round draft picks. As it turned out, of course, one of those four players was Marc Gasol, who arguably had a higher peak than his older brother.

Pau Gasol was supposed to be the missing piece for Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, and in a way, he was. After appearing in 28 regular season games after the trade in 2008, the Lakers fell in six games to the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

The next year, however, Gasol made his first All-Star team as a member of the Lakers, and L.A. won their first championship of two that they would win back-to-back. Gasol, for his part, would make three straight Western Conference All-Star teams, averaging 18.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game over the three campaigns.

Gasol always had what appeared to be an … interesting relationship with Kobe Bean Bryant. At the end of the day, however, it’s the two rings that matter the most in this story.

Gasol was named to two more All-Star teams in Chicago the next two seasons and has spent two years in San Antonio. The 2017-18 season was his age-37 campaign.

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