Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>From ESPN News Services: The story lines that have engulfed the Los Angeles Lakers in the last week hit a crescendo Wednesday when Kobe Bryant said he would welcome a trade. "I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant said on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative, you know?" Bryant, interviewed by Stephen A. Smith, was asked if there was anything the Lakers could do to change his mind? "No," Bryan said. "I just want them to do the right thing."(You can listen to part of it on Kobe Bryant's website. He leaves little doubt. He says he wants to be traded both because he has been lied to and because he isn't confident in their ability to surround him with appropriate talent.)At the end of the show, Stepehen A. Smith asks: "Is there ANYTHING the Los Angeles Lakers can do to get you to remain with the organization?"And Bryant responds: "No, bro."Wow, OK. Is this really going to happen?Would the Lakers really agree to trade him? Could they possibly get back equivalent value (especially as he has a no-trade clause and can veto a move to a weak team)?Who might you offer for Kobe Bryant? Forget your traditional "never trade with a rival" rule for a moment, and let's just brainstorm (I have not worked all these out on the trade machine yet): * Chicago will be there with a package that stars Luol Deng and several other bits and pieces (like Tyrus Thomas and Ben Wallace perhaps?). * Isiah Thomas is, I'd imagine, on the phone with James Dolan right now saying please, please, please, pretty please daddy can you buy this for me? What could they offer? How about ALL OF THE KNICKS. Probably not enough, but maybe. * Here's a crazy idea that would never happen: what about Tracy McGrady? The Lakers get to keep selling tickets and get a player coming into his prime, the Rockets get to re-shuffle and see if the Yao formula works better with a different wingman. * The Lakers could take their pick of the Boston roster, I'd imagine, although getting Bryant to join a decimated version of the worst team in the league could be tough. * Portland could offer Brandon Roy and Zach Randolph. Not that they should, or would (it monkeys with the schedule ... when does a Bryant/Oden team peak?), but it would have to be taken seriously. * Many in Dallas have already written they'd dangle Dirk Nowitzki. * Kobe Bryant might not mind being traded to the Clippers, who have some nice pieces. But would he like to play for a version of the Clippers that lacked Elton Brand, which is probably what it would take to get him? * Phoenix is coached by Kobe Bryant's boyhood idol, and I have to believe he'd love to be paired with a great point guard. The Lakers might go for Amare Stoudemire, but it says here that he's a base-year compensation player which makes that tough, so L.A. would have to fall in love with a Shawn Marion (and, perhaps, Boris Diaw and picks?) package. If I were Mitch Kupchak calling, I'd ask for Steve Nash and change. * Ideas from the comments include a Gilbert Arenas package from Washington. I think there's a decent chance the Lakers and Kobe Bryant balk at this, as neither, in my estimation, would end up winners. * To Minnesota for Kevin Garnett? (I wish Bryant and Garnett could somehow play together, but I don't see how it could happen. The irony would be that if Garnett is a Laker, where would Bryant rather play? Yet another example why, if you want to win titles, you are better off not having a max contract. Too hard to end up alongside other stars.) * Denver has those two big stars, but what does that add up to? How do you configure something that the Lakers want? It would have to be Carmelo Anthony-based I would think, but then you're asking Bryant to co-star with Allen Iverson? That's the craziest thing anyone has ever imagined. And hasn't Colorado had enough of Kobe Bryant?More thoughts to come.UPDATE: From ESPN research: When Bryant signed his free-agent contract on July 15, 2004, a seven-year deal worth $136.4 million, a no-trade clause was built into his contract. He is the only player in the NBA that has a no-trade clause in his contract. He has a no-trade clause for at least two more seasons, at which time he can opt out of his current contract (after the 2008-09 season). If he exercises his option to become a free agent, he would walk away from a combined $47.8 million for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. The only way the Lakers could trade Bryant is if he waived his no-trade clause, which means the team would need Bryant's approval to trade him.And more from Mike Bresnahan in the L.A. Times: Bryant will obviously waive his no-trade clause, but he has a trade kicker 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. The money would be paid like a signing bonus and would not count toward the salary cap. The Lakers had to pay a similar fee to Lamar Odom when they acquired him from Miami three years ago, paying him about $8 million.It's going to be very tough to accomodate Bryant's trade request. My bet is that only a very small number of teams have anything even close to the talent, salaries, and cash to make a real offer.UPDATE: The more I think about it, the more I am convinced the Lakers will only agree to a deal that gets them a young star. Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant</div>I think DevinHester23 will be happy this off-season cause Portland and Chicago probably h ave the pieces that the Lakers would want to rebuild. Except the thing is, Kobe still needs a big wingman. A deal that sends Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Ben Wallace (for salary matching purposes) would leave the Bulls left with no legit big men again. Lakers had the same problem.Honestly, I think the Portland trade would make more sense but would Kobe like going to Oregon????????
