<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> LOS ANGELES ? If all goes as planned, the Jazz this summer will wave wads of cash at Kobe Bryant ? in hopes of luring the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard to Utah. The NBA forbids anyone in the Jazz organization from publicly discussing their specific free-agency plans while another team's player is still under contract. But the Deseret Morning News has learned that Utah intends to use its ample space underneath the NBA's team-payroll salary cap to aggressively pursue Bryant ? provided, that is, a couple of things fall into place: ? That Bryant indeed decides to opt out of his contract for next season, which he is permitted to do, and actually leave the Lakers, something that in the past week alone he has given rather mixed signals about doing. ? And that Bryant is cleared of the felony rape charge leveled against him in a Colorado sexual assault case ? the outcome of which may not be known until right around the time NBA teams are allowed to begin wooing the league's free agents, in July.</div> Link
Wow, you just posted something about Denver pursuing Kobe Bryant and now Utah? Let's face it, the majority of the Denver fans hold a grudge against him, and that place probably brings up bad memories. As for Utah (since this is the Jazz Forum), I doubt Kobe would want to go to Utah. Not many players appreciate it out there. Karl Malone appreciated it, because he's a simple guy from the country. Not many players are like Malone though, so Utah has to get their bigtime players through the draft and trades. You won't see a Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett type player wearing a Jazz uniform anytime soon. I find it sad, I personally love it in Utah.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BallerAK47:</div><div class="quote_post">You would think players would want to go to a great system and play for Jerry Sloan. Its a shame</div> I agree. Jerry Sloan is too underappreciated. It's a shame most young players do not want to play for him.
Well, if Kobe came Utah he'd fit in very well. Firstly Utah need a scorer, and Kobe is one of the best scorers in the league. He's a Shooting Guard, and Deshawn Stevenson wont be complaining about starting behind him. As for Kobe actually signing with Utah, the chances are low, but there are some. Because of the rape trial, Utah would be a good place for him to escape it all and get less media coverage because he's in Utah not LA. He does have a family though, but he'd sign if Utah put a lot of money in front of him and he wanted to go there to get away from it all. But, I don't trust Utah when it comes to free agency. They had so much cap room last season, and come away with very little.
Well I'm not surprised Utah will pursue him, anyone with money will be trying to do anything to get him this offseason.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow, you just posted something about Denver pursuing Kobe Bryant and now Utah? Let's face it, the majority of the Denver fans hold a grudge against him, and that place probably brings up bad memories. As for Utah (since this is the Jazz Forum), I doubt Kobe would want to go to Utah. Not many players appreciate it out there. Karl Malone appreciated it, because he's a simple guy from the country. Not many players are like Malone though, so Utah has to get their bigtime players through the draft and trades. You won't see a Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett type player wearing a Jazz uniform anytime soon. I find it sad, I personally love it in Utah.</div> I'm gonna agree with Wave on this one. It's not that players don't want to play for Sloan, it's the fact of what Wave pointed out, the city of UTAH is the problem. I personally think he's settled in LA, IMO it would be a lot of trouble moving his family especially with what he's going through, I think he's happy in LA. If not the Lakers I think he's going to be a Clipper.
Even though money's not the problem for Utah, if Kobe demands a lot of money (Utah would be willing to give it to him), Utah will still have a lot of Free Agents that they could let walk to save the cap room. They have 7 free agents, so they should have as gooder chance as any other team at signing him. But Kobe's got enough money, it's up to him where he ends up if he does leave the Lakers and I don't think money will be the most important thing to him, location would come before it. Purple N Gold- It's the state of Utah, not city .
the jazz gave kobe and malone some crap w/ that telephone call b4 the L.A. and jazz game, that alone crushed any chances of kobe 2 signing w/ utah, kobe is going 2 be a clipper
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting holyace2k2:</div><div class="quote_post">the jazz gave kobe and malone some crap w/ that telephone call b4 the L.A. and jazz game, that alone crushed any chances of kobe 2 signing w/ utah, kobe is going 2 be a clipper</div> What the hell are you talking about? Actually, Kobe has said over and over that he loves playing in Utah. You never know what will happen, lets just wait and see what happens. I think what is a better concern... tho, is Kobe clearing his legal status first. That case is going nuts. (Well, for me. ;b)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe Krazy:</div><div class="quote_post">What the hell are you talking about? Actually, Kobe has said over and over that he loves playing in Utah. You never know what will happen, lets just wait and see what happens. I think what is a better concern... tho, is Kobe clearing his legal status first. That case is going nuts. (Well, for me. ;b)</div> You dont know? In the Jazz's last home game against the Lakers, there was a prank phonecall from "Karl Malone"(it was actually Bear the Jazz's mascot) saying that he didn't like it in LA and wanted to come home to Utah, then he said it could be worse, I could be Ko-- and that phone hung up. The got fined very soon after.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting tmac15:</div><div class="quote_post">You dont know? In the Jazz's last home game against the Lakers, there was a prank phonecall from "Karl Malone"(it was actually Bear the Jazz's mascot) saying that he didn't like it in LA and wanted to come home to Utah, then he said it could be worse, I could be Ko-- and that phone hung up. The got fined very soon after.</div> Ouch, didn't know.
