Lakers trade for Gasol

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Lakers acquire Pau Gasol | From Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World

By Mike Breshnahan

The Lakers have acquired forward-center Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies for center Kwame Brown and guard Javaris Crittenton. The Lakers sent their first-round draft picks in 2008 and 2010, and received the Grizzlies' second-round pick in 2010.

The Lakers also sent the rights to their 2007 second-round pick Marc Gasol, as well as guard Aaron McKie who played 10 games for the Lakers last season and wasn't under contract until Friday. Marc is Pau's brother and McKie was signed to make the salary exchange more equitable.

"We're extremely pleased to make this trade," Lakers General Manger Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. "Pau is a proven player of All-Star caliber in this league who can score and rebound and he's still a young player. We feel this move strengthens our team in the short term as well as the long term."

Gasol, 27, is averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds this season for the Grizzlies. He has expressed discontent in the past year with the Grizzlies (13-33) who have not been in playoffs since 2006 and have never won a playoff game since he was drafted in 2001.

He was the NBA's rookie of the year in 2001-02 and made the All-Star team in 2006.

Gasol has three more years and an estimated $49 million on his contract. Brown's $9.1-million contract expires after this season and Crittenton is a rookie.

Gasol would fill in at center until Andrew Bynum returns from a knee injury sometime in March. Gasol could then slide over to power forward when Bynum returns.