kobe doesn't want to win at all cost. he wants to win under the circumstances that he's THE REASON his teams win and everybody understands that. kobe would never agree to take a backseat and let others shine while being a big contributor like a tim duncan.
Being an ******* to your teammates has its costs. Sometimes a star player is great enough that he would attract teammates despite his personality, but even for the true elite guys (look at Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan) this stuff matters. With that Lakers situation, Kobe is not only an ******* to his teammates, he also can't play well any more (always injured, low efficiency scoring, no defense). Besides, that team has owners who don't get along, a coach without any sense of modern NBA tactics, and limited ways to add talent given Kobe's contract $. So, most of the better players are gonna have more attractive options than the Lakers.
If that were the case then why are these guys flocking to smaller markets and avoiding NYC and LA? DJ, Monroe, LMA, Love and several others had the chance to live the glamorous life in huge markets but took smaller markets for a chance to win. If anything guys like Kobe who take 2yr $48M deals and paralyze the franchise are not about winning.
Has Kobe treat any of his teammates last year worse than Lebron treating Love? Don't think so. Lebron is treating Love like garbage also and still Love returned with a long term contract. Being a nice guy or an ******* is overrated, whether you can get your money and also have a chance to win matters. Not everyone needs to have a good relationship to win the title.
Love came back because he got PAID. Lebron also never made anyone cry and never said you should rethink your life to a teammate of his
He's not just an *******. He thinks he should be the leading scorer even though his TS% is below .400.
love left minnesota to play with lebron in CLEVELAND. love could have went anywhere like houston or los angeles but still chose to return to CLEVELAND. i guess their relationship isn't that bad.
Are you saying that Aldridge has a better chance winning a championship with the Lakers than the Spurs???? Because you seem to be implying that..
I think Kobe is a product of his times. Back in the day basketball was about going out there with fire in your gut and crushing your opponent, especially mentally. "Having fun" meant putting everything on the line knowing you gave your soul to get the W. Jokes and camaraderie were much rarer, and most players treated basketball as serious business. Kobe had the most loving family growing up, so I doubt its because he's a misaligned individual. Even Batman never smiles when he's out working. He's no Tony Stark.
I don't think players have this "win at all costs" mentality, but I don't think that means they don't care. Yeah, rings are important, but players care about their livelihood too. They have to spend a huge portion of their lives with their teammates, so yeah, maybe they won't want to play with a controlling ******* who doesn't allow players to have fun unless the team is celebrating a championship. And I think that is reasonable, and hardly makes players that like DJ whiny, entitled babies.
You are very naïve to look at it this way. Love left Min and went to Cle NOT because his relationship with Lebron, he can care less about it. Nor because he dislike Harden or Dwight in here. First thing is about money, which he will get at least the same or close to the same level in here, in Cle or even in Min (maybe even a bit more). Then, when money is not a factor, winning is. Or course the Cavs has a better chance and a better team than the Rockets to win the championship because they have the best player in the NBA. And that's the reason he was there and he will be there (at least for the start) of next season. Not because he like or dislike Lebron. And for any Rockets fan will still have the fantasy that Durant will be coming to the Rockets next summer, if he does, its not because of his relationship with Harden. Its because he believe he will have a better chance to win at here.
except we do know that. he didn't want to play 2nd fiddle to shaq. he didn't want to build the lakers offense around dwight and ran him out of LA. rumors are he wanted LMA to play as a 2nd fiddle. the rockets have just as much of a chance to win with love as the cavs. OKC also wanted love and that would have been a better chance to win than the cavs or the rockets so it was more than just winning. if you're a free agent whith the option to play anywhere you're not going to want to play with someone you don't like.
Nobody has ever really wanted to play with Kobe, you might end up stuck playing with him after a trade, but no good FA has ever said "I'd love to go play alongside the black hole that is Kobe Bryant" and actually meant it.
