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Message: [QUOTE="jncuse, post: 3609653, member: 1969"] So my high level analysis of Gasol: 1) The advanced metrics like Gasol quite a bit. They all suggest he is a really good defender. His on/off court stats are very good. Raptors were always stronger on/off with Gasol than Ibaka, and there were many debates between the two on RealGM Raptors. 2) That being said those numbers are hard to explain. He does look lethargic very often, and it seems like Ibaka is doing more out there. But Ibaka is not a great defender in space, while Gasol is an extremely smart defender in space despite being slow. But when Gasol gets beat its because he is slow -- and those do stick out. Gasol did a great job neutralizing Vucevic and Embiid in the title run. 3) The Celtics really took advantage of Gasol or Gasol was totally burnt ... one of the other (more on that later) because he was clearly a liability in that series. 4) I can see Gasol getting destroyed by the fanbase in LA like Green has been, even if the metrics are solid. 5) He is an epic drinker as evidenced by the Raptors parade.. Google "Marc Gasol Raptors Celebration" In terms of being lethargic. - When he arrived to the Raptors in 2019 the first month or so he was slow. - However it picked up by the playoffs and he was instrumental in the Raps defensive schemes against Orlando, Philly, Milwaukee. He was certainly a player that put us over the top. - He continued the great play into the summer of 2019, being one of the best players at the 2019 World Championship that was won by Spain. - When the 19/20 season started he was really tired. He looked bad out there -- but the metrics were still fairly good. He got injured for about a month. - After the injury he came back rejuvenated and played really good for the Raptors right up to the Covid Break in March. It was his best period as a Raptor. - When basketball came back in July Gasol looked great body wise. He looked to have lost about 25 pounds. But for some reason Nurse did not play him much in those first 8 games back -- and he still looked lethargic out there despite the weight loss. My theory -- pure speculation -- is that he did get Covid and this led to the weight loss. - He started to gain weight again through the playoffs but continued to look tired. The Celtics series was clearly his low point as a Raptor. Nurse was afraid of playing Ibaka more because of his mental gaffes on the defensive end -- while Gasol does not have the same mental lapses he has body lapses. It's a low risk signing for the Lakers. In the right matchup Gasol can be an asset in the playoffs -- if his body is co-operating. [/QUOTE]

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