Is Pau Gasol the missing piece for a Lakers championship?

Oh yes, Pau Gasol is now a Laker.

Two days before the biggest tragedy in sports transpired at the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a fast one. They just acquired the services of Pau Gasol after sending the complete seven-foot failure Kwame Brown, rookie Javaris Crittenton, veteran Aaron McKie and two draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the Spanish titan in the 2008 NBA basketball season.

Is Pau Gasol the missing piece for a title in Tinseltown? We still have a half of NBA basketball until we figure that one out. One thing's for sure though, the Lakers will definitely be better.

People have always talked about the key in Phil Jackson's triangle offense is a good center who can either shoot it at the low-post or dish it to one of the triangle's scoring guards. I'ma tell ya'll this now, the Los Angeles Lakers signed the perfect man for the job.

''The best part is that right away I will have a chance to win,'' Pau Gasol said. ''We have the opportunity to go out there and accomplish something great and something special.''

The trade finally SAVED Pau Gasol from Memphis, a city who has a team calling themselves Grizzlies despite the fact that there really are no Grizzlies whatsoever in Memphis. Oh yeah, these Grizzlies just keep on losing too.

''I always consider myself a winner and a competitor, and the last few years in Memphis, I haven't been able to achieve my goals team-wise. It's been frustrating, but that's the kind of situation I was in.''

''At first I had the impression that the Grizzlies, or [owner Michael] Heisley, were asking only, like, star for star [in a trade]. If I was going to go to the Lakers, there's no way that Kobe Bryant would go to Memphis. It was just too complicated.''

''I was shocked when I got the news after practice,'' Gasol said. ''I was surprised, and now I'm starting to digest everything that's gone on and going to come from now on. I'm definitely excited about everything.''

''I'm happy to be a Laker.''

Who will win the NBA title in the 2007-08 NBA basketball season? AcesAce Sportsbook has the odds.

San Antonio Spurs EVEN +350

Cleveland Cavaliers EVEN +1,300

Boston Celtics EVEN +450

Detroit Pistons EVEN +1,000

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more basketball betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Pau Gasol Los Angeles Lakers