Los Angeles Lakers: Should the Lakers retire Pau Gasol’s jersey?

Should Pau Gasol’s jersey be retired by the Los Angeles Lakers?

Baylor, Bryant, O’Neal, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Hearn, Goodrich, Worthy, West, and Wilkes. All names hang proudly in the rafters of Staples Center, remembering the titans of the game who each impacted the Los Angeles Lakers immensely. Has Pau Gasol done enough to be worthy of inclusion?

The year was 2007; the Los Angeles Lakers were struggling to put together a competitive team capable of winning a Championship. After the success of three-peating in the early 2000s, Kobe Bryant was not accustomed to losing. A feeling that when you are that fiercely competitive makes your skin crawl and makes you want to shed your skin to rid yourself of this repugnant sensation.

Bryant understandably was done with losing.

On the Stephen A. Smith show in May 2007, Kobe Bryant made it crystal clear that his future did not belong in Los Angeles if things continued as they were.

"SAS: Well, if you don’t know how you can move forward that that situation, you’re still under contract with them, are you saying right here on this show that you you want to be traded?KB: Yeah, I would like to be traded, yeah.SAS: There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it?KB: No."

A statement that sent shock-waves through Lakersnation, the crown jewel, the long-serving face of the franchise since Magic Johnson. Kobe was the Lakers. How could this be?

In essence, the Lakers had not done enough to put a championship contender around Bryant. With Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum his co-stars it was never going to be enough to drag the purple and gold back to the NBA Finals.

The Laker’s front office promised Bryant they would find a way to get him help.

They tried to trade for Kevin Garnett which would have given the Lakers two of the most fiercely competitive players in NBA history but the Timberwolves chose to take a lesser deal with the Lakers bitter rivals the Boston Celtics.

The purple and gold even tried to trade Bryant to the Cleveland Cavaliers for young superstar LeBron James but alas, their attempts were in vain.

Was this the end for the Kobe Bryant led Lakers?

No, it was not.

Bryant’s trust in the Lakers paid off. They had reached a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies for All-Star Power Forward Pau Gasol.

A 7-Foot big man who’s inside-out game, high IQ and passing ability out of the post would mesh perfectly with that of Bryant’s.

The rest, they say is history.

Bryant and Gasol joined together for two championships and brought joy to the hearts of Lakers fans Worldwide with the love, admiration, and teamwork they showed during their time together.

Bryant (who has sadly passed, RIP Kobe) has both his numbers hanging in the rafters, rightfully so. 20 years, 5 championships, and a lifetime of memories.

The question now is, should Pau Gasol also have his jersey hoisted to the heaven with the other Laker Gods? Gasol was only a member of the Lakers between 2008 to 2014. Not exactly the longest tenure to be considered for this high of an honor.

The answer: Unequivocally… Yes.

Why Pau Gasol deserves his jersey retired by the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers would have not won two champions in the 2010s if it weren’t for the invaluable help of Pau Gasol.

While Kobe was the bonafide number 1 guy, Pau was his right-hand man, his yin to his yang and his consigliere.

Kobe and Pau bonded and were kindred souls.

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To put it simply, the Lakers clicked when Kobe and Pau clicked. If they weren’t singing off the same hymn sheet the Lakers lose.

In Pau, Kobe found everything he ever wanted in a fellow superstar. Pau was patient with his touches but when needed he could switch gears instantaneously and take over for his team. He led by example and worked hard over his tenure with the Lakers to improve himself in every way possible.

He got tougher, stronger, faster, extended his range, and was the gel that kept the Lakers together for years. While Kobe was the hard ass and at times unapproachable, Pau was gentler and was capable of speaking and communicating to his teammates in a different way to Kobe.

Gasol left the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014, after numerous years of failed trade attempts to move Gasol on to greener pastures. Gasol grew sick and tired of the constant chatter regarding his future and left the Lakers.

Fans of the purple and gold will always remember Gasol with fond memories. His calming presence, his warm smile, and his ability to make the hard things look easy.

One day in the not too distant future, when Pau Gasol decides to call time on his storied career, it would be fitting that both the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers hoist his jersey up to the ceiling.

Anywhere Gasol goes, he leaves a lasting memory to those who see him play or who have been lucky enough to be in his presence.

Gasol will never be mentioned in the same breath as Tim Duncan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar but when all is said and done, Pau Gasol deserves to be in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

A World-Class individual both on and off the court.

Laker nation salutes you Pau and hopes to see Number 16 raised to the rafters soon.