Kobe: If West isn't back running Lakers I want out

As a guy who knows some Lakers fans... they are excited about the possibility of Kobe traded; in fact, they refer to themselves as "Lakers fans that hate Kobe". As far as the lies and deception by the team, all I have to say about that is "Welcome to the NBA and The City of Angels".
 
Vlade4GM said:
He was thrown under the bus for the Shaq trade but he written it off as just media talk until a lakers insider told the LA times that it was Kobe that got Shaq traded which isn't true. These are the things that prompted all of this.
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Who cares?????

They are paying him $136 million to play ball. That's a LOT of loyalty. They stood by him throughout all his problems over the years and shipped off Shaq and kept him.

What is he complaining about? What did you think would happen when Shaq was shipped out and your new salary eats up what, 1/3 the team salary structure? You get better? Of course you bleed talent. Very few teams find a way to make that work and win it all.

Pay me $136 million and you can say I caused global warming for all I care. You wanted me on the team and you paid me a fortune to be there? You draft well and make me that man on the team? Some trades didn't work out but at least you tried?

I'm all over it if I am an NBA star. Just like Kobe was.

Kobe, quit whining and go to work like everyone else in the league. They want to win just as much as you do.

I hate rich whiners.
 
I was a Lakers fan before Kobe and Shaquille. I will be a Lakers fan after they're gone.

I have no problem if the Lakers traded Kobe; just like I have no problem when they traded Shaquille. My only problem with trading Shaquille was that they didn't get equal value. If they had traded Shaquille and gotten Wade in the deal, then the trade was worth it.

If they trade Kobe, they better damn sure make sure they get equal value. The reason we're in the mess is because we didn't get equal value for Shaquille.

Don't make the same damn mistake twice.

Chick Hearn gotta be doing backflips in his grave.
 
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So who would the Lakers want for Kobe... who would pull the trigger?

Dirk?

Pau?

Garnett?

Baron Davis?

Pierce?

Marion or Nash?

Artest and Bibby?

Kidd and Carter?

Arenas?

T-Mac or Yao?

Elton Brand?

Jermaine O'Neil?

Who is conceivably possible?
 
I've never bought the "you make a lot of money so you no longer are human" line of reasoning.

But I do buy into only a spoiled egomaniac would think that building a contender, that trading for another superstar, is as easy as snapping your fingers. That because he is there, and yes eating up a big chunk of cap (where the money does make it harder, and hence underscores the need for him to be realistic), that building a power team would just instantly happen, and on his timetable too. That when it doesn't, he can appropriately try to force out his GM -- recurring pattern with him.

I'm not sure anybody likes Kobe, and there's a reason for that. (Maybe his wife. But then again he cheated on her too.)
 
I don't think Kobe will be traded. I'd axe some people in the office instead. Kobe would stay after that.....

Apparently he's just on a power trip.
 
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NoBonus said:
Who is conceivably possible?
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I would think none of the above. Or only a few of the above. Presumably whoever trades for Kobe is going to want to put him next to a star they already have, and since Kobe has a no trade clause, I doubt he would accept a deal just to become Kobe and the 7 dwarfs all over again in some other locale. Meanwhile, if they make that move I woudl think the Lakers would then be going into a true rebuilding mode -- funny how being a 7th/8th seed doesn't seem to solve your woes or satisfy. So since they are high on Bynum, maybe like Farmar, I would guess (but its only a guess obviously) they start over with high picks and kids. Don't know that though.

-- How would Atlanta respond to Joe Johnson and their #3? But there would Kobe actually ok that?

-- would they actually deal with Boston and their #5 + Ratliff + hordes of kids?

-- Minny would give up Foye, the #6 and anything else except KG I am sure.

-- I wasn't kidding when I mentioned Kevin the #10 and matching salaries as the sort of thing I would think the Lakers would be looking for (presumably we are like Boston though from the Lakers' perspective).

etc.
 
