Live discussion: Will Lakers make a trade before the deadline?

Join us for a live discussion at 11:30 a.m. today when Times Lakers writer Mike Bresnahan, Clippers writer Brad Turner and NBA editor Barry Stavro discuss the two local teams.

One topic of discussion will be the Feb. 21 trade deadline. One piece the Lakers could have dangled as trade bait, Pau Gasol, might have taken himself off the market after being injured during Tuesday’s win over Brooklyn. As Bresnahan wrote,

“Right now I’m waiting for crutches so I can walk out of here,” he said nervously in the visitors’ locker room after straining the plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

“It’s an injury as ugly as it sounds, plantar fasciitis known more commonly as painful swelling on the soft tissue under the arch of the foot.

“But Gasol did something worse than that Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets, hearing a pop in his foot while jumping to block Brook Lopez‘s shot.

“Somehow the Lakers won, 92-83, without Metta World Peace (suspended) and Dwight Howard (sore shoulder), as Earl Clark finished the game at center for them.

“But Gasol will undergo an MRI exam Wednesday in Boston. The Lakers play the Celtics there Thursday.

“I’m worried about it,” he said. “I never felt anything like I did tonight.”

“Gasol has been slowed by plantar fasciitis in the same foot throughout this season and aggravated it earlier in the game.”