With trade rumors swirling around Pau Gasol and the Lakers, the latest news can't make things on that front any easier. The big man has now been ruled out of action through the All-Star break as he deals with a strained groin, the team announced Tuesday.
This news comes on the heels of reports that Steve Nash will play tonight for the first time since November, but the Lakers' season has been in flux since the season started, and Gasol's relationship with Mike D'Antoni hasn't exactly been a healthy one for the most part.
The February trade deadline is only 16 days away, so the timing of this announcement is not ideal. The Suns have expressed interest in dealing for the Gasol, but they've already stated they'd like to see him healthy before moving on any sort of deal. The window will be tight, but perhaps this is all in an effort to ensure Gasol will be healthy by the time the deadline rolls around.
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