<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Just think, instead of critics blasting Kobe Bryant for disappearing in the fourth quarter of a playoff game and allowing his Lakers to be eliminated, they could just as easily have ripped him for vanishing in the fourth quarter of a playoff game and allowing his Clippers to be eliminated. Fate can often take strange turns, even inside the hallways of one basketball arena. But there is one slight problem with that speculative scenario: If Kobe took himself out of the game in the fourth quarter of a playoff game as a member of the Clippers, they probably would have been just fine, like they are now. In the summer of 2004, Kobe Bryant had a decision to make. He could remain with the Lakers for $136 million, or take about $30 million less to sign with the Clippers. If the scales weren?t tipped by the extra simoleons, they were when Lakers owner Jerry Buss issued pink slips to Shaquille O?Neal and Phil Jackson. </div> read more about it here: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12806705/
I agree with the article. If you ignore the stats, Kobe couldn't have done for the Clippers what Cassell/Mobley did. I read a story about how Sam and Cat stayed in the gym shooting free throws whenever Dunleavy let the team take water breaks during practice. By the end of the year nobody was taking water breaks, they were all sticking around to shooti free throws and work on their game. Also, there is no way that Brand would have had the year that he had if Kobe was on their team.
I agree with the article to. The Clippers probably wouldnt be in the 2nd round let alone the playoffs with Kobe
Oh come on, Kobe brought his garbage team to playoffs. With Cassell and Brand? Geez, I wouldn't want the Heat to play them.
well, i kind of disagree. IMO, if the clippers did sign kobe, they would be immediate contenders. a duo of kobe and brand would just be deadly. along with maggette and kaman, that would make one hell of a starting line. you also have to put into factor that the clippers got sam cassel from a trade that included marko jaric. so, sam would most likely be on the clippers roster as well. the only player you are really missing is cuttino mobley. the starting five would look something like this: cassel, kobe, maggette, brand, kaman. that would be one hell of a starting five also, i doubt that cassel and kobe will have a fued. i mean, IMO, these guys would make good teamates. i heard a rumor that cassel is looking at the lakers as one of the teams he wants to sign on to in the off season. he definetly would not be looking at the lakers if he didnt think him and kobe couldnt co exist.
are you serious imagine if they did get kobe theyd have Kobe and brand proabably the best 2-4 combo in the league
I think this year's playoff Kobe playing a whole season with that Clipper lineup without Cat...would've been great...cause Kobe picked and chose his shots carefully...facilitating that team would be easier and more efficient with those players alongside him...cause look if he almost beat the Suns with his current lineup with him as a passer...imagine if the players he was passing to had the skills that Cassel, Maggette, Kaman, and Brand have..instead of the likes of Smush, Odom, Kwame, and Walton...just some food for thought..interesting article that will lead to a good discussion..
Kobe and Brand? Are you nuts for saying that Brand wouldn't have the kind of year he had. He would've probably had a better year because he would have seen a lot less pressure becuase of what Bryant draws.
Brand wouldn't have had the same motivation to improve as he did this off-season. Part of his improvement was that he finally wasn't injured, but also because he wanted to become the leader of the team. With Kobe there, he wouldn't have that same motivation, though it would still be there, he's a worker. Brand definately wouldn't have the same scoring numbers because even when Maggette was playing he was down in PPG a little, so Kobe on the team would decrease his PPG. Especially considering you'd have Kobe AND Maggette both on the team, + Cassell, there's just not enough shots for EB to average ~25 PPG.
^^Yeah that was my point. The Clippers are better off with Cassell and Mobley. Cassel is just as clutch as Kobe, and Mobley is better that threes. Defenses respect both of them.
