This is where Max Kellerman ranks Pau Gasol in Lakers history

The Lakers decided to retire two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol's number. The Spanish player was a key player in the Lakers' run to their 2009-10 back-to-back championships. Now he has received an honour that only the greatest players in Lakers history have received. He definitely is an NBA great, but according to Max Kellerman, he can't be in the Lakers Mount Rushmore as the top four players in the team's history.

Pau Gasol had some amazing stats during his career. He played in 18 NBA seasons for 5 teams, including, obviously, the Lakers and the Grizzlies. He averaged 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 1,226 regular-season games. As a result, he was selected to play in 6 All-Star games. He will definitely be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The problem is that the Lakers have too many amazing players to compete with in a top 4 situation.

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“The problem with the Lakers is that you can do two Mt. Rushmores and still be like, ‘man, we’re leaving so many people out.’ Pau has no reason to be on a Mt. Rushmore for the Lakers, but on another franchise, he might be. So, for the Lakers, you’re like 'he’s not Kareem, he’s not Magic, he’s not Kobe, he’s not Shaq, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West.' Most teams, though, find four guys as good as Pau.”, explained the analyst.

After all, this is a good thing both for the Lakers and for Pau Gasol. For the Purple and Gold, it speaks volumes of a team to argue that they have so many players that you can't think about who belongs in the top 4 and who doesn't. As for the Spanish player, it shows what type of player he was to be considered by players that are All-time great, not only for their team, but in NBA history.

Will LeBron end up on the Lakers' Mount Rushmore?

The problem for LeBron James is the same as Pau Gasol. There are just too many players above them in the team's history. LeBron might end up in the NBA's mount Rushmore, but for the Lakers, there's at least five players that have done so much more for them than the 'King'.