The Lakers and Phoenix Suns have engaged in trade talks for Gasol, though there is one main holdup to a deal being consummated. The Lakers want a better first-round pick than what the Suns currently offer.
The Suns (29-18) are surprisingly good this season, making their draft pick correspondingly low (22nd overall). They own at least one other pick in the NBA draft in June, Indiana's first-round selection, currently 30th overall. It was unclear which of the two picks the Suns were willing to trade as part of the Gasol offer.
It gets tricky: Phoenix also holds first-round picks that belong to Washington and Minnesota, but both are protected and will revert to those teams if they stumble. The Wizards' pick is top-12 protected, so the Suns technically own it at this point (17th overall before Monday's games), and the Timberwolves' pick is top-13 protected, meaning Minnesota holds it right now (12th overall before Monday).
A trade could still happen with the Suns between now and the Feb. 20 trade deadline, but the Lakers planned to field other offers for Gasol, according to an official familiar with the situation.