<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_6857270The bond between Phil Jackson and <u>Kobe Bryant</u> appears to be as tight as ever. "Kobe and I are very much in collusion in that we want to have an opportunity and we want this team to have an opportunity to succeed," Phil said. "And one of Kobe's complaints is to improve the talent and give him the teammates he can compete with. I'm in collusion with him on that."</div></p>
I wonder how the rest of the Lakers in the locker room are going to interpret this? Your headcoach and team leader have both gone public saying the supporting cast isn't good enough to win. Even though it's true, I don't think this is the right message to send, especially to this group of players. A veteran team would rise to the occassion and play with a chip on their shoulders to prove the coach and star player wrong, but a young team usually doesn't have the maturity to handle this type of criticism.</p> I hate to say it, but this Lakers team needs positive reinforcement and coddling before they play with any confidence. The only two players who don't seem to get mentally defeated are Kobe and Turiaf. Just watch the body language of the rest of the players after they miss a shot, turn the ballover or miss a defensive assignment. The head drops down, the shoulders shrug and they look over to the sideline to see if PJax is mad at them or a sub is coming in.</p> I remember last year Kwame said he can't handle it when the crowd boos him. Chris Mihm has always been to hard on himself and loses focus immediately after picking up a foul or missing a shot from close range.</p> The Lakers better get off to a quick start and rack up the wins. Winning is the great neutralizer when it comes to locker room drama, but if the Lakers start losing early on it's going to lead to another Kobe meltdown and more verbal attacks through the media at the front office by PJax. </p>
Our bench doesn't seem to be as electric as most teams in the NBA. They look like lifeless robots next to a towering coach.
Jackson does not want to lose and with the Lakers' current roster, they will lose. Perhaps they make the playoffs, but for such a prestigious franchise, it's tough to stomach first-round exits with little hope of improvement. Jackson isn't under contract next season, right?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Premier)</div><div class='quotemain'>Jackson does not want to lose and with the Lakers' current roster, they will lose. Perhaps they make the playoffs, but for such a prestigious franchise, it's tough to stomach first-round exits with little hope of improvement. Jackson isn't under contract next season, right?</div></p> Correct it's the final year on his current contract, but the Lakers have given him an open ended offer to return. Not sure if PJax will except it though.</p> </p>
Kobe's most likely destination is New York and if the situation escalates, the possibility of a trade may grow stronger. Jackson's dream job has always been with the Knicks. This may be something to look out for in the future.
I highly doubt Kobe would go to NY. They're worse off than the Lakers and in order to get him, Isiah would have to either gut the roster or give away 2 of the 3 massive contracts on that roster (Randolph, Marbury, Crawford), and in the end, Kobe'd be right back where he started. On a young team that doesn't play very good defense and doesn't know how to close games. He'd be no better off. The only way Kobe goes to a winning situation is if he gets traded to Chicago, since they not only have cap space, but a large amount of expendable young talent, since that roster is already loaded with it. Otherwise, the only other way is to wait out his contract, opt out, and take a pay cut.
Bulls don't have anyone to trade for Kobe that'll match his salary without either giving up Ben Wallace or really stripping the roster of about 4 of their top players.</p> The knicks are so far over the cap they were in position to take on both AI and Webber if Philly wanted to make a trade.</p> That aside, I'm not sure that PJax' approach is all that bad. He's standing up for the team, not dissing them. I think they all know they're in a tough spot - just good enough to make playoffs, but also just good enough to get a mediocre draft pick. Not much in the way of tradable assets if Kupchak and Buss won't move the younger guys with the most potential.</p> </p>
Sometimes the truth hurts. PJAX and Kobe are fed up and are publicly addressing the issue in hope that the Buss's will do something other than sit on their butts. I really would love to see PJAX and Kobe return after the season, but something must be done.</p> Not trading Bynum for Kidd was probably the most idiotic move ever. Boozer was available too! Im still spinning from that. </p>
Keep in mind that Kobe has a no-trade clause, so sending him to a team and having that team nearly gutted is not an option, because he will simply decline.</p> At first, I was a bit angry with Kobe and his public "whining" (if that's what you want to call it). However, it has really cut open this Lakers organization and slapped a big post-it on their desk. It's a good thing. If the Lakers let Kobe walk, they are letting go for the next decade. What if they have no choice but to let him walk? Well, that's why they need to build around him immediately, at all costs, in hopes to keep him and Phil happy.</p> When you have the greatest player in the game today, paired with one of the greatest coaches of all-time, you build around that nucleus. </p>
The Lakers have always been known as one of the greatest franchises in history. To let go of perhaps the best center of his generation, then the best player in the game today, + arguably the greatest coach in history would be TEAM SUICIDE! I love this team and would hate to see it end with kobe and phil leaving the team next year..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Trench)</div><div class='quotemain'>The Lakers have always been known as one of the greatest franchises in history. To let go of perhaps the best center of his generation, then the best player in the game today, + arguably the greatest coach in history would be TEAM SUICIDE! I love this team and would hate to see it end with kobe and phil leaving the team next year..</div></p> It must be dejavu for PJax, this is similar to what happened to him when he coached Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The front office is convinced this team can compete if they stay healthy, but Kobe & PJax feel the team needs one more impact player to challenge in the West.</p> I'm still waiting for Jim Buss to respond to PJax's comments in the media calling Buss Jr. out on his promise.</p> </p> </p>
The Lakers organization is use to getting what it wants but as of recent, other GM's have stayed away from trading with them and that seems to be confusing the managment. Kobe and Phil saying there must be changesisn't going to add a Kidd or a Garnett to this roster it's about upbringing young talent and making it a team basketball so others get notice and have a bit of value on their head rather than Kobe, Kobe, Kobe..
The truth hurts and i don't really care about the other players they know that the team isn't good for a championship and Jackson and Kobe are both tired of losing and its about time Jackson is speaking up.