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" Man this sucks.Kobe's my fav player on my fav team.Hopefully the package of Deng/Gordon for Kobe will get done with the Bulls but I'm not sure that will be enough. Maybe Deng/Gordon/1st rounder.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TCOF @ May 30 2007, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Man this sucks.Kobe's my fav player on my fav team.Hopefully the package of Deng/Gordon for Kobe will get done with the Bulls but I'm not sure that will be enough. Maybe Deng/Gordon/1st rounder.</div>NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! NO LUOL DENG!! And to make salaries match, I asked Chicago Tribune basketball writer Sam Smith about it, he said to make them watch, they can do a sign-and-trade with P.J. Brown
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (chang @ May 30 2007, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think DevinHester23 will be happy this off-season cause Portland and Chicago probably h ave the pieces that the Lakers would want to rebuild. Except the thing is, Kobe still needs a big wingman. A deal that sends Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Ben Wallace (for salary matching purposes) would leave the Bulls left with no legit big men again. Lakers had the same problem.Honestly, I think the Portland trade would make more sense but would Kobe like going to Oregon????????</div>What I heard on the radio was Kobe and Bynum for Gordon, Deng and Wallace. Which is slightly better in my eyes. Anyways, I think watching Kobe on the Knicks would be classical. I'm not sure what they'd offer....I assume either Marbury or Francis would be a part of it to open up a spot for Kobe, and then god knows what else...
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" The Knicks would have to offerSteve Francis, Channing Frye, David Lee, Jamal Crawford imo and that would still be a rip-off.And from what the Lakers have said about Bynum, he is untouchable.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" I bet the Wizards could pull off another nice little trade with them. Andray Blatche, Brendan Haywood, Jarvis Hayes, and a 1st round pick.Bulls would be retarded to trade for Kobe Bryant. The reason they're so good is because they don't have a "best player"... they're all above average / very good.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>After a conversation with coach Phil Jackson Wednesday, Kobe Bryant has once again backed off his trade demands and now says he wants to stay with the Lakers - Again. "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." Just three hours earlier, in an interview with ESPN radio, Bryant said: "I would like to be traded, yeah. Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there's no other alternative. It's rough, man, but I don't see how you can rebuild that trust. I just don't know how you can move forward in that type of situation." It's been a crazy 48 hours for the Lakers, with team owner Jerry Buss getting busted for suspicion of DUI and Kobe's constant flip flopping of wanting to stay and wanting to be traded, so we'll have to see what happens when the dust settles, as well as what Kobe decides to tell the next member of the media he talks with.</div>
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" Kobe is retarded.But more trade scenarios, this time by Bill Simmons.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Deal No. 7: Houston trades Tracy McGrady, Bobby Sura (expiring contract in 2008) and the No. 26 pick for Kobe and Vladimir Radmanovic.Comments: The Lakers aren't getting LeBron or Gilbert Arenas, and 'Melo isn't happening (see above). So that makes T-Mac the best under-30 scorer available. Where would he take the Lakers though? They were already a .500 team with Kobe, right? And wouldn't T-Mac inevitably be unhappy going to another rebuilding team? Too big of a risk for the Lakers -- the last thing they need is another unhappy superstar. They're already going to have 15,000 unhappy season-ticket holders as it is.Deal No. 6: Philadelphia trades Andre Igoudala, Sam Dalembert, Kevin Ollie (expiring contract in 2008), the No. 12 pick and the No. 21 pick for Kobe.Comments: Mildly intriguing. The Lakers get a potential All-Star (Igoudala) and a shotblocker (Dalembert), and also end up with the Nos. 12, 19 and 21 picks in a loaded draft. Kobe gets to come home to Philly and play with Andre Miller, Kyle Korver, and oh, wait, there wouldn't be any other good players on the team. And not just that, but everyone in Philly hates Kobe. Forget it.Deal No. 5: Boston trades Theo Ratliff (expires in 2008), Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, the No. 5 pick and their rights to Minny's future No. 1 for Kobe.Comments: A more logical trade (Kobe for Paul Pierce and the No. 5 pick) doesn't work because Kobe would never agree to lead another youth movement. So could a Jefferson-Green-picks package work? I like the thought of Kobe and Pierce joining forces in a crummy conference, and it's hard to imagine the Lakers doing better in terms of potential cap space, premium picks and players with UPPPPPPPPPPPPPside (in my opinion, Jefferson is the best low-post scorer in the league under 24). Still, it's hard to imagine the Los Angeles Lakers trading their franchise player to the Boston Celtics. I just can't see it. It's too weird. Also, I think my dad's head would explode.Deal No. 4: Dallas trades Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse (sign-and-trade starting at $7.3 million per) for Kobe.Comments: I'm intrigued by this one because (A) the Lakers would be competitive with a Howard-Terry-Odom-Bynum nucleus; ( Kobe would solve all of Nowitzki's toughness/crunch-time problems; and © Dallas could probably win a title with Kobe, Nowitzki, the Diop/Dampier combo, Devin Harris and seven guys they found on the street. But would the Lakers ever trade Kobe to a Western contender? And would Cuban ever admit that Dirk was irrevocably damaged by the 2006 Finals and the Warriors-Mavs series, to the degree that he needed to acquire another crunch-time guy? If the Mavs didn't have the testicular fortitude to pull off a Shaq trade three years ago, they won't have the gulliones to go after Kobe.Deal No. 3: Atlanta trades Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Ty Lue and the No. 11 pick for Kobe and Radmanovic.Comments: Love this trade for the Lakers because Johnson replaces 75 percent of Kobe's scoring; Williams and Johnson give them two perfect triangle guys; they'd get a quality rookie like Joakim Noah or Al Thornton at No. 11; and they'd even get to dump their one shaky salary in the deal (four more years of Radmanovic at $25 million) for Lue's expiring deal. That's a pretty good haul. Also, Atlanta hasn't had someone who could sell tickets since 'Nique; they could build around Kobe, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Zaza Pachulia, Shelden Williams, Free Agent Signing X and the No. 3 pick. They could tinker with this deal and substitute the No. 3 and Childress for the No. 11 and Williams and see if L.A. bites on that.Here's the problem: I can't see Kobe accepting a trade to (A) a young team (even a young team with as much potential as the Hawks), and ( a moribund NBA city like Atlanta. Seems too far-fetched. But this would be the best-case scenario for the league itself -- sticking Kobe in a big Eastern city, instantly getting another marquee franchise and ending up with a third superstar in a depleted conference. If David Stern has any juice left -- and it's unclear after the tragic events of May 22 -- he'll make this deal happen.Deal No. 2: Chicago trades Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Victor Khryapa and the No. 9 pick for Kobe.Additional notes: This deal works as long as the Bulls renounce P.J. Brown's rights; also, it means the Lakers would receive a mammoth (and appealing) trade exception in the deal.Comments: This seems like the most natural home for Kobe -- it's a big city; they're a contender in the East; there's enough talent left after the deal to make a run, and even the MJ-Kobe symmetry works nicely -- as well as the best possible haul for the Lakers. The deal could work in a variety of ways: Instead of renouncing Brown's rights, the Bulls could include Andres Nocioni as a sign-and-trade (starting at around $5 million per) and renounce Mike Sweetney's rights instead of Brown's. If they wanted to get even more creative, they could make it Deng, Gordon, P.J. Brown (sign and trade -- one year, $10 million) and the No. 9 for Kobe. They