Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

More News:<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Two days after the Lakers' season ended, Kobe Bryant was still simmering. As other teams prepared for the second round of the playoffs, the Lakers finished exit meetings today at their training facility and Bryant voiced his increasing frustration, again, before the 2006-07 team disbanded. Bryant sat down with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Coach Phil Jackson, and discussed the disappointments of the past three seasons, along with what lies ahead in the future. It almost made his blunt post-elimination appeal Wednesday to "do something, and do it now" look like a minor request. "I just told [Kupchak] this summer's about getting us to an elite level, doing whatever it takes to make it happen," Bryant said afterward. "This is a competitive city. We're used to winning titles, not just winning games and being in the first round. We want to win championships. Now's the time. "That's one of the things when I re-signed here, they promised they would build a contender and build a contender now. I don't want to have to wait any more than I already have." Bryant, who will be 29 in August, has four years and $88.6 million left on his contract. He can terminate his contract after the 2008-09 season and leave two years and $47.8 million on the table, an unlikely event, which means the Lakers will have to try to build around him. It won't be easy. If the yet-to-be-determined NBA salary cap is placed at $55 million next season, the Lakers would already be $3.4 million over it, meaning the only notable free-agent tool at their disposal would again be the mid-level exception, worth about $30 million over five years and offered to all teams that are over the salary cap. (The Lakers can sign free agent Luke Walton without affecting their cap status.) In other words, the Lakers can make drastic steps only via trades, which puts an onus on Kupchak. "We understand there's no magic wand you can wave and make things happen," Kupchak said. "But we're going to be as aggressive as we've always been to get this team back to championship-level basketball. "Being in the first round or losing in the first round is not what we want to accomplish. We feel that we owe and want to provide more to the city than that." Kupchak also acknowledged Bryant's frustration. "We feel the exact same way," he said, referring to the Lakers' upper management. "We're very aware of his frustration, but once again, I'm frustrated, I know our coach is frustrated and our owner wants to win. We're all in it together."</div>

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

Kobe has 4 years left on his contract.... I love Bryant, but at no time in those 4 years will the Lakers win a Championship, barring the signing of one Kevin Garnett... If they can sign KG (and I'm talking pretty much KG only, unless some other unexpect BIG name leaves his team, like a Wade or a LeBron or something) then the Lakers will not win a Championship.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RaptorFan#1 @ May 3 2007, 09:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Your an idiot if you think Kobe has 3 more years in his prime. He is freaking 29 years old for heaven sakes, hes not even 30. And He only averaged 32 last year. To think that in three years his numbers would drop that considerably is absurd. If he drops, his average is still like 26/4/3.</div>Don't forget he came in after high school so he has more years under his belt. I don't see too many more seasons like this, but he will still be very good for a long time, good enough to win it all.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ASUFan22 @ May 4 2007, 10:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Don't forget he came in after high school so he has more years under his belt. I don't see too many more seasons like this, but he will still be very good for a long time, good enough to win it all.</div>Kobe has the conditioning and midrange/outside game to be a top 3 player in the league for 7 or 8 more years. He's able to score 40 without dunking the ball. He's better with his athleticism, but he could easily pull an MJ and stay elite even whilst losing some of it.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

There is a difference in being in your prime and still being a great player. Kobe will always be great, and even as he ages could average 25-28PPG on good %. But he will not be able to do things like 4 straight games of 50pts. He will also only become more prone to injury (and that is a problem since he already has had his fair share of injuries).

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

I think the point is, that Kobe has a lot of "miles" as a player already, since he entered the League so young.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

Stephen A. Smith goes over a few things: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzbph7UqZUE

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

I only have one thing to add. Although Kwame isn't much in terms of trade value (as a talent), he does have an expiring $9M contract. GM's love expiring contracts, especially on rebuilding teams. It allows GM's that are building a "team of the future" to free-up cap space in the short term. Also, that $9M would go a long way toward balancing out contracts with a big-name trade, whomever that would be. For example, Odom + Kwame = $22.5M. However, Odom + Bynum = $15.7M. Jermaine O'Neal is at $19.7M, and KG is at $22M.Considering the Lakers cap situaton, the salaries are going to have to match up, and I think Kwame's expiring contract, along with LA's willingness to part with him for a much needed upgrade at big man, makes Kwame a key element in any major trades.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ May 7 2007, 03:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the point is, that Kobe has a lot of "miles" as a player already, since he entered the League so young.</div>Yeah, he's going to start breaking down early. Because he came in young and was playing 10-20 games come playoff time consistently for the first 8 years of his career. That's like 2 more seasons almost. But he's the kind of player that has the overall skill and work ethic to be able to succeed even with limited athleticism.

 

Re: Kobe to Management-"Do something and do it now."

Kobe needs to leave if they don't help him. It'd be a waste of the hardwork he has put in over the years to see him rot on a team who doesn't care about him. Part of me thinks there just using kobe to fill seats. I mean, how can fans predict this first round exit but the Front office with all their expertise can't?I'd go after a pg and a defensive swingman first. After we get that, then go on to get a 2 way big. We'd be screwed if we acquired JO only to have Farmar and Walton starting.