13. Pau Gasol
Despite the unwarranted criticism of Pau Gasol being to soft, or, in hindsight, that the Lakers gave up too much to get him in 2008, the simple fact of the matter remains, Gasol was directly responsible for two back-to-back Lakers’ championships.
So as much as the Memphis Grizzlies claim that they are still winning the trade, for the Lakers, at the end of the day jewelry speaks louder than words.
Seeing that we live in a “what have you done for me lately world,” fans may remember the ugly end to the Lakers-Gasol relationship, but I remember it for what it truly was. Just as Kobe Bryant was the piece that the Lakers desperately needed when they trade for him in 1996, Pau Gasol was exactly the piece the Lakers needed in 2008 and the results speak for themselves.
Ironically, after shopping Pau for an extended period of time and never pulling the trigger, Pau Gasol left for the Chicago Bulls where he is still proving his worth, easily averaging a double-double a game.
Just like Derek Fisher, without Gasol, Kobe Bryant isn’t the accomplished player we know him as today and fans would be wise to remember that before slandering his accomplishments.
Next: No. 12 Michael Cooper