could try to substitute Ty Thomas and a future No. 1 for Deng. Etc., etc., etc.Two big obstacles hereA) Would the Bulls ever give up Deng? The Lakers would have to get him back in a Kobe deal, right? I feel like he's become slightly overrated over the past season -- he's definitely a potential All-Star; he definitely could become the second-best player on a championship-caliber team, but I don't see him getting much better than he is right now. Do you ever see him scoring 27-28 a game? Do you ever see him being the crunch-time scorer on a great team? If you could land Kobe and keep Kirk Hinrich, Ben Wallace, Ty Thomas, Chris Duhon and Thabo Sefolosha, then sign one more veteran to help them out, that's a potential 2008 title team. Isn't the whole point to win a title?( Would John Paxson ever roll the dice with a mega-deal for someone like Kobe? He seems to be happier stockpiling young assets and waiting for one of these other teams to offer him the likes of KG or Jermaine O'Neal for 30 cents on the dollar. By making a Kobe deal, Paxson would be shoving his chips to the middle of the table ... something he's been completely unwilling to do. We will see.Deal No. 1: Phoenix trades Shawn Marion, Leandro Barbosa, Marcus Banks and the rights to Atlanta's 2008 first-rounder to the Lakers for Kobe and Radmanovic.Now we're talking! Some of my favorite things about this trade include (A) The Lakers ending up with a nucleus of Marion, Odom, Barbosa and Bynum, along with Farmar, Walton, Turiaf and the No. 19 pick, as well as the inevitable Kwame Brown trade to a moronic team that convinces itself that Kwame's career could be salvaged. That's a pretty good foundation.( Phoenix trotting out a starting lineup of Nash, Kobe, Raja Bell, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. Good golly. Sweet Jesus.© Radmanovic realizing his manifest destiny of playing in Phoenix. It was meant to be from the moment Mike D'Antoni and Nash teamed up three years ago.(D) Kobe and Raja as teammates. High comedy. The most improbable pairing since Rodman and Pippen 12 years ago.(E) The most selfish player in the league (Kobe) playing with the most unselfish player in the league (Nash). What a fascinating sociological experiment. If Nash can turn Kobe into a team player, I'm voting him for our 2008 president even though he's Canadian.Two potential problems: First, it's unlikely that the Lakers would be dumb enough to trade Kobe within their own division, although with Kupchak involved, anything's possible. And second, assuming that Nash has a say in front-office decisions at this point, would he really want to green-light a scenario that has him managing two enormous egos in Stoudemire and Kobe?Well, lemme throw this at you: What if the Suns then swapped Stoudemire to Minnesota for KG, as I proposed in a May 14 column? That would give them the following crunch-time lineup: Nash, Kobe, Bell, Diaw and KG. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 World Champions! Just send them the trophy right now.</div>
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" This is interesting. I don't follow NBA much too know a lot, but every one must realize that if the Lakers 'can' pull this trade off and picking up some very solid players and have their organization build around Bynum, it'd be a success. Kobe Bryant or not, two/three solid players are better to play with than one.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Punisher @ May 30 2007, 03:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I bet the Wizards could pull off another nice little trade with them. Andray Blatche, Brendan Haywood, Jarvis Hayes, and a 1st round pick.</div>That may be the worst offer I've ever seen.As for the article that chang posted.. those are some interesting things. That lineup with Nash, KG, and Kobe would be amazing.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ May 30 2007, 11:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Punisher @ May 30 2007, 03:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I bet the Wizards could pull off another nice little trade with them. Andray Blatche, Brendan Haywood, Jarvis Hayes, and a 1st round pick.</div>That may be the worst offer I've ever seen.</div>lol, It's better than Kwame Brown and Laron Profit for Caron Butler :rofl2:
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Capt. Comeback @ May 31 2007, 06:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You make it seem like everyone on the Wizards is godly.</div>Everyone on any of his teams for that matter.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" Not a single trade scenerio listed is near enough for Kobe. Lebron James + is not enough for Kobe. Which is why Kobe will never be traded, there is not a trade offer out there that equals his talent. Fair trades:Amare Stoudemire + Shawn Marion + 1st round pick for Kobe Bryant + Vladimir Radmanovic (bad contract).Dwight Howard + Grant Hill (expiring contract) + Jameer Nelson + 1st round pick for Kobe Bryant + Vladimir Radmanovic.Chris Paul + Tyson Chandler + 3 first round picks + 2 second round picks for Kobe Bryant + Vladimir Radmanovic.Brandon Roy + Zach Randolph + 1st overall pick (Greg Oden) for Kobe Bryant + Vladimir Radmonovic.Gilbert Arenas + Caron Butler + 2 first round picks for Kobe Bryant and Vlad.And btw, none of these teams would do these deals because they would largely end up being what the lakers are now. Kobe with no talent around him and no future. Outside of Nash and Kobe, none of them would have another star to compliment Kobe.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" Vilma, you are way overpricing Kobe.Just cause his talent deserves that price, no way a team would give up that price. Look how cheaply Shaq went for. While Kobe is worth more than Shaq, noone will give up their nucleus for a nearing 30 shooting guard that can't single-handedly lead his team like MJ (and I would make a case for LeBron and Wade as well). And he has enough talent around him to carry his team, just like LeBron and Wade.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" Wizards would never trade Gilbert for Kobe...BTW: <span style="color:red">Kobe to Warriors for Davis, Richardson, Biedrins???</span>
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (chang @ May 31 2007, 08:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Vilma, you are way overpricing Kobe.Just cause his talent deserves that price, no way a team would give up that price. Look how cheaply Shaq went for. While Kobe is worth more than Shaq, noone will give up their nucleus for a nearing 30 shooting guard that can't single-handedly lead his team like MJ (and I would make a case for LeBron and Wade as well). And he has enough talent around him to carry his team, just like LeBron and Wade.</div>Shaq was an aging, breaking down, not concerned with basketbal as his main focus, only playing in big games, and soon to be demanding a big contract. In no way close to Kobe. You are right, no team will pay what Kobe is valued, which is why he is not going to be traded. You are wrong, however, because I am not over valueing him. He is the best and most transcendant player in the game and has 5 more years of such play with another 5 years of top tier contribution left in him. He has single handedly carried a team that had nothing around him. MJ had tons of talent around him when he got his rings, Wade had contributers. Kobe is the best player in the NBA and it's not even close. Lebron is promisning, but he's the next Magic not the next Jordan. Kobe has absolutely no legit talent around him, he's taking a bottom three team without him (Boston and Memphis bad) and making them a playoff team, and in the Western Conference where it takes a great team just to look decent.Anyone who doesn't realize this is following the mindset that Kobe is just another star. He's not. Compared to Kobe, guys like Dirk and KG are B- players, and even when compared to guys like Lebron, Kobe is an A++ to their A-. He IS that good, and there is no way around it.
Re: Kobe tells Lakers, "TRADE ME" <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ May 31 2007, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Anyone who doesn't realize this is following the mindset that Kobe is just another star. He's not. Compared to Kobe, guys like Dirk and KG are B- players, and even when compared to guys like Lebron, Kobe is an A++ to their A-. He IS that good, and there is no way around it.</div>And while you say that, LeBron is only going out there and proving that he is without a doubt the best player in the NBA.
