The other is Derek Fisher. At 33, he doesn’t have a lot of prime time left. But his ballhandling, defense, intelligence and perimeter shooting will be vital in the immediate future, and especially in the 2008 playoffs.

Gasol is one of the league’s unsung stars. He’s no Kevin Garnett, but by moving from Memphis to Los Angeles his presence will energize the Lakers in much the same way that Garnett did with the Celtics. Gasol had been an All-Star in 2006 and was Rookie of the Year in 2002 after being drafted by Atlanta as the third overall pick.

Recently he had been stricken by that same malady that has gripped Kidd: a lack of hope. The Grizzlies made the playoffs three straight seasons, from 2004 through 2006, but never won a postseason contest. Last year they were 22-60. So far this season they are 13-33.

In short, they stink.

Obviously with this trade the Grizzlies have decided to go to Plan B, although it’s debatable whether they have actually devised one.

And Gasol now has a new lease on his basketball life. Instead of trudging through his paces on a green and struggling team with no direction, he’ll be a member of a club that has championship aspirations, with a coach who has nine rings and a MVP candidate who has three.

The Lakers have Gasol locked up for three more years after this one. More importantly, the mere fact that they have Gasol at all should be added enticement for Bryant to back off his threat to opt out of his contract after the 2008-09 season.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos

The West is mighty and competitive, but also wide open. Tony Parker has bone spurs in his foot, and that means the Spurs might be vulnerable. The Suns are as enigmatic as they are explosive. The Mavericks are high-powered head cases. The Hornets are terrific, but they might not yet be experienced enough to reach the NBA Finals. The Jazz seem as if it is always a Jerry Sloan spat with a player away from collapse.

Into this shooting gallery step the revitalized Lakers, with a new 7-footer in tow. The improvement might not be fully evident until Bynum returns, and to a lesser extent Ariza. But when they have three or four weeks together before the postseason begins, powered by a Kobe Bryant who can now taste another title, this trade will be regarded as being almost as earth-shattering as the Garnett deal.

Lakers vs. Celtics in the Finals, anyone?

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