<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>30th May, 2007 - 8:24 pmRocky Mountain News -Kobe Bryant spoke with coach Phil Jackson and backed off his midday trade request made on the Stephen A. Smith radio show."I don't want to go anywhere, this is my team," Bryant told KLAC radio. "I love it here. I called Phil, man, he and I talked, it was an emotional conversation, but he just said, 'You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out.'"Phil is a guy I lean on a lot."Bryant told KLAC that his agent had contacted general manager Mitch Kupchak early Wednesday</div>http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/463..._trade_request/What a crazy day it has been...
This is nothing new. It still means nothing in terms of his future except a little more insurance for the Lakers. He wants to be a Laker and that is where his loyalty lies, but if he sees that this rebuilding process won't quicken up and VERY quickly, then I see him getting out of LA.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ May 30 2007, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is nothing new. It still means nothing in terms of his future except a little more insurance for the Lakers. He wants to be a Laker and that is where his loyalty lies, but if he sees that this rebuilding process won't quicken up and VERY quickly, then I see him getting out of LA.</div>For Kobe to be traded-1. He'd have to demand a trade,2. The Lakers would have to find a trade that would actually work with salaries,3. It would have to be in the East.4. Kobe would have to want to go there.5. The Lakers would have to like the deal.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ChuckTheD @ May 31 2007, 02:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>For Kobe to be traded-1. He'd have to demand a trade,2. The Lakers would have to find a trade that would actually work with salaries,3. It would have to be in the East.4. Kobe would have to want to go there.5. The Lakers would have to like the deal.</div>1. What he said on Stephen A. Smith's show and what he tells reporters is that he definately wants to be traded and basically has said he is infuriated with manangement.2. Won't be easy, but there are a number of teams that can handle his salary.3. Not true, although more likely.4. Yep, and there are contenders who can trade for him.5. This will be the tough part, but if he is truly demanding a trade I am sure something will be worked out. In the East there are 3-4 very viable candidates with the kind of talent that the Lakers will want.
