NEW YORK — Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Shaq and Kobe all became Lakers as a consequence of poor or pressured decisions by competing executives.

Pau Gasol now has joined that glitzy group.

Memphis raised its white flag on the 2007-08 season Friday, folded it respectfully, and turned it over to the Lakers, which happens to be its ex-president's (Jerry West) first, foremost and favorite franchise.

At first glance and even after thorough inspection, the deduction by the vocal majority remains unchanged; The donation of Gasol to the L.A. cause for nothing and nobody who can help the Grizzlies in their officially de-clawed, de-fanged foreseeable future is far more generous than league law ought to allow.

"How can the Lakers get Pau Gasol and not give up one of their nine best players?" fumes the roundball world. "At least the Celtics handed over Al Jefferson for Kevin Garnett. At least the 76ers got Andre Miller for Allen Iverson."

Even fans of the Lakers must be mystified by their scandalously good fortune. Here they are again, and true to historical form, they've lucked into another player who elevates their playoff expectations to its peak.

If this were the Blazers nobody would be thinking foul play. But the Lakers are the NBA's second most prestigious market.

The perception of collusion, conspiracy and conflicts of interest abound.

O. J. is on the prowl looking for the real reason.

When did Ted Stepien buy the Grizzlies?

The Michael Heisley Heist by the Family Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak never could have happened if Bowie Kuhn, Ford Frick, Larry O'Brien or David Stern were alive.

Who were the Lakers bidding against?

Why were the Grizzlies in such a heated rush to get this done three weeks prior to the Feb. 21 trade deadline?

Those were the first things I wanted to know when VP Chris Wallace returned my call a couple hours after acquiring Kwame Brown's expiring $9,075,000 contract, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie (back in uniform as a locker room leader after spending the last few months on the 76ers bench as an assistant coach), two first-round picks (protected through No. 3 in 2008 and through No. 6 in 2010), plus $3 million.

You're telling me that's the best you could fetch for your most productive player, I said crassly?

We're talking nearly 19 points and nine rebounds and three assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field over 6 1/2 seasons with the franchise.

Are we to believe there wasn't another team willing to bid higher for a 7-footer who commands a double team and is five months shy of his 28th birthday?

Then again, was there another bidder beside the Lakers?

Surely, Wallace could have put pen to parchment, climbed up a telephone pole, sent out a smoke signal, or found some other ship-to-shore communication to let general manglers around the association know that the franchise's only All-Star — ever — was ripe to be re-routed.

What were the desperately-seeking-inside-scoring Bulls doing when all this was going on?

Last season right around this time they were negotiating with West for Gasol, but balked at swapping Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni.

Was John Paxson aware Memphis had lowered its sights and was holding a tag sale?

Given encouragement, you mean to say, the Bulls GM wouldn't/couldn't have manufactured a larger expiring contract, draft picks, a promising player and cash?

Would an $11 million pro-rated sign-and-trade with P.J. Brown have been permissible, I'm wondering?

Where's league lawyer Joel M. Litvin when I'm on deadline?

What were the Bucks thinking?

They recently rejected the Knicks' offer of Zach Randolph for three players; his reputation preceded him on the break. Gasol is Mr. Clean.

Where were the Nets, Hawks and every other team lacking an offensive interior decorator?

"I looked at every roster," Wallace said. "Brown's expiring contract was the highest available."

And since creating cap space for this summer ($15 million) was essential, the "bidding" was closed before it opened. The Grizzlies now are one of three teams with wads to spend.

The 76ers and Hawks are the others but they would have to renounce restricted free agents (Andre Iguodala/Louis Williams and Josh Smith/Childress, respectively) to approach/reach Memphis' level.

"If the Lakers win a championship as a result of getting Gasol I'll be happy for him," Wallace said. "We really like Pau and appreciate what he's done for our franchise."

In Wallace's opinion, the Grizzlies got six assets: Financial flexibility to pursue free agents and trades; Crittenton, who everyone is high on (he'll battle it out with Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry for point guard minutes and the third-place finisher will get traded); Marc Gasol, Pau's brother and current MVP of the Spanish League; two first-rounders to supplement their own, making it easier in theory to recruit fresh talent and/or make more attractive deals; and $3 million.

Afterthoughts: If Kobe inspires Pau to play as passionately as he does for Spain, the Lakers now are the team to beat. If Kobe verbally and emotionally beats up Pau for being soft, slow or sensitive they'll vaporize.

Peter Vecsey covers the NBA for the New York Post.