Time for the Lakers to trade Bryant By TIM KAWAKAMI Attention, everybody! It's time for the Lakers to save the league, and themselves, by deciding to trade Bryant and cure our collective case of claustro-Kobe-ia. By trading the His Royal Kobeness, the Lakers could re-hire Phil Jackson, who bashed Bryant in a book, without having to tiptoe nervously around Bryant. With the Bryant trade market at its apex, Jackson's new-look Lakers might be able to acquire a package of talent that maximizes Lamar Odom, who has dimmed in Bryant's shadow, and that fits more effectively with Jackson's sensibility. This is the simple one: By trading for Bryant, teams such as Minnesota (for Kevin Garnett?), Denver (for Carmelo Anthony and Nene?), Dallas (Dirk Nowitzki and Devin Harris) or Atlanta (Josh Smith, the rights to Andrew Bogut and extras?) can either get new excitement or launch a superstar-powered 2006 championship run. So nothing new happens until the Lakers trade Bryant, and unless the Lakers trade Bryant they're probably stuck in limbo. And if the Lakers really want to make things interesting, all they have to do is trade Kobe...to Miami. i think trading kobe would be a good idea. i mean, to me, he's a cancer to the team. he lures away free agents cuz he's always the number one option, and he's just too selfish. i think letting kobe leave would be the best thing to happen to the lakers. just think, kobe to denver for carmelo and nene? kobe for KG? dirk and devin? well those are great trades in my thoughts. also, the lakers can make it very interseting if they traded kobe to miami for wade. kobe and shaq. hmmmmmmmm.....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting yao ming:</div><div class="quote_post"> i think trading kobe would be a good idea. i mean, to me, he's a cancer to the team. he lures away free agents cuz he's always the number one option, and he's just too selfish. i think letting kobe leave would be the best thing to happen to the lakers. just think, kobe to denver for carmelo and nene? kobe for KG? dirk and devin? well those are great trades in my thoughts. also, the lakers can make it very interseting if they traded kobe to miami for wade. kobe and shaq. hmmmmmmmm.....</div> hmmmmmmmm..... i think you're wrong! Kobe was/is a major factor of this team, and is the heart and soul, unless you want to see L.A. style riots in the streets, the Lakers will NEVER TRADE KOBE. He is a major part of this franchise, if he is traded, i think Dr. Buss and Cupcake will be assassinated or lynched. It's silly to even suggest this, because the whole reason for the 04' summer renovation was to make it "Kobe's team", therefore there is no point in even suggesting a trade.
yao ming You don't make much sense with those comments about Kobe. How is he a cancer to his team? What free agents has he lured away? You realize the Lakers don't have the cap space to even sign free agents in the first place. If Kobe is so terrible, why would those other teams trade for him in the first place?
why? Why would the Lakers trade Kobe? it wasnt his fault that the team didnt make the playoffs this year but he showed that if he had a LITTLE more around him he could carry a team. Especcially trading him for a bunch of lesser players would be a terrible idea (remember the shaq trade?). They made the choice to stay with Kobe, though not neccesarily the right one to go away from it would be stupid. He is still top 10 in the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JWohl:</div><div class="quote_post">Why would the Lakers trade Kobe? it wasnt his fault that the team didnt make the playoffs this year but he showed that if he had a LITTLE more around him he could carry a team. Especcially trading him for a bunch of lesser players would be a terrible idea (remember the shaq trade?). They made the choice to stay with Kobe, though not neccesarily the right one to go away from it would be stupid. He is still top 10 in the league.</div> do you consider KG a lesser player? what about Dirk? sure, he's not as good as Kobe, but he's still an allstar, and what about devin harris, who should come in with the deal. he's young and he's a great player. IMO, i would trade kobe for KG or Dirk and Harris.
cmon are you guys serious about trading kobe. i am so disgusted with people blaming kobe for the lakers problems. trust me that the lakers are going be a dynasty team again with KOBE as the main guy. just wait all the doubters will be proved wrong.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting yao ming:</div><div class="quote_post">do you consider KG a lesser player? what about Dirk? sure, he's not as good as Kobe, but he's still an allstar, and what about devin harris, who should come in with the deal. he's young and he's a great player. IMO, i would trade kobe for KG or Dirk and Harris.</div> but these arent feasible realities. The mavs wouldnt give up Dirk and Harris for kobe in a million years. The t-wolves wouldnt make the KG for Kobe either.
