(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-02 09:22

TORONTO - The LA Lakers have signed Spanish forward Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies with three players moving in the opposite direction.

Memphis Grizzlies' Pau Gasol, of Spain, gestures after scoring and drawing a foul, while Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant walks past during an NBA basketball game in this Feb. 11, 2006, file photo in Los Angeles. The Lakers bolstered their banged-up frontline Friday, Feb. 1, 2008 with a key acquisition, 7-footer Gasol. The Lakers gave up Kwame Brown, rookie Javaris Crittenton and two first-round draft picks for Gasol. [Agencies]

Forward Kwame Brown and guards Javaris Crittenton and Aaron McKie move to Memphis, who will also gain the draft rights to Gasol's brother Marc and first round picks in 2008 and 2010, the Lakers said in a statement on Friday.

Gasol, who joined Memphis in 2001 from his home town club Barcelona, has averaged 18.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.44 blocked shots per game so far this season.

"This is a situation that helps both teams and that's what you want to have with a trade," Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson told reporters ahead of their game against the Toronto Raptors.

"Pau gives us some scoring right now and we need a little scoring inside without Andrew Bynum.

"He's a good passer, we like that. He's a good scorer, a talented passer, sees the floor.

"He's played on some good teams here and in Spain he's got some good experience as far as that goes."

Jackson said he hopes to have Gasol in the lineup for Sunday's game against Washington Wizards but he must first go back to Los Angeles for a physical.

The trade, which Jackson said had been in the works for almost a year, brought a smile to the face of Kobe Bryant who had voiced concern the Lakers were not committed to building a championship team.

"I think it shows a great deal of commitment from the organisation and I think it's a great step," said Bryant.

"I've seen him play at the all-star games and he's pretty versatile, high basketball IQ. He can pass, shoot, finish, extremely talented.

"It's a matter of us just gelling now putting it together. We've got a great bench, we have a lot of length, a lot of versatility.

"Now it's time to walk the walk."