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Bricklayer said:
I've never bought the "you make a lot of money so you no longer are human" line of reasoning.

But I do buy into only a spoiled egomaniac would think that building a contender, that trading for another superstar, is as easy as snapping your fingers. That because he is there, and yes eating up a big chunk of cap (where the money does make it harder, and hence underscores the need for him to be realistic), that building a power team would just instantly happen, and on his timetable too. That when it doesn't, he can appropriately try to force out his GM -- recurring pattern with him.

I'm not sure anybody likes Kobe, and there's a reason for that. (Maybe his wife. But then again he cheated on her too.)
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Yea, people need to put it in the proper perspective.

Kobe gave specific examples of who was available and was passed on. Baron Davis, Artest, Boozer. These players were available and they passed on them. It's not just about getting another superstar but making the moves to win now and not later. When you have the best player in the world you don't absolutely need to get another superstar, you just need to make good moves and get a good supporting cast. Kobe has been patient and towing the company line for three years. The lakers FO are the failures here, not Kobe. Just my opinion.
 
Moving the Koblet is a no brainer for LA but the kickers could be tough. Kobe gets to veto trades that do not send him to contenders and most contenders will not be able or willing to trade what it takes to make LA happy. Example Dallas: While Kobe MIGHT make the difference for them the one guy they wont trade is the one guy LA would want, Dirk. Now Houston could be the one team that could get it done by shiping McGrady out but would LA take that deal? maybe but I don;t see them sending the Koblet to a division rival unless they can be sure they come out on top and with the possiblity of Adelman at the helm and TMac's health issues that is far from certian. But the teams with Picks and young up and comers they would risk are not a Kobe away from the championship.

As pointed out already the Kings are in no position to give LA anythingthey can't get elsewhere. I love the fact that Kobe may have single handedly taken a Championship franchise and doomed it for the better part of a decade but beyind that I find it hard to get too excited about the deal.
 
Not at all sure that either Dirkl or TMac will be what the Lakers are looking for. If they weren't going to try to win now WITH Kobe, its hard to see them trying to win now once they've traded him. Guess we'll see.
 
nbrans said:
I mean, what world has he been living in since the Shaq trade? Isn't it obvious the Lakers are rebuilding? Isn't it obvious he was thrown under the bus for the Shaq trade? What in the world has changed to prompt all this ridiculousness?
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The main thing that gets to Kobe is that they made him the scapegoat for trading Shaq when it was obvious to everyone that they did not intend to pay the ridiculous amount that Shaq was asking for. It was a business decision, pure and simple.

Kobe let it slide when he re-signed in 2004 because he thought it was only the media making up stuff and, quite frankly, didn't mind being away from the shadow of Shaq. Now, that we have a Laker "insider" supposedly spouting the same stuff that makes him lose trust in the organization. It seems very likely that Kobe already had some trust "issues" with someone in the organization before this came out and the recent events just blew it open. (For all we know, this Laker insider leak may have been a result of Kobe openly asking for Jerry West thereby undermining the respect for their front office)

I see the whole "the Lakers didn't tell me that they were rebuilding" stuff as a retaliatory knee-jerk reaction that most (immature) people would do if they are blamed unjustly. Once you lose a little trust, you just question everything about what the organization has promised you. Add in the fact that (a) the Lakers have not rebuilt as much as he would have liked (despite his pleas for players who could/could not have been acquired), (b) the recent stinging disappointment from yet another first round loss, and (c) the latest insider leak insinuating that he handcuffed the front office by pushing Shaq out of L.A., you can understand where he is coming from. It explains the "they lied to me" sentiment but it doesn't make the statement right though.

The Lakers may be able to salvage the situation if they (a) communicate with Kobe acknowledging his work and asking him to keep off the media about personnel matters (if he wanted Jerry West, ask Dr. Buss for it!) and (b) suitably reprimand or weed out the "insider" -- you can have a not-so-bright athlete spouting off to the media but you absolutely cannot have an inside personnel dealing with issues in the media.

