Kobe to Lakers: One way or another, do something about Pau

Kobe's upset that Pau is being treated like an asset! Somebody please fire Daryl Mor... err, nevermind.

 

maybe the comish did us a favor... no crying in basketball Pau

 

Waaa Waaa Waaaaaaaa! The NBA is a business. You get paid millions to ball but you cant play hard because you're worried about being traded? Waaaaaaaaaaaaa! Play like you are paid. Its not like he's worrying about losing a job.

 

It's not just that though, it hurts the whole team mentally.

If you want proof... Denver last year.... Magic this year.

 

I can't stand the guy. He is 7'0 tall and gets bullied around by nearly everyone.

 

Maybe Pau's problem is a certain ball stopper named Kobe.

 

Blame it on LEBRON

 

I'm not a Kobe fan or supporter, but, he does have a point here.

 

But that's my point. It shouldn't effect your play. Traded or not, you still have a contract. You must honor your contract until it is up. That alone should be enough incentive to keep playing at a high level. Should I play hard for a team that doesn't want me here? Well, yeah! They're paying you. Being traded is part of the game so I have no sympathy for teams that aren't mentally tough. Guys on our team have been labeled as tradable assets for the past three years and they seem to still over achieve.

 

I agree completely. While the rumors have been floating around a lot and they're hard to hide, the only reason is because of the trade that was axed in December. Otherwise, nobody would probably even know that the Lakers were seriously shopping Pau. But regardless, the team needs to play through it. I always thought it was BS when people take pity (or the players try to get people to empathize) because a player's name is being shopped around. Do your job and stop b****ing.

 

I just think it's easier said than done. Yes it is a business, but it easy to get up in the emotions of the business of basketball. I'm not saying that it's right, I'm just saying I can see where he's coming from with it all.

 

Yeah, but players are human too. I'm sure he wouldn't want to play all out for a team who's about to trade him. Its like if you know you're getting fired you'd just half-ass everything until you finally get canned and then get a new job.

 

If your team just got stomped by friggin' Phoenix they have more issues than just one tall 30+ year old white guy. Maybe Kobe should just buy a Phish T-shirt, set up a folding chair outside of the arena and Occupy Pau Street. Embrace it.

 

Basketball is a business. All businesses have employees. As an employee, do you do your best work when you feel appreciated and wanted or when there are rumors of layoffs, pay cuts and down sizing. It's human nature to do well in a positive enviornment as opposed to a negative one. The fact that basketball players are payed on a much higher level than most of us makes no difference.

 

This trade will signal the end of the Lakers as a contender one way or another.

If they trade Pau for youth then we know they are rebuilding and that means Kobe won't win another ring (as a Laker)

If they trade for Star (Howard) help they will give up their future (Bynum) and the window to win is now even smaller.

 

Facts please!

The Denver Nuggets last year through 32 games were 19-13. Through 32 games this year? 17-15.

The Orlando Magic, through 32 games last year, were 20-12. Through 32 games this year? 20-12.

The Lakers are clearly worse this year. That's because they have less talent (trade Odom for nothing), are older, and have a new (worse) coach.

The Rockets, also constantly being mentioned on this board as being treated like assets, also with a new coach, and also "screwed" on the Gasol deal, were 16-16 through 32 games last year. This year, 18-14.

If upset players impacting team morale has an impact on on court performance (aside from the ones that blow up ridiculously - maybe a Gilbert Arenas type thing), the impact is minimal and falls way way way way way below a variety of other factors - talent, coaching, schedule, luck...

 

The article makes it sound like Kobe doesn't want him to go and Gasol doesn't want to go. So maybe that means he'll be traded anyway? Maybe that's just the right way to address it on Kobe's part. I mean, he can't say, "I want him traded and let's go," so he has to say he wants him to stay. I bet Kobe wants him to be traded if their record is still bad by the trade deadline.

Lakers 2009 #1 seed in playoffs
2010 #1 seed in playoffs
2011 #2 seed in playoffs
2012 on pace for #5 seed but we'll see

 

You tell him you're not trading him and later you trade him anyway.

Problem solved

 

That's not the same at all. We get canned and we still have to look for a job, no guarantee that we actually get one. Theses guys are basically getting relocated and keeping their job. Yea, it sucks to move but be professional about it.

I think the money makes a huge difference. First off, the analogy isn't great because they're not losing their jobs or getting pay cuts. If traded, they still have a job and a contract that entitles them to the money they agreed upon. So its completely different when us regular folks have to work in an enviorment where we might lose our jobs or get pay cuts, on top of being paid poorly.