Would Lakers be better off with Marc Gasol than Andrew Bynum?

Broderick Turner covers the Lakers for The Times. Readers’ questions about the Lakers will be answered every week.

Question: Just wondering: would the Lakers be better off today if they had sent Andrew Bynum instead of Marc Gasol to the Grizzlies for Pau Gasol? It would have been cool to have the two Gasols make the All-Star team! (Is Marc is the second-best center other than Amare Stoudemire in the West, better than Kaman?)

Art Enyedy

Seattle

Answer: I have to admit that Marc Gasol is having a fantastic year. But the Lakers are very happy to have Andrew Bynum. Bynum still has so much “upside” to him at 22. He’s more mobile and athletic. His best years are ahead of him. Marc is a more physical player and plays better defense, however.

And, no, Marc is not the second-best center in the West. I know it’s hard for a Lakers fan to give any credit to a Clippers player, but Chris Kaman is having a very good season. Minnesota’s Al Jefferson is putting up big numbers. Denver’s Nene is having a solid season again.

But what is interesting is how close Marc’s stats are to Andrew’s, Marc’s stats listed first:

Points: 14.8, 15.4.

Rebounds: 9.5, 8.4

Assists: 2.3, 1.4

Blocks: 1.54, 1.65.

Field-goal percentage: 60.6, 55.8.

Free-throw percentage: 67.6%, 73.4%

Wow! That’s eerie.

Still, the Lakers love Andrew.

Q: Not to put you down, but why do you guys always seem to print the ridiculous questions that obviously fake bandwagon fans send your way? I can only assume it must be for the entertainment of us REAL fans. Watching people make fools of themselves does that. Like this guy, John Fish, who suggested a Michael Redd-for-Adam Morrison/Sasha Vujacic trade. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Why would someone willingly make a joke of himself for asking something like that? And he was totally serious. Or what about Al Schwartz, who said that Derek Fisher should retire? He obviously hasn’t been a Lakers fan for very long, probably since last June when they won the title (bandwagon), and is clearly oblivious to the importance that he has to this team. It was no coincidence that when Fisher returned to the team that they started winning. And above anything else that Fisher brings to this team (leadership, locker room presence, clutch shooting) it was/is his effect on Kobe Bryant that really stands out as his most important feat. Schwartz probably would have no idea what I’m talking about, but all us real fans know exactly what I mean so I won’t bother spelling it out.

D. Avila

Riverside

A: Can’t we all just get along.

This is too funny, Lakers fans calling out other Lakers fans.

See, everyone has an opinion and is allowed to express it. That’s the beauty of sports, of being Lakers fans. You guys are something special. Where would the Lakers be without their passionate fans?

Keep it up, I’m sure one of these guys will have a reply next week.

We’ll call it the War of the Lakers’ Fans.

Q: Between the two, who would you rather keep on the Lakers, Adam Morrison or Sasha Vujacic?

Joey B

Orange, N.J.

A: Aw, there you go, picking on little Sasha again. That’s not nice.

Then again, the Lakers wish they could send Vujacic to another team. But he has one more year left on his contract after this season that pays him $5.4 million. If any team would be willing to pick up that contract with the way he’s playing -- or not playing -- needs to have its head examined. But I’ve been shocked before with trades.

Morrison is an easier player to trade because he has an expiring contract at $5.2 million.

broderick.turner@latimes.com

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