Worst case, the Lakers have to trade him but they can still get some All-star in return with expiring contracts or picks to make them significant players in the FA market in the foreseeable future. L.A. is a very lucrative market for players if the purse strings are loosened a little bit (or from freed cap space from expiring contracts). Losing one of the best players in the game is tough but it isn't going to sink the franchise.
 
Evenstar said:
HA!

trade him to atlanta.
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Haha.. that would be sweet payback and it is only slighter better than playing in Pluto. :p Kobe has a "no trade" clause though that he may waive only for a deal that he likes.

Kobe for Joe Johnson + #3 pick and suitable cap filler on both sides may work.
 
Kobe is backing off a bit from asking for a trade...

Later, Bryant talked to Dan Patrick on ESPN Radio and seemed to reconsider slightly.

"I'm so tired of talking," Bryant said. "It's tough. I always dreamed about retiring as a Laker. I just hope and hope that something can be resolved. Something can be figured out. Just something so I can stay here and be in this city and be with the team I love."

Bryant told Patrick he talked to Lakers coach Phil Jackson after talking to Smith and felt resassured.

"When Phil and I spoke, he was optimistic and determined that we'll both be back," Bryant told Patrick. "Phil is somebody I listen to. I lean on him a lot. He assured me things are going to be OK. Things are going to be all right. Don't go full bore just yet. Take a deep breath and let us work these things out and everything will be all right. Which was very encouraging.

"I don't want to go anywhere else. I want to be here for the rest of my career. It was encouraging to hear that."

Bryant earned $17.72 million last season and is owed $88.6 million over the next four years. He can terminate his contract following the 2008-09 season -- a move that would leave $47.8 million on the table.

By requesting a trade, Bryant would obviously waive his no-trade clause, but he has a trade clause in his contract that is believed to add about $13 million to his total contract value, a cost to be absorbed by any team that acquires him.

"We are aware of the media reports. However, Kobe has not told us directly that he wants to be traded," Lakers owner Jerry Buss said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "We have made it very clear that we are building our team around Kobe and that we intend for him to be a Laker his entire career.

"We will speak directly to Kobe and until we do that, we will not comment publicly about this."
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[link]
 
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Bricklayer said:
Not at all sure that either Dirkl or TMac will be what the Lakers are looking for. If they weren't going to try to win now WITH Kobe, its hard to see them trying to win now once they've traded him. Guess we'll see.
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Oh I tend to agree, but my post primarly focused on the teams the Koblet MIGHT agree to paly for. Remember what a prima dona we are talking about Kobe has NEVER played for any team that HE did not pick. I suppose I could tick off the true contenders that Kobe might pick but most of them fall inot two groups A. Mature teams with out the youth or picks to entice LA (See Detroit) or B. Yonger teams that are a few steps away from true contention but would have to nearly gut their young team to take Kobe's paper and make LA happy (See Chicago whou would have to give up at least two of they top young men: duhon, Deng or Gorden).

Best bets for a workable trade for Kobe are likely to come from teams more than a few steps from contnetion. Now if Kobe would play in New Orlens things look a lot different.
 
In the land of PR, Kobe is self-destructing. Dude is off his rocker, wavering from trade me to professing a Laker for life mantra. It's like he has a giant daisy flower in front of him and is plucking a petal every hour and letting that decide the path he take. LA fans should cut his phone and cable lines if they want to try to salvage the situation because the dysfunctional LA organization has been unable to contain him from bloggin, and giving interviews; they would welcome the outside intervention at this point.

Jim Buss, the man running the Basketball side of things these days is rumored to be the inside source of the LA Times story that has Kobe so mad. Jim also was the guy who criticized Phil about calling out players in the press earlier this month. Jeannie Buss and Kurt Rambis weren't happy about that, and aired their displeasure to the media.

Where's their Dad Jerry in all this? Off getting drunk with his 23 yr old lady fiend, of course, and now minimizing any damages from his DUI arrest.
 
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