Well Kobe was going or hinting to opt out if Shaq was still there, so he's partly to blame. The rest is on the owners who didn't want to pay Shaq huge money when there's the possibility he could be breaking down somewhere down the line nursing a boo-boo on his big toe. And they also took care of Phil Jackson, so that Kobe would want to stay put. The Lakers, in theory, could be better off in the long run if they don't have the cap committed to an older, bigger player like Shaq, who had grown complacent and was constantly overweight with the Lakers. But to have their money invested in a highly marketable, Jordan-esque, young shooting guard in Kobe Bryant, the Lakers could move on and continue to make money and win for several more seasons. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the formula the sports news (entertainment) industry is trying to dangle in front of nba fans to create drama, stir up chatter and make Kobe the new sports villain to hate while pointing out the karma of sending Shaq to the Eastern Conference Miami Heat. This is why Kobe gets blamed 0.) Kobe was accused of rape, was legally aquitted, but was guilty of adultery and lying to save face in the eyes of the public, reputation and public image gets damaged severely 1.) Kobe and Shaq are dominant in their respective positions 2.) Kobe and Shaq have huge egos and demand the ball a lot 3.) Kobe and Shaq put their differences aside when it comes to winning 4.) Kobe and Shaq lost to the underdogs, the Detroit Pistons, a team they could have killed if they played more as a team 5.) Kobe had an opt out clause in his contract 6.) Shaq was crying for an extension 7.) Kobe had problems working with Phil Jackson 8.) Phil Jackson's contract wasn't going to be renewed after the loss 9.) Shaq wanted an immediate trade because of it and got it (Miami Heat) and it also motiviated him to get in shape 10.) Lakers led by Kobe fall due to defensive problems, chemistry, and injuries. 11.) Miami Heat led by Shaq go to the playoffs, and become instant contenders finishing the regular season with the best record in the East. 12.) If Miami wins a ring, it will be ultimate Kobe bashing in the press on what could have been for the Lakers. It's all entertainment. Just like the slogan on TNT, "We Know Drama". It's not all Kobe, before he used to wait till the 4th quarter to take shots before he went into high volume shooting mode. There's just not enough chemistry or talent on this Laker team, especially defensively when they allow other teams to run out on them. Just look at Jrich + Dunleavy + Murphy without Baron Davis. There's nobody else to double team except Jrich before Baron Davis became a Warrior. Now the Warriors are winning because they have somebody to run offense and take the pressure off the star player (Jason Richardson). If Kobe gets a guard that can get the ball to him or some guy inside that will draw double teams, the Lakers will become a lot better and maybe Kobe won't go into "Kobe" mode and chuck 30 shots like it's an easy posession to get each time around.
lakers will never trade kobe. they are trying to built a team with kobe. and are u serious about this trade Josh Smith, the rights to Andrew Bogut and extras?)
lakers would never do that hes the franchise n he will be tilhe retires no1 is as good even though i dont like him he is an amazing player.
Im sure LA could get multiple really good players for Kobe.Outsiders say trade him,insiders say keep him forever.For LA to be successful either Kobster gets traded or they model the team after the 76er team that went to the finals a few years ago and make the lakers a defensive team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DMKfromTPL:</div><div class="quote_post">*Walks into topic.....looks around......shakes head, walks out*</div> My thoughts exactly.... Trading Kobe is just preposterous. To go through what they did last offseason just to hold onto him, they would never do such a thing as this. It makes no sense for them. They're building around Kobe. That's the end of it. He's one of the best players in the league and trade him would not only not make sense, but likely cause all sorts of havoc in LA.
Why would the Lakers trade Kobe, they just placed their future in his hands, and just signed him one year ago, so after one year of no success, they'd just trade him? How stupid would that be?
