Pau Gasol may ask to be traded in the offseason if Dwight Howard, Mike D'Antoni remain with Lakers

Pau Gasol told Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers that asking for a trade is "a possibility" if Dwight Howard and Mike D'Antoni remain with the Lakers for the 2013-14 season.

That said, Gasol won't be asking out of Los Angeles this season. He wants to stay. "I love the Lakers and Los Angeles, and none of that has changed just because certain things are out of my control," he told the Times.

The situation in LA is uncomfortable though.

The Times reported that D'Antoni told Jim Buss that Gasol was happy because the coach was sparing his knees and prolonging his career. Gasol refuted that claim. "Never heard that," he told the Times.

Look at Gasol's last three game logs. He played 40, 37 and 37 minutes in those games. Of course, that's because Dwight Howard is out with a shoulder injury. But those lines don't look like a coach trying to save his player's legs.

Yet, Gasol wouldn't place any blame on D'Antoni. It's just a clash of philosophies. And he knows nothing is going to change -- at least until Howard's free agency is sorted out. Even then, he wants to play with D12.

"I believe 100 percent if I was starting inside with Dwight we could make the playoffs," Gasol told the Times. "I just don't know if coming off the bench gives the team a chance to be better and win more games."